Description
A quick and easy smash burger recipe perfect for Father’s Day, featuring juicy, crispy patties and a tangy special sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and made with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef (80/20 mix)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices cheese (American, cheddar, or pepper jack)
- 6 burger buns (preferably brioche or potato rolls)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pickle relish
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional toppings: lettuce leaves, tomato slices, pickles, onion slices (red or white), crispy bacon strips
Instructions
- Prepare the special sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon mustard, pickle relish, smoked paprika, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Form the beef balls: Divide ground beef into 6 equal portions and loosely roll each into a ball. Season each ball generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Toast the buns: Heat a clean skillet over medium heat. Spread butter on the cut sides of each bun and place them butter-side down in the skillet. Toast until golden and slightly crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the smash burgers: Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Place 2-3 beef balls in the skillet without overcrowding. Using a spatula, press each ball down firmly to about ¼-inch thickness and hold for 10-15 seconds. Cook for 2-3 minutes until edges are deeply browned and crispy. Flip patties, add a slice of cheese on top, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until cheese melts and burger is cooked through. Remove and keep warm while cooking remaining patties.
- Assemble the burgers: Spread a generous spoonful of special sauce on both top and bottom buns. Layer bottom bun with lettuce, cheesy patty, tomato slices, pickles, and onion if using. Finish with top bun.
- Serve immediately with your favorite sides.
Notes
[‘Use fresh ground beef with 80/20 fat ratio for juiciness.’, ‘Make the special sauce ahead of time for better flavor.’, ‘Ensure skillet is very hot before smashing patties to get crispy edges.’, ‘Do not press patties after flipping to keep them juicy.’, ‘Butter toast buns to add richness and prevent sogginess.’, ‘Store leftover patties and buns separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days.’, ‘Reheat patties gently in skillet with a splash of water to keep moist.’, ‘Special sauce keeps in fridge for up to a week.’, ‘For gluten-free, swap buns with gluten-free versions and check condiment labels.’]
- Prep Time: 11 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 520
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Protein: 28
Keywords: smash burger, Father's Day burger, special sauce, quick burger recipe, juicy burger, crispy burger, easy dinner