This recipe for Stovetop Smash Burgers gives you an easy and delicious way to make these much-loved, trendy cheeseburgers.
What are Smash Burgers?
A smash burger is a burger made by smashing a loose ball of ground beef onto a hot griddle or grill with a spatula or burger press (or in this case- a pot!) until it’s very thin and flat. Smashing the burger creates a crusty, caramelized exterior that seals in the meat’s juices and flavor. Smash burgers are different from regular burgers, which are usually formed into patties before cooking.
🛒 Ingredients Needed:
- mayonnaise
- soy sauce
- dark brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- fresh chives
- garlic
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- lean ground beef
- oil
- American cheese
- hamburger buns
- lettuce leaves
- tomato
- onion
- dill pickle chips
✏️ How to make Stovetop Smash Burgers
The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- In a medium bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together. Cover and chill.
PREPARE THE BURGERS:
- Wrap the bottom of a Dutch oven with foil. Divide the ground beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Transfer 2 beef balls to the skillet. Using the prepared pot, press the patties until they are about 4-inches in diameter; set the pot aside. Sprinkle the patties with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers, without moving, until well-browned on the first side, 60 to 90 seconds. Flip the patties and top with 1 slice of cheese. Cover and continue to cook until browned on the second side, about 60 seconds. Transfer the burgers to a platter and cover to keep warm. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet and repeat with the remaining 2 beef balls and 2 slices of cheese.
➡️ Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- I have to be honest in telling you that this recipe is absolutely wonderful as written. But you can certainly make some changes. For example, you don’t have to make the burger sauce, but it’s very good so I suggest you don’t skip it!
- Use any kind of cheese that you’d like. Cheddar, Gouda or Swiss are excellent choices too.
- If you’re not a pickle person, leave off the pickles. Or you can use bread and butter pickles instead of dill.
- Try eating this stovetop smash burger without the bun for a lower-carb meal (or use lettuce leaves in place of a bun).
✔️ Make Ahead Tip:
You can definitely make the burger sauce a day or two ahead of cooking the burgers. Just keep it in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator.
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe
- The smashing process pushes the juices into the meat, resulting in a tender and flavorful burger!
- Because they are thin and cooked at a high temperature, smash burgers cook very quickly, making them perfect for a fast meal.
- They can be customized to your liking with all kinds of different bun and topping options.
Stovetop Smash Burgers
Here's a "loose" copycat of the delicious smash burgers!
Ingredients
BURGER SAUCE:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
BURGERS:
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon vegetable, canola or olive oil
- 4 slices American cheese, divided
- 4 hamburgers buns, toasted
- 4 red or green leaf lettuce leaves
- 1 large tomato, cored and sliced thinly
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion, rinsed
- ¼ cup dill pickle chips
Instructions
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- In a medium bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together. Cover and chill.
PREPARE THE BURGERS:
- Wrap the bottom of a Dutch oven with foil. Divide the ground beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Transfer 2 beef balls to the skillet. Using the prepared pot, press the patties until they are about 4-inches in diameter; set the pot aside. Sprinkle the patties with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers, without moving, until well-browned on the first side, 60 to 90 seconds. Flip the patties and top with 1 slice of cheese. Cover and continue to cook until browned on the second side, about 60 seconds. Transfer the burgers to a platter and cover to keep warm. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet and repeat with the remaining 2 beef balls and 2 slices of cheese.
- Spread each bun with 2 tablespoons of burger sauce. Serve the burgers on buns, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Pass extra sauce separately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 774kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 31gFat: 58gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 1834mgPotassium: 653mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1734IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 332mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!