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Anyone can easily make this Smash Burger Recipe with a sizzling hot skillet, simple ingredients and the right technique. This diner-style burger is made crispy, juicy with golden edges and melty cheese and is ready in under 15 minutes.

Smash Burger on a plate topped with lettuce, tomato and red onion with melted slice cheese
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Smash burgers at home are perfect for a weeknight meal or to feed a crowd. The burgers are cooked perfect with the best texture and a juicy center. This easy beef recipe taste just like the burgers you get at your favorite diner.

If you love home cooked burgers, then you must try this Smash Burger Sliders, Bacon Blue Cheese Burger or Copycat In-N-Out Burger Recipe.

What's in this post: Smash Burger Recipe

What is a Smash burger?

This type of burger is formed into a ball. It is then smashed into a patty with a burger press or spatula as it is placed on the grill.

The texture of the burger is amazing cooked this way. The outside gets extra brown but the inside retains all the juices and flavor.

This all combines for one fantastic burger. It is all around a wonderful meal with lots of flavor packed into the burger patties.

Ingredients

Ingredients - Ground Beef, tomato, lettuce, garlic salt, pepper, slice cheese, hamburger buns and melted butter
  • Ground Beef – We like using 80/20 beef
  • Butter – We used unsalted butter
  • Garlic Salt – If you are out see The Best Garlic Salt Substitute
  • Black Pepper – Simple spice gives amazing flavor
  • Cheddar Cheese – Use slice cheese that you prefer
  • Hamburger Buns – Use any type of buns
  • Optional Toppings – Leaf Lettuce, Tomato, and Red Onion

Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

How to Make Smash Burger

  • Step 1 – Prepare the meat. Divide the beef into 8 balls that are approximately 3 oz each. Place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
A plate with seven raw ground beef patties is on a wooden table, ready for your next Smash Burger Recipe, surrounded by sliced cheddar cheese, melted butter, and a small bowl of butter.
  • Step 2 – Preheat the griddle. Use medium-high heat (approximately 400 degrees F).
A square black griddle pan sits on a wooden surface, surrounded by burger buns, cheddar cheese slices, a small bowl of butter, and a plate of lettuce—perfect essentials for your next Smash Burger Recipe.
  • Step 3 – Butter the hamburger buns. Place the burger buns on the griddle for 2 minutes to toast buns and then set them aside while you prepare the beef.
Three sliced burger buns on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by butter, cheese slices, a basting brush, lettuce, and seasonings—a perfect setup for your next Smash Burger Recipe.
  • Step 4 – Coat the hot griddle with butter. Then place the remaining tablespoon butter on the griddle. Move it around to melt it.
Six hamburger buns are toasting face-down on a square grill pan, ready for your Smash Burger Recipe. Nearby, slices of cheddar cheese and fresh lettuce sit on a wooden surface, perfect for assembling delicious burgers.
A plate with four hamburger buns, some split open, sits on a wooden table near plates of cheddar cheese slices, raw burger patties, and lettuce leaves—perfect ingredients for your next Smash Burger Recipe.
  • Step 5 – Place the burgers on the griddle. Then place 4 of the beef balls on the griddle in the melted butter. Top each one with a piece on parchment paper. Then firmly press down to smash the beef into a thin patty with either a burger press or a large metal spatula and then discard the parchment paper.
A hand holds a spatula, spreading melted butter on a black square skillet for a Smash Burger Recipe. Nearby are raw burger patties, toasted buns, and small bowls of dried seasonings on a wooden surface.
Four raw ground beef balls are sizzling in melted butter on a square skillet for a delicious Smash Burger Recipe. Nearby, plates hold uncooked burger patties, seasoning, and sliced hamburger buns on a wooden surface.
A cast iron skillet holds four raw ground beef balls, each covered with parchment paper, ready for a delicious Smash Burger Recipe. Nearby are hamburger buns, extra beef on a plate, and a bowl of seasoning on a wooden surface.
A hand presses a metal burger press onto ground beef patties separated by parchment paper on a griddle, demonstrating the perfect Smash Burger Recipe. Raw patties and a plate of seasonings are visible in the background.
  • Step 6 – Season the burgers before cooking. Season with the patties with garlic salt, kosher salt and the pepper.
Four raw burger patties are cooking in a square cast iron skillet. Nearby, there are formed raw patties, a plate of burger buns, and a small dish of seasoning—perfect for trying your favorite Smash Burger Recipe.
Four raw hamburger patties cook in a square black skillet on a wooden table. Nearby are buns, seasoning in small bowls, and more raw patties waiting—perfect ingredients for your next Smash Burger Recipe.
  • Step 7 – Cook the seasoned burgers. The burger cooks for 2 minutes until the juices in the beef start to raise to the top, crispy crust and the color starts to change. Then scrape under the patty to get under the caramelized parts and flip the burger. Once flipped, do not smash down the patties again.
A cast iron skillet with four cooked burger patties on a wooden surface, surrounded by raw patties, buns, and seasonings—perfect for trying out your next Smash Burger Recipe.
  • Step 8 – Top with cheese. Cook for 1 more minute and place a piece of cheese on 2 of the patties (half of them) to melt. Once the cheese is melted, top each of those patties with the other patties without cheese.
A cast iron skillet with four beef burger patties, two topped with cheddar cheese slices—perfect for your next Smash Burger Recipe. Nearby are raw patties, burger buns, and a small dish of seasonings on a wooden surface.
A cast iron skillet with four burger patties cooking; two topped with melted cheddar cheese. Surrounding the skillet are burger buns, a small bowl of seasoning, and uncooked beef patties—perfect for your next Smash Burger Recipe.
A cast iron skillet with two cheeseburgers cooking, cheese melting underneath the patties—a classic Smash Burger recipe. A spatula rests on the skillet, with raw burger patties, buns, and a small bowl of seasoning nearby on a wooden table.
  • Step 9 – Continue the process. Then move those patties to a separate platter and continue this process until all the patties have been prepared.
A plate with four cooked burger patties topped with melted cheese sits on a wooden table. Nearby are sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and hamburger buns—perfect for trying out your favorite Smash Burger Recipe.

