Thin and juicy with a crispy outer bite, this smash burger recipe is your guide to making the best, cheesy, double patty smashed burgers served on a toasted bun!
Table of Contents
Homemade Smash Burgers
If you’re looking for a hamburger recipe that is as easy as baked hamburgers, as cheesy as the best cheeseburger recipe, with thinner patties and loads of flavor, then these smash burgers need to be on your must-make list!
They’re made by mashing a ball of ground beef to even thinness for more surface area to build a nice outer crust. Then, it’s served on a toasted bun as a double patty with cheese and all your favorite burger toppings!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make. These work great on busy weeknights when you don’t have the grill going but are just as easy to make on the backyard grill.
- The best homemade sauce. Thin, juicy, cheesy burgers are one thing, but the creamy, tangy burger sauce brings it up a few notches!
Smash Burger Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground beef: Use lean 80/20 ground beef. Extra lean would be too dry.
- Sliced cheese: I use American cheese because it’s a classic choice for smash burgers and melts easily. You can also use sliced cheddar.
- Burger buns: Any burger bun will do! Brioche buns, whole wheat, kaiser, etc. I also have a great recipe for homemade hamburger buns you might want to check out.
- For the best smash burger sauce, you’ll need mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, chopped dill pickles, lemon juice, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
Burger Toppings
You can add everything from your classic burger toppings like tomato, lettuce, sliced red onion, ketchup, mustard, and relish, to swapping the smash burger sauce with a burger sauce, fry sauce, or homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
You could swap the American cheese with something different like Swiss, Gruyere, or Pepper Jack. Feel free to omit the melty cheese if you’d rather keep it dairy-free.
How to Make a Smash Burger
Divide the beef into equal pieces and use your hands to form each piece into a round ball. Do not overwork the meat, keep it round, but loose. Chill the meat, it should be cold when it touches the grill.
Over medium-high heat, place 2-4 burger balls into the hot, oiled pan. Immediately use a burger press or large spatula to press the meat down to smash it flat. Cook for 1-2 minutes until a crust forms outside then flip it over.
Add a slice of cheese to each patty and continue cooking for another 45 seconds. Assemble burger by spreading the sauce on toasted bun. Add one or two burger patties and any additional toppings you desire. Dig in!
Expert Tips
- The special sauce is optional, but we LOVE it. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.
- For additional seasoning in the beef, feel free to sprinkle it with some garlic powder or homemade hamburger seasoning.
- Only smash ONCE! And make sure to get them pretty thin.
- Prevent sticking. If you find the burger press or spatula is sticking to the meat, quickly add a piece of parchment paper in between before pressing to prevent sticking.
- Make them mini! Use less meat in the ground beef balls and make smashed cheeseburger sliders.
Recipe FAQs
It’s when you take a ball of ground beef and use either a burger smasher or a large spatula (and some muscles) to smash the meat down into a thin, flat patty giving it more surface area to form a delicious crust on the outside while still keeping it juicy on the inside.
I recommend no leaner than 80/20. You need the fat for flavor and to keep it from drying out.
We love to keep it simple with a classic side of homemade French fries or baked sweet potato fries and then wash it down with a refreshing glass of lemonade!
Storing
- Make ahead: Prepare the beef balls ahead of time by rolling them and placing them on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Keep leftover burgers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked burgers without the cheese. Once completely cooled, stack burgers layered with parchment paper and place in a freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in fridge overnight and reheat in a cast iron skillet on the stove or microwave.
For other fun variations on burgers try burger in a bowl or lettuce wrap burger and cheeseburger meatballs.
More Burger Recipes
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Smash Burger Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoons cooking oil , vegetable, canola or olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef , 80/20
- 4 slices American cheese
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- 4 burger buns
Smash Burger Sauce (Optional)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle , chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato slices, onions, pickles
Instructions
- Make burger balls. Divide 1 pound beef into four equal pieces and then use your hands to loosely form each piece into a round ball. Place each ball on a parchment paper lined plate or pan.
- Chill. Loosely cover and place in refrigerator to chill. It's best for the meat to be chilled when it hits the hot pan.
- Heat. Drizzle 2 teaspoons oil onto griddle or cast iron pan then tilt pan back and forth so oil covers it evenly. Turn stovetop heat to medium-high and allow pan to heat until smoking.
- Smash meat with spatula. Place 2-4 burger balls into the hot pan. Immediately use a burger press or large spatula to press straight down on the ball and smash it flat and thin.
- Cook patties. Once patties are smashed, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until a crust has formed and juices appear on the surface. Do not re-smash or press down on the burger again.
- Add cheese. Using a spatula, scrape under the burger to ensure you get all the caramelized crust and bits then flip the burger. Add a slice of cheese and cook through until desired doneness, about 45 seconds to a minute longer.
- Toast buns. Remove burgers to a clean plate and cover while toasting the buns. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in hot pan then turn off the heat. Place burger buns cut-side down immediately into the pan and toast until warm.
- Assemble. Assemble burger by spreading sauce onto the toasted bun, top with burgers and any additional toppings if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, 4th of July, 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Beef, Dinner, Kid-Friendly, Stovetop, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These were delicious with the burger seasoning mix!
So glad you enjoyed them!
These were a smashing hit with my fam! Omitted the mustard thiugh as my kids don’t eat it and it was a huge hit!
This was a hit at our BBQ! The ground beef turned out juicy, and the sauce was a perfect tangy complement. My family loved the hint of dill pickle.
So glad your family loved the smash burgers!
This turned out amazing! Smash burgers are our favorite and we crushed every bite!