Valentina Ablaev
If there’s one recipe that’s taken the internet by storm this summer, it’s the smash burger! This smash burger recipe has quickly become our favorite and beats out any restaurant smash burger! The key is thin, crispy patties layered on top of each other, with melted cheese in between!
Though we love a classic homemade hamburger or our barbecue pulled pork sandwich, this smash burger is one to remember. The flavor and crisp patties make for the perfect savory bite!
This smash burger recipe takes delicious beef patties, and makes them thin and crispy. Add all of your favorite toppings and enjoy the best burger of your life. Our special smash burger sauce takes this burger to the next level.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cheaper alternative. Making burgers at home is far cheaper than going out to your restaurant.
- Homemade is better. These patties from scratch guarantee that they will be flavored inside and out and no additives.
- Easy recipe. This recipe will impress everyone and it’s so simple to make.
Ingredients for Homemade Smash Burgers:
Simple ingredients make the perfect burger.
- Ground beef – 80/20 ground beef works best for this recipe.
- Seasoning – a blend of onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper season the burger perfectly. Worcestershire sauce adds a great depth of flavor to this burger.
- Cheese – your favorite sliced cheese melts perfectly over the patty. We like cheddar cheese.
- Buns – soft hamburger buns are perfect for this recipe.
- Toppings – your favorite vegetables and sauces will make this the perfect burger for you. We love a combination of shredded lettuce, pickles, sweet onion, and sliced tomatoes.
- Secret sauce – our special smash burger sauce is a combination of mayo, dijon, sugar, vinegar, relish, and ketchup.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
All of the add-ins, substitutions, and different variations to the recipe you want to make.
- Gluten-free alternative: Ditch the bun and enjoy your burger in a lettuce wrap. Iceberg lettuce makes the perfect wrap because of the circular lettuce leaves and the crisp texture.
- Healthier meat: Use ground turkey or chicken for a healthier patty alternative!
How to Make a Smash Burger:
This recipe couldn’t be easier:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, oil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce just until combined.
2. Divide the meat into eight equal parts, shape it into balls, and refrigerate.
3. Add four burger balls onto a heated griddle.
4. Smash each burger one at a time using a burger press. Cook for 2-3 minutes, and quickly flip with a spatula. Add cheese slices and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the secret sauce to the toasted buns, add pickles, onions, and tomatoes.
6. Stack two patties on top of each other and finish the burger with shredded lettuce.
Our Secret Burger Sauce Recipe:
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, dijon mustard, sugar, vinegar, relish, and ketchup. Whisk together until uniform. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Expert Tips:
- Pick the right meat. It’s important when making burgers to pick ground chuck with some fat. 80/20 or 85/15 are ideal. Most fat will melt and drip down since the burgers are being cooked on the grill. Picking a lean ground beef will result in a dry, hard burger.
- Keep your meat cold. Keep the remaining meat in the fridge when forming your patties, as it’s harder to shape when warm.
- Be bold with the seasoning. Season your meat thoroughly to give you the most delicious patty.
- Make them thin. The key to a really good smash burger is a thin and crispy patty.
- Pay attention. Smash burgers cook much faster than regular hamburgers, so keep an eye on those crispy patties.
- Level up your burger. Top your burger with caramelized onions, or air fryer bacon!
Serving Suggestions
- Pair this burger with homemade parmesan french fries but don’t skip the creamy garlic aioli.
- Complement this smash burger with a side salad like our creamy caesar salad.
Recipe FAQs
You can use an instant-read thermometer to check that the burger gets to 160°F.
With grilling meat, it’s important to know that most of the fat will melt and drip down. When making burgers on a grill, it’s essential to use a meat with a higher fat content so that your patty can stay juicy.
You can use a smash burger press or a large jar or metal spatula.
When smashing the patties, you want to make them bigger than the bun. Due to the fat content, the patties shrink significantly.
A smash burger consists of a thinner patty that is seared to have crispy edges.
Yes, you can cook up delicious smash burgers on a hot cast iron pan.
Store & Reheat:
- Storage. Store leftover smash burger patties in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the patties on a warm skillet.
- Freeze. You can freeze cooked, or raw patties. Simple lay that out in a freezer-safe bag and store. If arranging raw patties, seperate them with parchment paper. Thaw: You can add the raw frozen patties right to the grill.
More Sandwich Recipes
If you enjoyed this smash burger recipe, be sure to try our other popular sandwich recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this smash burger recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
The BEST Smash Burger Recipe
Ingredients
burger patties:
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 2 Tbsp oil
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 8 slices of cheddar cheese
secret sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp relish
- 1 ½ Tbsp ketchup
toppings:
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- ½ cup pickle slices
- ½ sweet onion
- 1 tomato sliced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, oil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce just until combined.
- Divide the meat into eight equal parts, shape it into balls, and refrigerate.
- Add four burger balls onto a heated griddle and smash one at a time using a burger press. For the best crust, smash the patties thin.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, and quickly flip with a spatula.
- Cover with a slice of cheese and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove from grill and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining burgers.
- To serve: Add sauce to toasted buns, double patties, and desired toppings.
Notes
- Pick the right meat. When making burgers, it’s important to choose ground beef with some fat. 80/20 or 85/15 are ideal. Since the burgers are being cooked on the grill, most fat will melt and drip down. Picking a lean ground beef will result in a dry, hard burger.
- Keep your meat cold. When forming your patties, keep the remaining meat in the fridge, as it’s harder to shape when warm.
- Be bold with the seasoning. Season your meat thoroughly to give you the most delicious patty.
- Make them thin. The key to a delicious smash burger is a thin and crispy patty.
- Pay attention. Smash burgers cook faster than regular hamburgers, so watch those crispy patties.