  • Step 10 – Assemble the burgers. Then it’s time to assemble your burgers. Place the lettuce, sliced tomatoes and slice red onions on the bottom bun. Add the double patty on top and top with the the top bun.
A toasted hamburger bun sits open on a white plate, surrounded by plates of sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and juicy smash burger recipe patties on a wooden table.
A white plate holds an open sandwich bun with lettuce, a tomato slice, and a large slice of red onion on the bottom half—perfect fixings for your next homemade Smash Burger Recipe. Other plates with tomato slices and buns sit nearby on a wooden table.
An open hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and a beef patty sits on a white plate, surrounded by bowls of sliced tomatoes and other classic Smash Burger Recipe ingredients on a wooden table.
A Smash Burger Recipe favorite: A hamburger with lettuce on a white plate sits on a wooden table, surrounded by plates of sliced tomatoes and other ingredients.
  • Step 11 – Enjoy. Then the smash burgers are ready to enjoy! They are so easy and taste great for any occasion.
A double cheeseburger made using a classic Smash Burger Recipe with lettuce and tomato on a white plate, with a plate of sliced tomatoes in the background, set on a wooden table.

Recipe Tips

  • Patties. When preparing the balls with the beef, do not pack them together. Loosely roll them into balls so that they are easier to smash.
  • Well chilled burgers. It is important that the hamburger patties stay chilled until they go on the grill. This helps the fat content remain in the meat and results in a juicy burger that tastes amazing.
  • Burger Press. You can use a burger press or large metal spatula to press the burgers down. Either of these will work.
  • Make ahead. This recipe is easy to shape into balls and refrigerate ahead of time. Just cover and place in the fridge up to 1-2 days. Cook as normal.
  • Parchment paper. The secret to preventing the burgers from sticking is the parchment paper. Don’t skip this step or it will be messy.
  • Serve a crowd. If you need to feed a large crowd, you can make these in batches and keep them warm in the oven. Another option is to use a large flat top grill and make a bunch at once.

