The Whataburger Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger is a premium burger offering from the popular Texas-based fast food chain Whataburger. It features a juicy beef patty topped with crispy bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a sweet and spicy sauce on a toasted bun. In this article, we will explore the ingredients and nutrition facts of this burger in detail.
Overview of the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
The Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger was introduced by Whataburger in 2020 as a limited time offering. It quickly became popular among fans thanks to its bold, crave-worthy flavors. Here is a quick overview of what’s included in this burger:
- A 100% pure beef patty that is never frozen
- Two slices of smoked bacon
- Pepper jack cheese
- Lettuce
- Sliced tomato
- Red onion slices
- Sweet and Spicy sauce
- Toasted five-inch bun
The combination of spicy pepper jack cheese, savory bacon, sweet sauce, and fresh produce makes each bite of this burger burst with flavor. It also has a decent amount of protein from the beef and bacon to keep you satisfied.
Beef Patty
The beef patty is the star of any Whataburger burger. For the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger, Whataburger uses 100% pure American beef with no fillers, additives or preservatives. The beef is never frozen, just like all their burger patties. The patty is cooked to order on a griddle top and seasoned with just a pinch of salt and pepper to let the flavor of the beef shine through.
The standard patty used on the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger is a quarter pound patty. At 115 grams or 4 ounces, it provides a good portion of protein and makes each bite of the burger nice and hearty. Whataburger also lets you customize your burger with different patty sizes, from the 140 gram Junior patty up to the massive 580 gram Triple patty stacked with three quarter pound beef patties.
Nutrition for Quarter Pound Beef Patty
| Calories | 360 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 23g |
| Protein | 28g |
| Sodium | 370mg |
Bacon
Adding bacon to a burger instantly makes it more crave-worthy. For the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger, Whataburger uses smoked bacon sourced from select American pork providers. The bacon goes through a natural hardwood smoking process to give it that iconic smoky, salty and slightly sweet bacon flavor.
Two full slices of bacon are included on each burger. They are cooked fresh on the griddle until nice and crispy. The crispiness provides great texture against the juicy beef patty while the smoky and salty flavors balance out the sweetness of the sauce.
Nutrition for 2 Slices of Bacon
| Calories | 90 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 7g |
| Protein | 7g |
| Sodium | 370mg |
Pepper Jack Cheese
Melty cheese is a must on any great burger. The Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger uses pepper jack cheese to turn up the heat. Pepper jack is a creamy Tex-Mex style cheese that gets its spice from jalapeño and chili peppers blended into the cheese. When melted over the hot patty, you get a nice hit of heat and tanginess.
A good amount of shredded pepper jack cheese is placed on top of the beef patty while it’s still cooking on the grill. This allows the cheese to melt into all the nooks and crannies. Oozy, melted pepper jack complements all the other flavors in this burger perfectly.
Nutrition for 1 Slice (28g) Pepper Jack Cheese
| Calories | 90 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 7g |
| Protein | 6g |
| Sodium | 270mg |
Produce
Crisp fresh produce adds nice texture and flavor balance to the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger.
The burger has two slices of ripe tomato, providing sweetness and moisture. There are also a few slices of red onion. Red onion has a mild onion flavor that goes well with the tomato. A few small lettuce leaves add crunch and freshness.
The produce helps cut through the rich flavors of the patty, bacon and cheese. The lettuce, tomato and onion are sliced fresh in-house daily at Whataburger restaurants.
Nutrition for Produce
The vegetable toppings provide vitamins, minerals and fiber with negligible calories:
| 2 Slices Tomato | 10 calories, 2g carbs |
|---|---|
| 2 Slices Red Onion | 10 calories, 2g carbs |
| Lettuce | Less than 5 calories |
Sweet and Spicy Sauce
What really sets the Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger apart is the signature Sweet and Spicy sauce. As the name suggests, it has both sweet and spicy elements to excite your taste buds.
The sauce is made in-house at Whataburger and the recipe is a closely guarded secret. It is described as having hints of honey, chipotle peppers, garlic and aged cayenne peppers. The sauce brings smoky, tangy and bold flavors that complement the bacon and pepper jack cheese perfectly.
A generous drizzle of the creamy orange sauce is applied on the top bun before serving the burger. This allows it to soak into the bun while also giving you a nice flavor punch in each bite. The sauce ties together all the components of this burger impressively.
Nutrition for 2 Tbsp Sauce
| Calories | 45 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbs | 11g |
| Sodium | 250mg |
Bun
The Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger comes sandwiched between Whataburger’s signature five-inch toasted bun. It has a soft, airy interior with a toasted exterior for a satisfying crunch.
Whataburger bakes their buns fresh throughout the day in their own bakeries. The five-inch bun provides the perfect ratio of bread to fillings in each burger. Before serving, the buns are lightly buttered and toasted on the grill to create a warm outer layer.
Nutrition for Bun
| Calories | 240 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 4g |
| Carbs | 42g |
| Protein | 7g |
| Sodium | 320mg |
Putting It All Together
Now that we’ve explored each component individually, let’s see how it all comes together in the complete Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger:
| Item | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bun | 240 | 4g | 42g | 7g | 320mg |
| Beef Patty | 360 | 23g | 0g | 28g | 370mg |
| Bacon (2 slices) | 90 | 7g | 0g | 7g | 370mg |
| Pepper Jack Cheese | 90 | 7g | 0g | 6g | 270mg |
| Sauce | 45 | 0g | 11g | 0g | 250mg |
| Produce | 15 | 0g | 4g | 0g | 0mg |
| Totals | 840 | 41g | 57g | 48g | 1580mg |
Conclusion
The Whataburger Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger packs a lot of bold, craveable flavors between the bun. A quarter pound beef patty provides a hearty base, while pepper jack cheese and bacon add spice and smokiness. Crisp vegetables balance out the richness. But it’s the signature Sweet and Spicy sauce that brings everything together for an irresistible burger experience. With 840 calories and 41 grams of fat, it’s an indulgent treat, but the high protein content helps keep you satisfied. Overall, this premium bacon burger lives up to its hype with its creative blend of flavors and textures.