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Learn how to make Smash Burgers with simple ingredients for a quick, family-friendly meal that’s even better than your favorite restaurant version. Thin ground beef layers over sautéed onions and is served on toasted buns with burger sauce and all the best toppings!
Easy to make, this homemade smash burgers recipe is high-protein, gluten-free (depending on your buns!), nut-free, and dairy-free-friendly!
What Makes a Smash Burger a Smash Burger?
These truly are a family staple for us now that we’ve started making them! A smash burger is exactly what it sounds like – a burger that is smashed down until it’s thin and crispy! As a result, smash burgers are typically cooked until well done, unlike thick burgers that can range from rare to well done.
Don’t worry, though! This recipe is far from bland or dry. Smashing the beef increases its surface area, locking in the natural juices and flavor. Paired with the sweet onions and tangy sauce, the burgers are juicy, savory, and completely irresistible. Plus, they cook super quickly, making them perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a large crowd!
Load them up with your favorite toppings, and you’ll never go back to restaurant versions again.
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
Smash Burgers
- Onion: I like to use white onion for a slightly more savory taste, but yellow onions will also work.
- Ground Beef: For the best results, I recommend using 80/20 beef. This helps keep the burgers moist and juicy.
- Seasonings: Use salt and pepper, or opt for your favorite burger seasoning.
- Yellow Mustard: This coats the buns, adding a delicious tangy taste. Feel free to substitute Dijon mustard if preferred!
- Cheese: Use slices of cheese that melt well such as cheddar, muenster, provolone, or American cheese. Or, use your favorite plant-based cheese if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Toppings: Mix and match all your favorite burger toppings such as burger sauce (see below), pickle chips, lettuce, and tomato slices.
Burger Sauce
*If you don’t want to make it, I love this one!
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite store-bought mayonnaise, or make homemade Paleo mayo!
- Mustard: Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard both work well.
Ketchup: I like to use a low-sugar ketchup, but whatever you like best will taste great. - White Vinegar: This adds just a touch of tangy flavor. Feel free to substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, paprika, and salt create a savory flavor with lots of depth.
- Hot Sauce: This is optional, but I love to add a dash of hot sauce for a touch of heat!
- Relish: Again, this is optional but really takes the flavor of the sauce over the top!
Where I Buy My Meat
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
How to Make Smash Burgers
- Portion the beef: Divide the ground beef, and form the meat into 3-ounce balls.
- Cook the onions: Spread the onions out on a hot griddle, flat top, or cast iron pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, adding oil as needed so they don’t stick or burn.
- Flatten the beef: Place the ground beef balls on top of the onions, flattening them out with a burger press.
- Season: Brush the yellow mustard evenly over the beef patties, and season with salt and pepper or burger seasoning.
- Flip: Carefully flip the burgers over, and layer the cheese slices on top.
- Toast the buns: While the burgers finish cooking, lightly toast the buns.
- Prepare the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients for the burger sauce in a small bowl, and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Assemble: Layer the burger patties on the toasted hamburger buns along with your toppings of choice and the prepared burger sauce. Enjoy immediately!
Tools for Success
This recipe is already virtually failproof, but the following tools help ensure your burgers turn out crisp and flavorful with ease, no matter how you’re cooking them!
- Flat Top Accessories – I love cooking on a flat top, especially when I’m making several burgers at once, and these accessories allow for easy cooking, flipping, and cleanup.
- Griddle Insert – This makes it easy to cook on a grill without the thin patties sliding right through the grates. You can also use it to make eggs, pancakes, and more!
- Griddle and Grill Press – Of course, you can use a metal spatula to flatten your burgers if needed. However, I’ve found that these tools create the super thin, restaurant-quality patties we want.
- Kitchen Scale – Use this to portion the beef mixture evenly so all your burgers cook evenly.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to keep this recipe low-carb and gluten-free, feel free to skip the bun, and use a lettuce wrap instead. Then, create a complete meal with sides like:
FAQs
Yes, you can prep the burger patties 1-2 days in advance and the burger sauce up to 3 days ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Then, reheat the burgers in the microwave or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and assemble with your favorite toppings when you’re ready to eat.
I haven’t tested it out, but ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken should work. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed, and keep in mind that the taste and texture of the burgers will change slightly!
Using meat leaner than 80% can cause your burgers to be tough. Also, be sure not to press the patties after they begin to cook. This can squeeze out excess juice, making the meat dry.
More Burger Recipes You’ll Love
- Moroccan Chicken Burgers
- Baked Chicken Caesar Salad Burgers
- Thai Turkey Burgers with Spicy Sriracha Slaw
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers
- My Favorite Salmon Burgers
- Paleo Mushroom Burgers
Watch The Video:
Smash Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
Burger Patties:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef divided into 8 equal portions (3 oz each)
- 1 small/medium white onion sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon Yellow mustard more as desired
- Salt and pepper or burger seasoning
- Sliced onions
- Slices of cheese
Toppings:
- Special sauce/burger sauce
- A cheese that melts well like cheddar muenster or provolone
- Pickle chips
- Tomato optional
- Lettuce
- Toasted Buns
Burger Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder/granules
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- Optional 1 tablespoon relish if you have it!
Instructions
- Form ground beef into 3oz balls.1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- Lay out sliced onions on the griddle, flat top, or cast iron pan, and let cook for 1-2 minutes (hit with additional oil if needed).1 small/medium white onion
- Flatten ground beef into onions (if sticking, you can put parchment down first on top of the burger in between the smasher), and lift gently.
- Brush yellow mustard over ground beef patties and season with s/p or burger seasoning.1 teaspoon Yellow mustard, Salt and pepper or burger seasoning
- Flip burgers and add cheese.Slices of cheese
- Toast the buns just until golden.Toasted Buns
- Make burger sauce, whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl.1/3 cup mayo, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder/granules, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, Salt and pepper, Optional 1 teaspoon hot sauce, Optional 1 tablespoon relish
- Once burgers are cooked to your liking (note: they cook quick!) build the burgers with toppings of choice (I love pickles and the burger sauce along with lettuce and tomato!).Sliced onions, Special sauce/burger sauce, Pickle chips, Tomato, Lettuce, A cheese that melts well like cheddar
Notes
- The nutrition information above does not include the burger sauce or toppings.
- You can prep the burger patties 1-2 days in advance and the burger sauce up to 3 days ahead of time. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Then, reheat them in the microwave or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and assemble your burgers when you’re ready to eat.
The BEST smash burger we’ve ever had! My husband said, “why pay $20 for a burger when you can make a burger that tastes like this?” That says it all! BTW – Love the sauce!
Very good