The famous Smash Burger! Deeply crisped, craggy, juicy, squashed patties covered with melty cheese, piled on a buttery bun, and topped with a dreamy zip of secret sauce.
Smash Burgers with House Sauce
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These smash burgers were so tasty! I made these tonight for my family and they devoured them 🙂 juicy and crispy outside on the Pattie’s, packed full of flavour from the sauce in the burger as well as the delicious mayo recipe included! Will definitely make them again
Leanne
Oh, the smash burger. The deeply crisped, craggy, juicy, squashed patty. The drip-melt of the cheese. The pile of your burger essentials like bright sweet tomato, ruffly lettuce, fried onions if you are a star. The buttery toast of the brioche bun. The dreamy zip of the secret sauce.
Are you drooling? Crying? Screaming? Some combination of all three? Welp, us too. So, don your aprons for this one, folks (you’ll need it). This is an absolute burger game-changer.
In This Post: Everything You Need To Make Smash Burgers
- What’s a Smash Burger?
- Sauce for Smash Burgers
- Toppings for Smash Burgers
- Tools We Use to Make It Happen
- Watch How to Make a Smash Burger
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
So… What’s a Smash Burger?
If you’ve never ventured into a Shake Shack or SmashBurger or any of your local non-chain faves (Bebe Zito if you’re in Minneapolis, YUM!), then it’s possible we’re saying “smash burger” and you’re all, “whaaa?”
But it’s exactly as described. It starts with a ball, not a patty, of very cold beef, and then it is, well, quite literally smashed on a very hot griddle and quick-seared to a stunning crisp in its own fats, making a perfectly thin little irregular disk that is still juicy and full of unbelievable flavor. It is most definitely not the super thick, dare we say, kinda dull dad-burgers that taste…just a little too…burger-y? You know? Certainly a time and a place for that on your grill, but this is not that time.
There is something just so special about these. The history of this smashed burger method is a little wrinkly. Most credit the midwest-founded Steak n’ Shake which gave inspiration to the infamous NYC-founded Shake Shack. Other internet clicks mention a little burger shop in Kentucky called Dairy Cheer where it’s said they discovered that smashing the meat with a bean can made for the best-tasting burger around.
Regardless of whoever gave us this absolute meat-icon method, we thank you forever and ever.
Let’s Talk About Sauce (And Other Magic)
What smash burger would be complete without a secret sauce? Luckily for you, we have absolutely no desire to keep it secret because we, like, reallyreallyreally want you to make it and absolutely not skip it because, my oh my, is it a zippy swath of magic on these burgs. Please! Take the extra step to make it! It’s the stuff of love letters.
For your house sauce:
- mayo
- ketchup
- horseradish (✨grabbing a little jar of this is SUCH a worthwhile investment!✨)
- Worcestershire
- sriracha
- paprika
- shallot or garlic, minced or grated
I also love these burgers with this incredible gochujang sauce. Spicy, creamy, saucy goodness!
The other sauce to note that makes this particular recipe sing is the sneaky little mixture you put INTO your burger meat for an extra fun flavor-party. The type of beef you use will also be important. You need to choose a blend that has some fat in it or you won’t get that signature crisp. An 80/20 blend is a pretty ideal place to start.
Beyond that, you’ll need:
- melted butter
- Worcestershire
- fish sauce
- smoked paprika
This idea of adding this smoky umami flavorwave into the meat itself came from Carnal Dish and we absolutely do not regret one single drip of just general extra-ness that it provides. YOU WILL NOT EITHER. Smash burgers are already magic, but this becomes a real magic-plus situation.
All About The Toppings
Sometimes, with the aforementioned dad-burgers, you tend to pile a million toppings on because they need those extra flavor boosts. Here, the burger itself tastes so ding dang buttery crisp good that you might want to consider keeping things relatively simple.
You’ll definitely want to melt some cheese on there, and you can’t beat a slice of really good – like from the deli – American cheese. Superior melty gooeyness. But if you’re mad about it, you could sub your fave cheese.
You’ll want a perfectly squishy brioche bun. Buttered and toasted, only on the inside. Trust.
We already spent some time pleading with you not to skip the house sauce. Just, please don’t.
Beyond that, some thinly sliced red onion, a juicy tomato, maybe a ruffle of lettuce. You’re there. It’s perfect. Dig in.
Tools To Make It Happen
First, and foremost, a smash burger can definitely be a bit of a splatter platter so, you’ll want to have an apron ready and leave your vent on. And because the really thin, irregular-edged smash is v v important, there are a few tools that can help out.
