Learn how to make a smashburger recipe at home. These crispy, juicy burger patties are topped with melty cheese and layered on a toasted bun with a homemade sauce for a quick meal even better than restaurant varieties.
What Is a Smashburger?
Smashburgers are a type of burger made with thin patties that are cooked quickly on a griddle and smashed down with a burger press. A great smashburger is all about balance: crispy-edged patties with a juicy center, thin-sliced cheese that’s been melted just enough to hold it all together, and a few simple toppings, all tucked inside a fluffy toasted bun. You can find them at various restaurants, but I much prefer to make smashburgers at home.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
- Ground Beef – You can use 80/20 or 85/15 lean ground beef. I prefer 80/20, because the higher fat content ensures juicy burgers with those crispy edges.
- Salt – This doesn’t make your burgers salty but does enhance their flavor and contributes to the nice crispy exterior we want.
- Neutral Oil – Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point so that it doesn’t burn or impact the flavor of the meat. Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil are all great options.
- Yellow Onions – These are optional but caramelize beautifully, adding a slightly sweet flavor and lots of depth.
- Buns – You can use any buns you like. However, I always go with potato buns, because they toast well on the outside while remaining soft in the center.
- Cheese – I use both classic American cheese and sharp white cheddar cheese for a well-rounded flavor. Pepper Jack cheese or Swiss cheese would also taste great.
How to Make a Crispy Smashburger Recipe
Smashburgers cook very quickly. So, I highly recommend gathering all your ingredients before you begin and keeping them close by as you cook.
1. Prepare the Ingredients
2. Cook and Serve
Topping Ideas
I serve my smashburger recipe topped with very thinly sliced pickles, ketchup, mustard, and my homemade special sauce. This creates a balance of sweet, tangy flavors and a creamy consistency that takes the burgers over the top.
That said, you can also include options like:
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Barbecue Sauce
Smashburger Recipe
Skip restaurant options, and learn how to make a Smashburger recipe in about 20 minutes for crisp, juicy, cheesy burgers at home instead!
Equipment
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle
- 1 Heavy Burger Press
Ingredients
For the Burger
- 2 pound (32 ounce) 80/20 or 85/15 lean ground beef*
- kosher salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoon (10 gram) neutral oil
- optional: 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
For the Special Sauce
- ½ cup (115 gram) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon (34 gram) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (15 gram) Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon (30 gram) pickles, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon (7 gram) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 gram) pickle juice or vinegar
- ½ teaspoon (~3 gram) garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon (~3 gram) onion powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) sugar
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Assembly
- 1 tablespoon (13 gram) neutral oil
- 2 potato buns
- 6 slice thin American cheese
- 6 slice thin sharp white cheddar cheese
- pickle chips
- bottled ketchup
- mustard
- special sauce
Instructions
- Divide the beef into six equal portions.* Gently roll each portion into a ball and then pass the beef between two hands, slapping it from one hand to the other to compress the ball and remove any excess air. Place the balls on a plate, and chill uncovered in the refrigerator to let the fat re-solidify.2 pound 80/20 or 85/15 lean ground beef*
- While the burgers are in the refrigerator, make the special sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon ketchup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoon pickles, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon pickle juice or vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon sugar, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Once the burgers are ready to cook, preheat a large cast iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the griddle, and once the oil is shimmering, add the bun top side down to the griddle.2 teaspoon neutral oil, 2 potato buns
- Cook for one to two minutes, or until the top bun is a deeper golden brown. Remove from the griddle and set aside.
- Season the top of three ground beef balls with salt. Add them to the still-hot griddle, and cover each ball with a generous heap of onions, if desired. Place a heavy burger press onto each patty, compressing it down to ¼ inch thick.kosher salt, optional: 2 medium yellow onion
- Cook each patty for one minute, or until deeply golden brown and lacy. Season the other side of the burger with salt. Then, flip the patty, and cook for 30 seconds. Add more oil as needed while cooking.1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Turn off the heat and add three pieces of American cheese to three of the patties (one on each), and three pieces of the sharp cheddar to three burgers. Cover the patties to let the cheese melt. Once the cheese is melted, stack three patties on top of each other, alternating cheese types.6 slice thin American cheese, 6 slice thin sharp white cheddar cheese
- Transfer the patty stack to the prepared bun. Top with a few pickle slices, a drizzle of ketchup, mustard, and special sauce. Serve immediately.pickle chips, bottled ketchup, mustard, special sauce
Video
Notes
*I prefer 80/20 lean ground beef because the higher fat content ensures juicy burgers with those crispy edges.
*If doubling or tripling the ingredients, adjust the instructions as needed, forming six burger patties for every two pounds of meat. *Nutrition information will vary depending on the type of beef, cheese, and condiments.
*If doubling or tripling the ingredients, adjust the instructions as needed, forming six burger patties for every two pounds of meat. *Nutrition information will vary depending on the type of beef, cheese, and condiments.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 2293kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 112g, Fat: 193g, Saturated Fat: 70g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 32g, Monounsaturated Fat: 68g, Trans Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 493mg, Sodium: 2646mg, Potassium: 1641mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 1831IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 1385mg, Iron: 10mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make smashburgers in advance?
You can assemble and portion the patties one to two days in advance and store the special sauce in the refrigerator for up to one week. However, I don’t recommend cooking the burgers ahead of time. They tend to become soggy as they sit and are likely to dry out if reheated.
What should I serve with a smashburger recipe?
For a classic meal, serve your burgers with a side of fries. Or, add onion rings, grilled vegetables, or a salad. There’s really no right or wrong.
I love your videos and recipes. Thank you!!!
Question: how do you clean your cast iron skillet? With water?
I used a cast iron pan instead of a skillet. the only down sides were it was hard to find a angle to smash. I also made the Patty’s a bit thicker and they still tasted AMAZING. The special sauce is delicious but the recipe uses a bit to much mayo.
As for the instructions they worked perfectly and the Patty’s almost melted in my mouth. Tip : when using a thicker patty you don’t need to throw it because it wont fall apart.
Gear Four?
It’s SUPER GOOD I definitely recommend cooking this!
Amazingly done the website is great and very easy to use the recipe was fantastic and delicious thank you nick!