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Enjoy the best Patty Melt Recipe in minutes with this easy recipe. The caramelized onions, gooey cheese and hamburger patties come together for a crowd pleasing dinner.
Best Patty Melt Recipe
Our family loves a classic Patty Melt and it is actually very simple to make at home. With just a few simple ingredients, this recipe goes from skillet to table in literally minutes.
What’s the difference between a patty melt and a hamburger?
Typically a traditional hamburger is served on a soft hamburger bun. Whereas a patty melt is served on bread cooked on the griddle or skillet.
The bread is cooked on the griddle with the hamburger patties until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Caramelized sweet onions top the burger patties.
Everything is cooked together in a patty melt. It is cooked on the griddle similar to a grilled cheese.
Ingredients:
- Slices Sourdough Bread
- Ground Beef
- White Onion
- Butter
- Swiss Cheese
How to make a patty melt:
- Step 1. Form the beef patties. Divide the ground beef into 2 even balls (approximately 3 oz each).
- Step 2. Butter each slice of bread. Then add butter to each side of each piece of the sourdough bread.
- Step 3. Cook the onions. Next, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet and cook (or cast iron pan) over medium high heat. Then top the melted butter with the sliced onions.
Sauté the onions in the butter until they are caramelized (3-5 minutes). Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside. - Step 4. Place the ground beef in the skillet. Use medium low heat. Next, put a piece of parchment paper on top of the beef and use a spatula or a burger press to smash the meat into 2 thin patties.
- Step 5. Cook the patties. Finally, cook the patties until they are browned and crispy (2-3 minutes). Then flip the patties over (do not smash) and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes until it is also browned and crispy.
- Step 6. Top with cheese. Lastly, place a piece of the Swiss cheese on each patty and allow it to melt. Then remove the patties from the skillet and set aside.
- Step 7. Cook the bread. Put the bread on the skillet butter side down and toast the bread.
- Step 8. Assemble the sandwich. Place one piece of the bread on a plate (toasted side down), top with 1 of the patties, half of the fried onions, then the remaining patty, the rest of the fried onions and top with the 2nd piece of bread (toasted side on top). Salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 9. Cut and serve. Now, just cut in half and the patty melt is ready to serve and enjoy!
What to serve with patty melts?
What kind of bread is used to make a patty melt?
The bread needs to be thick and sturdy to hold up to the cooking process. We used sourdough but rye bread is another good option.
You can use artisan bread if you prefer, but do not use regular sandwich bread as it will likely fall apart in this recipe.
Recipe variations:
- Cheese. You can use any of your favorite types of cheese in this recipe if you do not like Swiss Cheese. Some ideas include: cheddar cheese, provolone, muenster and more.
- Bread. Any thick type of bread will work in this recipe. Our favorite is sourdough but you can use rye, artisan, Texas Toast or your favorite type of bread.
- Onions. You can omit the onions if you are not a fan. We personally love how they taste with the cheese and beef.
- Veggies. Add sautéed mushrooms and peppers to the onions. It is so good.
- Dressing. Try adding a little bit of Thousand Island dressing to the bread.
Tips for the Best Patty Melt:
- Serve fresh. We do not recommend making them in advance. Serve the patty melts fresh.
- Cast Iron. We love to make patty melts in a cast iron skillet. It cooks evenly and turns out amazing.
- Thin patties. Smash the ground beef into thin patties. This is what makes a classic patty melt.
You can enjoy this classic recipe at home.
Skip the diner and make patty melts for everyone at home. The savings will add up and this recipe is perfect and so delicious.
The kids and adults love this meal. It is always a crowd pleaser all around. It is also so quick to prepare and gets dinner on the table fast.
Print this easy Patty Melt recipe below:
Patty Melt Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Slices Sourdough Bread
- 6 oz Ground Beef
- ½ White Onion sliced
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Slices Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Divide the ground beef into 2 even balls (approximately 3 oz each) and butter one side of each piece of the sourdough bread with 1 Tbsp of the butter.
- Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet (or cast iron pan) over medium high heat. Then top the melted butter with the sliced onions. Sauté the onions in the butter until they are caramelized (3-5 minutes). Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Place the ground beef on the skillet over medium high heat. Put a piece of parchment paper on top of the beef and use a spatula or a burger press to smash the meat into 2 thin patties.
- Let the patties cook until they are browned and crispy (2-3 minutes). Then flip the patties over (do not smash) and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes until it is also browned and crispy.
- Place a piece of the Swiss cheese on each patty and allow it to melt. Then remove the patties from the skillet and set aside.
- Put the bread on the skillet butter side down and toast the bread.
- Then assemble the sandwich. Place one piece of the bread on a plate (toasted side down), top with 1 of the patties, half of the fried onions, then the remaining patty, the rest of the fried onions and top with the 2nd piece of bread (toasted side on top).
- Cut in half and the patty melt is ready to serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
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This is so good. I love making these.