We loved the Lodge cast iron griddle (affiliate link) and cast iron press (affiliate link) for this job. The griddle is great for other things like pancakes, french toast, grilled cheese parties and more, but it’s going to be hard to not just be making smash burgers on it all day every day.
Second best: if you don’t have your hands on a press, a big flat spatula will of course work. Sometimes it helps to put a little piece of parchment paper on the burger before smashing to avoid any sticking. You can also use the handle of a second spatula/wooden spoon in the center of your spatula to really help press down for maximum smash.
What We Use To Make Smash Burgers
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And if you’re like, “MUST HAVE SMASH BURGERS EVERY DAY, but the heck with this indoors thing!” Maybe an outdoor flat top grill like this one (affiliate link) is on your wish list?
No better time than this summer to become the absolute envy of the neighborhood with one of those out back, right?! Imagine.
Happy smashing, friends.
Smash Burgers: Frequently Asked Questions
What if I want to make these outdoors? Because, well, summer!
While we typically make these inside on the stove using this griddle (affiliate link), you could also use the griddle out on the grill. OR if you want to really invest in the al fresco vibes, you could get this flat top grill (affiliate link).
Are Smash Burgers really worth the hype?
If you’re wondering u0022are they really that good?u0022 we can confidently say that YES, they are. What makes them so good: the sauce mixed into the meat for a flavor explosion, and the texture of the patties themselves – crispy-edged but still incredibly juicy and flavorful.
How do you keep the burgers from sticking when you smash them?
The secret is in the parchment paper! Don’t skip that step. Cut a small piece of parchment and use that between the meat and the press/spatula – this will keep the patties from sticking.
How can I make these for a crowd?
These are pretty simple to scale up recipe-wise! And for cooking a large number of patties, you’ll either have to do them in batches and keep them warm in the oven, or invest in something like the flat top grill linked above to make a large batch at once.
Smash Burgers with House Sauce
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 burger patties 1x
Description
The famous Smash Burger! Deeply crisped, craggy, juicy, squashed patties covered with melty cheese, piled on a buttery bun, and topped with a dreamy zip of secret sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Smash Burger Sauce (for mixing with the ground beef)
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- a couple swishes of fish sauce (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Burger Essentials
- 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 is ideal)
- 4 Brioche buns
- 4 slices American cheese (the good kind from the deli)
- House Sauce (see notes for recipe – do not skip! this stuff is magical)
Toppings You Might Like
- 1/2 onion, diced or sliced (sautéed for an extra level up)
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 1 tomato
- 12 pickle slices
Instructions
- Mix the smash burger sauce in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, place the ground beef and pour the sauce over. Mix with your hands to get it well-distributed through the meat. Form into 4 balls. Place the balls in the fridge for 20-30 minutes while you prep everything else. You can even pop it in the freezer for a few minutes – you just want them to be pretty cold so the butter mixture doesn’t immediately melt out everywhere once you start cooking them.
- Butter the buns and toast them on your skillet or griddle until golden.
- Prep the toppings and house sauce (see notes).
- Cut a small piece of parchment paper that you’ll use on top of the burgers to prevent sticking.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or flat griddle until it’s very hot; place a few of the burgers on the hot surface. Sprinkle them with a big pinch of salt and let them sit and sizzle for about 20 seconds.
- Place the parchment paper on top of each burger and then, using a heavy, flat tool, press the burgers down as flat as you can get them in one swift motion. They’ll be super sizzly and splattery, but they should make a nice, round, thin smash burger shape on the griddle. (The ideal tool for this is a cast iron grill press, but a flat spatula can work in a pinch). Cook for a few minutes and then flip and top with cheese right away. Leave them undisturbed for another 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese and get a max amount of flavorful browning on the back side.
- Assemble your burgers! Mine is always a toasted brioche buns, mega flavorful smash burger patty (or 2), cheese, crispy lettuce, and a thick smear of that house sauce. Happy, happy summer.
Equipment
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Notes
House Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon horseradish, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, a quick squeeze of sriracha, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, half of a shallot, minced or grated (or sub a clove of grated garlic). Season with salt to taste. NEXT LEVEL.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: smash burgers, smash sauce, smash burger recipe, best burger recipe
Other Delicious Burger Recipes
- Juicy Lucy (another cheesy burger classic!)
- Spicy Cauliflower Burgers
- Chipotle Quinoa Burgers
- The Ultimate Wild Rice Burgers
- Yummy Salmon Burgers with Slaw
June 20, 2022
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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This was a winner🙌
Loved the burger sauce, no need to go out for burgers anymore!
