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Smash burger with melted cheese on a toasted bun
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Best Smash Burger Recipe

These smash burgers are crisp-edged, juicy, deeply browned, and fast enough for a weeknight dinner. The secret is using loosely packed balls of ground beef, smashing them hard onto a very hot surface, and keeping the toppings simple so the beefy, buttery crust can shine.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 777kcal
Author Jennifer

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet use a cast iron skillet, griddle, or flat-top
  • 1 stiff metal spatula
  • parchment paper torn or cut into 4x4" squares
  • 1 Heavy burger press, small skillet, or second spatula for smashing

Ingredients

For the Burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef preferably 80/20
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 4 soft burger buns preferably brioche buns or potato buns
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened, for the buns

Optional Toppings

  • Thinly sliced dill pickles
  • Thinly sliced onion
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Ketchup
  • Yellow mustard

Instructions

  • Prepare your tools and ingredients

    Get out everything you need so it's ready to go quickly. Divide the ground beef into loose portions, about 2 ounces each (so that would be 8 portions if you're using 1 lb of meat). Gently shape each portion into a rough ball, but do not pack it tightly.
    Bowl of ground meat, butter, salt, pepper, American cheese, and brioche buns ready to make smash burgers

  • Heat the pan

    Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high to high heat until very hot. You want the beef to sizzle hard the moment it touches the pan.
    Heating the cast iron skillet for smash burgers

  • Toast the buns

    Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast them on the hot skillet or griddle until golden. Set aside.
    Toasting buns on a cast iron surface

  • Smash the patties

    Place 2 beef balls on the hot surface, leaving plenty of room between them. Immediately cover each one with a small square of parchment paper and press down firmly with a burger press, smaller skillet, or stiff spatula until very thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Hold the press down for about 10 seconds so the meat makes full contact with the hot pan. Smash only once, then leave the burger alone until it is ready to flip (pressing later pushes out the juices).
    Pressing on the burgers with a piece of parchment paper covering them.

  • Season and sear

    Remove the parchment and season the patties with salt and pepper. Cook without moving them for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the edges are deeply browned and crisp.
    Seasoning the smash burgers.

  • Flip and add cheese

    Scrape under each patty firmly with the spatula so you keep the browned crust attached to the burger. Flip the patties, add cheese to half of them, and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Stack one plain patty on top of one cheese-topped patty, or use cheese on both if you want extra cheesiness.
    Placing cheese on the smash burgers

  • Assemble

    Place a double stack on each bottom bun, add the top bun, any toppings you wish, and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 1437mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 3mg
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