World’s Best Smash Burger Recipe

I finally perfected my World’s Best Smash Burger, and I’m sharing How To Make A Smash Burger At Home with one simple trick for a crisp, deeply caramelized crust.

I promise the World’s Best Smash Burger will make you pause. I chase that paper thin crust and molten American cheese, and after too many tries I keep coming back to ground beef.

I even binged videos titled Best Smashed Burger Recipe and How To Make A Smash Burger At Home while I messed with tiny things, so yeah I cheated. This wont teach technique but it will make you wanna fire up the pan right now.

Expect loud sizzle, messy hands and a bite that just wont quit, plus a little chaos.

Ingredients

• Ground beef, 80/20: big source of protein and fat, juicy but high in saturated fat
• Soft buns: starchy carbs, give sweetness or neutral base, add extra calories
• American cheese: melts perfect, adds creamy salt, lots of saturated fat and sodium
• Pickles: crunchy, sour and salty, low calorie, adds kinda bright vinegar bite
• Mayonnaise: rich and fatty, mostly calories from oil, makes burger real silky
• Onion: adds sweetness and sharpness when cooked, small fiber and vitamin C
• Ketchup, mustard, relish: sweet ketchup, tangy mustard, relish adds sweet sour crunch, watch sugar
• Butter: browning buns, adds richness and saturated fat

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, 80/20
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
• 4 soft potato or brioche buns, your pick
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 8 slices American cheese (about 2 per burger)
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 12 to 16 dill pickle slices
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tsp sweet pickle relish (optional but great)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

How to Make this

1. Make the sauce: in a small bowl mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tsp sweet pickle relish (optional) and 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional). Stir, taste and set in fridge.

2. Divide 1 lb 80/20 ground beef into eight loose balls (about 2 oz each). Dont pack them, keep them sloppy so they smash nice.

3. Preheat a heavy cast iron skillet or flat top over medium-high heat until very hot, add 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola) and let it shimmer.

4. Working in batches place a beef ball on the hot pan, press down immediately with a sturdy spatula (use a second spatula or parchment under the spatula for extra force) to flatten to about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle a portion of the 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper evenly over each patty as soon as you smash them.

5. Let the patties cook undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are deeply browned and crisp, use a metal spatula to scrape up all the fond. Flip each patty, immediately top with 2 slices American cheese (use 2 per burger so total 8 slices), press briefly to melt and cook another 30 to 60 seconds until cheese is gooey and patties are done.

6. While burgers cook, sauté the thinly sliced small yellow onion in the same pan with 1 tbsp of the softened unsalted butter and a little oil until soft and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

7. Spread the remaining 1 tbsp softened butter on the cut sides of 4 potato or brioche buns and toast cut-side down on the hot pan until golden, about 30 to 60 seconds.

8. Assemble: spread the sauce on both bun halves, stack two cheese-topped patties per bun, add 3 to 4 dill pickle slices per burger (use 12 to 16 total), top with the sautéed onions, adjust salt and pepper if needed.

9. Serve immediately while hot, crispy and messy. Enjoy the crunchy edges and melty cheese it’s the whole point.

Equipment Needed

1. Heavy cast iron skillet or flat top griddle, big enough for a couple patties at once
2. Sturdy metal spatula for smashing and scraping the fond
3. Second spatula or a sheet of parchment to get extra force when you smash them
4. Small mixing bowl and a spoon for the sauce
5. Measuring spoons (tbsp, tsp) and a measuring cup or kitchen scale to portion the beef
6. Sharp knife and cutting board for the onion and buns
7. Butter knife for spreading butter and the sauce
8. Tongs or a fork to handle buns and move patties safely
9. Plate or tray to hold cooked patties and keep the onions warm

FAQ

World’s Best Smash Burger Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground beef (1 lb, 80/20): swap for 85/15 if you want less grease, or 70/30 for extra juiciness, or do a 50/50 mix with ground pork for richer flavor. For veg heads try 1 lb plant-based beef (Beyond/Impossible) and cook the same.
• Neutral oil (2 tbsp): use avocado oil or light olive oil, or clarified butter/ghee for a buttery taste. If using regular butter mix 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil so it won’t burn.
• American cheese (8 slices): swap for sharp cheddar for more bite, pepper jack for a spicy kick, or provolone for a milder, creamy melt. Thicker slices may only need one per patty not two.
• Buns (potato or brioche): use Kings Hawaiian or sesame seed burger buns, toast English muffins, or go lettuce wraps for low carb. Toasting in butter adds great flavor.

Pro Tips

– Keep the balls loose and press hard and fast while the skillet is screaming hot, dont smoosh and re-flip — press once, let the crust form, then flip. Use a second spatula or a piece of parchment under your spatula if you need extra force, and scrape up the fond to toss into the onions later.

– Salt right after you smash, not before you shape the balls, otherwise the salt pulls moisture and makes them gummy. Pepper the tops too, and dont overwork the meat or youll lose the crispy edges.

– For maximum melty cheese glue: stack the two thin patties with a slice or two of American between them while theyre still on the pan, press for just a few seconds so the cheese melts into the seam. That keeps the center gooey without overcooking the edges.

– Use the same pan oil and fond to cook the onions, add a pinch of sugar and a splash of water or vinegar if theyre taking too long, then butter and toast the buns in that same pan so they soak up flavor and stay crisp instead of soggy.