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The BEST Smashburger Recipe with Burger Sauce
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Hamburger Patties
- 1 1/2 lb hamburger I use 80-85% lean (leaner meat may require a bit of oil and salt)
- 8 slices of American cheese yellow from the deli
Burger seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Smash burger sauce
- 1/2 c mayo
- 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar optional
For Serving
- 4 potato buns toasted
- Green lettuce shredded
- red onion sliced
- tomato sliced
- pickles sliced
Instructions
Make Patties
- Gently roll the ground beef into 8 loose balls, about 3 oz each. Be sure not to overwork your hamburger balls. Next, place your hamburger balls in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Make Smash Burger Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce (if using) until well blended. Then, add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika and mix until fully combined. Taste to adjust to your preference. Then, set aside.
Make Burger Seasoning
- Mix all the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.
Prep Toppings
- Prepare your toppings because the burgers will cook fast.
Cook Patties
- Remove the hamburger balls from the refrigerator. Heat a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet (or griddle) on high heat. Once hot, place the beef balls on the pan and smash the burger balls flat with a spatula or burger press. Be sure to press the ball hard until the burger is flatten. Pro tip. Use a piece of lightly oiled parchment paper so the spatula or press doesn’t stick. Also, don't overcrowd the pan. I typically do 2 patties in a skillet. When cooking, make sure you cook them in pairs, as these are double burgers.
- After about 1-2 minutes or until the edges of the burgers are crispy and brown, sprinkle the top of the burger generously with the burger seasoning (about ¼ tsp) Note, reserving the seasoning until now ensures that you get a good crust on the burgers, as salt releases moisture from the meat. Pro tip. Don't move your burgers until you are ready to flip them.
- Once seasoned, flip the burger patties. Be sure to get under the patties to get all the caramelized meat. Once flipped, let the patties cook for a few seconds to a minute, depending on doneness. Then, add the cheese on top of each patty and stack the stack patties on top of each other. Remove from heat and set aside. Repeat until all patties are cooked.
- Lastly, assemble your smash burgers – add your favorite toppings and lots of smash burger Sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Use fatty beef (at least 15-20% fat) for juicy, flavorful burgers with crispy edges.
- Don’t season the meat early—wait until after smashing to keep the texture tender.
- Preheat your cooking surface until it’s blazing hot to create that signature crust.
- Smash the beef firmly and quickly to get it thin and maximize contact with the pan.
- Let it cook undisturbed until the edges are crispy and it releases easily.
- Toast soft buns in butter for flavor and to keep them from getting soggy.
- Serve immediately while it’s hot, juicy, and at its absolute best.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 976kcal (49%)Carbohydrates: 117g (39%)Protein: 33g (66%)Fat: 43g (66%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mg (18%)Sodium: 2721mg (118%)Potassium: 332mg (9%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 22g (24%)Vitamin A: 919IU (18%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 846mg (85%)Iron: 8mg (44%)