Omg these are crazy good
I’d like to prep these ahead of time for a group outing of 40… any tips? Able to prep days in advance and freeze?
What can you used besides fish sauce?
You can just leave it out!
Could you skip the fish sauce? Or sub with coconut aminos?
You can skip it!
So my kids walked in after school/soccer practice and threatened to go to Chik-Fil-A if burgers were on the menu tonight. 🙃 Long story short, they stayed for these burgers, loved them, loved the sauce, and asked me to ONLY make this burger recipe from now on! It was THAT delicious.
So yummy! One of my husband’s faves.
Wow! So juicy and tasty! This is on heavy rotation, especially during the summer months. I really love your recipes and can highly recommend this one!
Yummy! I have made this recipe over and over again and it is so delicious. The only thing I do differently is season the meat sauce to my liking before mixing it with the meat. The house sauce is to die for. Highly recommend this one and even wrote it down in our family cookbook!
We’ve made these at least 8 times now, and the whole family loves them (two out of three kids are super picky and previously didn’t like burgers so that’s saying something).
I now halve the melted butter in the burger seasoning mix, but aside from that we still follow the burger and sauce recipes.
Buttering & griddling the buns is definitely a big upgrade; I do it right before frying up the burger patties.
In decent weather I prefer to do these in a cast iron pan on the outdoor grill instead of the stove, because it can get a bit smoky (my hood fan is wimpy).
I also prep extra burger meat and freeze it in portions for future meals.
Made these tonight. They were so incredible that I ate two burgers which I’ve never done before! Burger was perfect, sauce was awesome! I smashed my burgers on the counter with a cake pan before cooking them which worked well.
YUM!! We are practicing burger recipes for an upcoming supper club meal and we don’t even have to try any other recipes – this is the one! Easy, delicious, so much flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Oh that is such a fun supper club idea! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Made this recipe today. My wife and I both think it is the best burger recipe we’ve cooked yet. Thank you!
These burgers were PHENOMENAL! I feel like this must be the secret that makes all those iconic restaurant burgers taste so special – cannot believe I can now make them at home just as amazing. Pinch of Yum delivers every time – when I am in the mood for something specific I tend to come here to see if you have a recipe for it first. I didn’t make the sauce because we already had some smash burger sauce but definitely trying that next time. Thank you (as per usual)!!
This is a great burger recipe and technique for cooking. So easy and delicious! Amazing sauce too!! I left out the fish sauce and cut back the butter a bit in the burger. I have made these several times and everyone loves them! Thank you for the delicious recipes Pinch of Yum!
This smash burger recipe is a game changer! The house sauce takes it to the next level. I can’t wait to try it this weekend—thanks for sharing!
I just tried the smash burger recipe with the house sauce, and it was a game changer! The sauce adds the perfect flavor, and the burgers were incredibly juicy. Definitely making these again for my next barbecue! Thanks for sharing!
I made these for dinner tonight. They were amazing! Juicy, flavorful burger and the house sauce might be the best thing ever!
Sauce was great, I liked the flavor but calling these “smash burgers” just doesn’t seem right. Since you’re adding even more fat to the meat with the butter it’s very hard to get those crispy burnt edges you want on a smash burger. This is more of a “butter burger” from the Midwest.
YUM YUM YUM! We loved these. So fast, easy and full of flavor. Thank You for sharing!
The best smash burgers ever! Great job raising the bar on this amazing and simple to put together recipe. I love the flavors from horseradish and worcester sauce. Thank you!
Oh my goodness, these are SO SO SO good! This recipe shot straight to the top of our family’s favorites. I haven’t had to make any adjustments or anything which I usually do with recipes. I’ll never eat another plain hamburger again. I’ve been ruined.
This looks delicious I have to try this recipe out!
I don’t usually take the time to review, but because of how yummy these were, I felt compelled to! All my guests loved them, ugh, they were sooooo good! I added grilled pineapple to mine. The house sauce and seasoned meat made these burgers amazing. The 80/20 (medium) ground beef, soft brioche buns went so nicely. My deli didn’t carry American cheese so I got cheddar. Just loved everything about it, was perfect! Will definitely make these again for my family and guests… this time I will use an apron as it can get quite messy. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Love hearing that! Glad you all enjoyed them, Lisa!
Out of this world. I was skeptical because i thought we should touch the meat as little as possible so it doesn’t get tough but it was definitely not the case. Absolutely delicious.