Here’s the Ultimate Smash Burger Recipe! This restaurant-quality burger is delicious and easy to make. Serve with your fave sides & toppings.
If you haven’t made smash burgers at home yet, you need to try this recipe. They’re simple to make, super juicy in the middle, and always come out with those crispy, caramelized edges. This is your sign to upgrade burger night!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Better than takeout: These smash burgers have crispy edges, juicy centres, and that classic restaurant-style flavour at home.
- Easy burger recipe: Made with simple ingredients and cooked in minutes, these smash burgers are perfect for summer dinners, BBQs, or easy weeknights.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Lean ground beef – use lean or regular ground beef. I wouldn’t recommend extra-lean ground beef, as it’ll dry out.
- Cheese slices – use any cheese of your choice like American, cheddar, mozzarella or Swiss.
- Hamburger buns – you could also serve your patties in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
- Iceberg lettuce – romaine would also be good here.
- Beefsteak tomato – use any tomato of your choice. If you’re not a fan of tomato, leave this off entirely.
- Red onion – sliced white onion would be good too. You could even get fancy and make caramelized onions!
- Dill pickle slices – or another pickle variety or burger topping of your choice.
Special sauce
- Light mayo – you can use regular mayo, but it’ll increase the calorie count.
- Ketchup – use a combo of tomato paste mixed with vinegar and sugar or a hot sauce for a tangier finish.
- Dijon mustard – stone-ground mustard would also work here.
- Garlic powder – try onion powder for a similar flavor.
- Pickle juice – add a little relish instead or leave this out entirely.
Try my Big Mac Sauce and my latest Special Burger Sauce for more tasty sauce options!
How to make a smash burger
Step 1: Make the special sauce.
Prepare your toppings and make the special sauce. You can also make any side dishes of your choice.
Step 2: Form the beef balls.
Roll the ground beef into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Smash the patties.
Heat a skillet, cast iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Add a ball of beef, then smash immediately with a sprayed spatula or burger presser.
Step 4: Cook then add the cheese.
Cook the burger until a crust forms on the bottom, then flip over and add the cheese.
Step 5: Toast the buns.
Add a bit of butter to the pan then add the buns and cook until lightly toasted.
Step 6: Assemble your burgers and serve!
Add your patty with cheese to the burger bun with any toppings of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
the secret to smash burgers
A few simple tips that make all the difference when cooking the perfect smash burgers:
- Use the right beef: Go for regular or lean ground beef (around 80/20 is ideal). Too lean and you’ll lose that juicy, crispy finish.
- Don’t pre-shape patties: Roll the beef into loose balls — smashing is what creates those crispy, caramelized edges.
- Smash immediately: Press the beef down with a burger press as soon as it hits the pan. Waiting even a few seconds means you lose that signature crust. Lightly oil the press or use parchment to prevent sticking.
- Use a hot pan: Your skillet needs to be properly hot before the beef goes in for that restaurant-style sear.
- Don’t overwork it: Once it’s smashed, leave it alone. Let it cook and build that crust without moving it around.
- Season right away: Salt the beef as soon as it hits the pan so the flavour locks in while it cooks.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a burger a smash burger?
A smash burger is made by rolling ground beef into balls, then adding it to a hot skillet or griddle and smashing it into the pan, versus regular burgers, which are formed into patties then cooked regularly on a grill. The process of ‘smashing’ the burger results in a crispy finish and a thinner patty that’s still super juicy and delicious.
What kind of meat is best?
Lean ground beef is best for this recipe, but you could also use regular ground beef. You don’t want to use extra-lean, because if the meat doesn’t have enough fat, it’ll dry out and won’t get as crispy.
How do you know when they’re done?
You’ll know your burger is done when it starts to develop a nice crispy finish on the bottom. Since the burgers are a lot thinner, they don’t take as long to cook.
What to serve with smash burgers
- Classic fries, In-N-Out animal style fries or tater tots
- Lighter sweet potato fries, green bean fries or zucchini fries
- Simple green salad with homemade dressing
- Potato salad, sweet potato salad or dense bean salad
Storing and reheating
Storing: These smash burgers are best fresh, but leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 3–4 days. Keep the patties and toppings separate for best results. The special sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reheating: Reheat burger patties in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave for 1–2 minutes, flipping halfway through. Toast the bun, add your toppings, and serve.
Freezing: Cooked burger patties can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap individually in foil or plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Defrosting and reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on packing away leftover burgers.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze and refrigerate leftover burger patties in round glass microwave-safe bowls with lids.
- A burger press is a great tool for making smash burgers!
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Ultimate Smash Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 4 cheese slices
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1 beefsteak tomato sliced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- dill pickle slices
Special sauce
- 1/2 cup light mayo
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pickle juice
Optional side dish ideas
- Salad
- Coleslaw
- Frozen fries cooked in the oven while you're prepping and making burgers
Instructions
- First prepare your toppings, including mixing the sauce ingredients together and have the buns and cheese slices at the ready. NOTE: you may also start preparing your optional sides. If making frozen fries, this is the perfect time to get them baking in the oven.
- Roll up your ground beef into 8 different balls, placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet and seasoning generously with salt.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over med-high heat, adding a little drizzle of olive oil. Spray your spatula or burger press with some cooking spray or grease with olive oil. Now you're ready to cook!
- Add a ball of beef, then smash immediately with an extra-wide stainless steel spatula (pressing down with a mallet) or burger press. Remove the press, then cook for 1 minute until a crust forms on the bottom. Flip, then season with a bit more salt and add cheese if desired. Cook another 30-60 seconds, then remove from heat and add to a plate. Repeat with remaining balls, except you will only add 2 more cheese slices to 2 more of the burgers.
- When burgers are done, add a bit of butter to the pan then add buns. Cook for 30-60 seconds until lightly toasted.
- Now assemble your burgers! Add patty with cheese to the bottom, followed by a plain patty. Top with pickle slices, tomato, red onion and lettuce, adding sauce to the top burger bun then placing on burger. Serve with desired side dishes and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Anonymous says
This recipe was delicious!