Variations Ideas

  • Buns. You can use your favorite style hamburger buns. Some ideas include: Sesame buns, brioche buns, steakhouse style and more.
  • Onions. We used red onions but you can use white onions or sweet onions such as Vidalia. Any of these would be great.
  • Substitute Garlic Salt. If you are trying to reduce the sodium, you can use garlic powder instead of garlic salt.
Smash Burger on a plate layered with red onion, tomato, slice cheese and lettuce

Burger Toppings

  • Homemade Ketchup. It is so easy to make ketchup at home. Give this a try if you never have tried it.
  • Mayo
  • Yellow Mustard
  • Homemade Barbecue Sauce
  • American Cheese or any slice of cheese you prefer. Cheddar cheese is delicious.
  • Thinly sliced red onion or yellow onion
  • Tomato
  • Lettuce.
  • Special Sauce or Burger Sauce. Combine mustard and mayonnaise together.
  • Pickles

These are just a few options to top your burger with. Feel free to use your favorite toppings.

We like to set out a topping bar and everyone can choose what they like best.

Serving Suggestions

There are lots of options that pair nicely with these smash burger recipe. These are a couple of our favorites and everyone loves when we serve these.

Smash Burger on a plate

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Leftover Smash Burgers

Store leftover smashburgers recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the smash burger ingredients separately for best results.

Can I Make these Burgers on the Stovetop?

Yes, you can cook this best smash burger recipe using a cast iron pan over medium heat. This is an easy alternative to the grill if the weather does not permit.
The cast iron cooks the burgers evenly and gives them a nice texture. Try cooking the burgers this way if you can’t use the outside griddle.

What is the Best Meat for a Smashburger?

Lean ground beef or ground chuck is best for smashburgers. We used 80/20 blend of ground beef and it turned out delicious.
You can use 90/10 or 93/7 for this recipe to lower the fat content in this recipe, but we think that the 80/20 gives the best flavor to this recipe.

More Easy Burger Recipes

We love to hear from you. If you make this Smash Burger Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

Review Pin Print

Smash Burger Recipe

5 from 8 votes
Anyone can easily make this Smash Burger Recipe with fabulous results. The thin patties are browned to perfection but flavorful and juicy on the inside.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 676
Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

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Instructions

  • Divide the beef into 8 balls that are approximately 3 oz each. Place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
  • Preheat the griddle over medium high heat (approximately 400 degrees F).
  • Butter the buns and place them on the griddle for 2 minutes to toast them and then set them aside while you prepare the beef.
  • The place the remaining butter on the griddle. Move it around to melt it.
  • Place 4 of the beef balls on the griddle in the melted butter. Top each one with a piece on parchment paper and then firmly press down to smash the beef into a thin patty with either a burger press or a large spatula.
  • Season the patties with garlic salt and the pepper.
  • Cook the patties for 2 minutes until the juices in the beef start to raise to the top and the color starts to change.
  • Scrape under the patty to get under the caramelized parts and flip the patty. Once flipped, do not smash down the patties again. Cook for 1 more minute.
  • Place a piece of cheese on 2 of the patties (half of them) to melt.
  • Once the cheese is melted, top each of those patties with the other patties without cheese.
  • Move those patties to a separate platter and continue this process until all the patties have been prepared.
  • Assemble your burgers. Place the lettuce, sliced tomatoes and slice red onions on the bottom bun. Add the double patty on top and top with the the top of the hamburger buns.
  • Serve the smash burgers warm and enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

When preparing the balls with the beef, do not pack them together. Loosely roll them into balls so that they are easier to smash.
You can use 90/10 or 93/7 for this recipe to lower the fat content in this recipe, but we think that the 80/20 gives the best flavor to this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 676kcal, Carbohydrates 19g, Protein 36g, Fat 50g, Saturated Fat 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 18g, Trans Fat 2g, Cholesterol 160mg, Sodium 586mg, Potassium 573mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 4g, Vitamin A 765IU, Vitamin C 5mg, Calcium 186mg, Iron 4mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie Barnard — a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families — without the stress.

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5 from 8 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Heather says:

    5 stars
    I never cook burgers, I’ve never been good at it haha but let me tell you these burgers right here had everyone shook. Delicious!!! Even my youngest who eats like a bird cleaned his plate

    Reply