Beef Burger Recipe

Our homemade beef burger recipe makes this delicious American staple rivaling that of any restaurant-quality version, no grill required.

These beef burgers are composed of juicy and perfectly seasoned beef patties, crunchy vegetables, bright mayo sauce, and freshly shredded cheddar cheese. It’s a satisfying dish guaranteed to make your taste buds sing.

Is This Beef Burger Healthy?

Unlike the bad rap fast food versions get, our beef burger is relatively healthy.

Nutritionally, beef burgers are protein-packed patties. Each serving of ours provides 18.7 g protein — up to 37% of the recommended daily intake. Our beef burgers, with the abundance of veggies included, yield a noticeable amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

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Nonetheless, beef burger recipes often have a high concentration of saturated fats and sodium – nutrients found in certain foods such as cheese and salt. Their excessive consumption has been connected to a variety of ailments, including heart disease.

Our beef burger recipe contains less saturated fat and sodium, with 9.5 g and 540 mg, respectively. This is due to the minimal use of ingredients.

What Type of Beef Is Best for a Burger?

A juicy burger — the one you can sink your teeth into — is really about the beef. The rule is simple: buy good quality beef and you’ll have an amazing burger.

The ideal ground beef is about 80% – 85% lean and 15% – 20% fat. Any meat leaner than 90% is likely to leave your burger dry and crumbly.

And if you can, always buy freshly ground beef from the butcher. This type tends to be less compressed which means it’ll turn out more tender than the packaged meat once cooked.

Ingredients You Will Need

A fantastic burger always starts with delicious ground beef, and is made all the more spectacular with vegetables and seasoning. Here’s what we used in this recipe:

Ground Beef: 85/15 ground beef might sound slightly fatty for your taste, but the patties need fat for a tender and juicy interior. Also, most of the fat will be released and stay in the pan while you cook the meat, so you don’t have to worry about greasy patties. Without the fat, your burger will dry out before being cooked through, leaving you with a tasteless, unappealing piece of beef.

Hamburger Buns: We went with classic sesame seed buns since they’re tasty, popular, and inexpensive. Other great alternatives include potato buns, Brioche buns, Pretzel buns, or whole grain buns – for a healthier option.

Seasoning: The basic blend of salt and pepper is to enhance the flavor of the meat, and paprika enhances the flavor with an exotic smoky hint.

Sauce: We love the mayo-based sauce with Greek yogurt — easy to make and delivers an impressive flavor. It adds creaminess and another dimension to the whole experience.

Toppings:

• Cheese: Shredded or grated variations are all great in this beef burger recipe. We chose cheddar for its nice tang with bold flavor.
• Tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes add a slight sweetness and acidic note to your buns.
• Lettuce: Green leaves add further appeal to the dish and also offer a textural contrast.
• Red Onion: Freshly sliced red onion rings give a punch of potent flavor. If this is too strong for your taste, you can also cook them to reduce their intensity.

Once you master our classic-flavored burger recipe, feel free to get funky with your preferences. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

With our instructions and method, you can’t go wrong.

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Tips for Making

• Size and Thickness:

There is nothing more disappointing than a burger patty that is skinny and smaller than the bun it’s in. To correctly size your patties, shape your meat about 1-inch thick and 1-inch larger than the buns.

• Light Touch:

The fat content in beef is the first factor for a juicy patty; the other is your shaping technique. The more you mix and mash the meat while shaping the patties, the more compressed and tough the finished burger will be.

Instead try to handle the beef as little as possible and only gently pat the edges into a round shape. Don’t worry if your patties have minor cracks; resist the temptation to reshape it until it looks neat.

• Do Not Overcook:

Our beef burger is a quick meal. Even if you prefer your patties well-done, the burger should be done in less than 10 minutes.

If the cooking process lasts any longer than that amount of time, chances are your supposed-to-be juicy meat will come out as a crumbly puck. It’s best if you always keep an eye on the side of the burgers.

If you see a pinkish part in the middle, your medium-rare patties are ready. And the second the pinkish or light red line disappears, you have a medium burger.

Store and Reheat the Leftovers

• To Store

To maximize the quality, we recommend placing the ground beef patties and buns separately in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Cooked hamburgers can be safely refrigerated for up to 3 – 4 days. If frozen, it should remain good quality for about 3 months.

• To Reheat

Of course, you can use the microwave or a skillet to reheat the burger, but the oven is probably the most effective way. To do so, place your patties directly on a metal rack and place over a baking sheet so that the excess fat doesn’t drip all over the oven.

Cook the meat at around 400°F for a few minutes until warm and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Check out our air fryer chicken burger recipe – an easy option for when you need a fast, hassle-free dinner.

What to Serve With

• French Fries:

Burgers and french fries are just like peanut butter and jelly — they are a universal combination that pairs perfectly with each other. Check out our air fryer version for a less-greasy-yet-healthy twist on preparing the classic combo.

• Salad:

A light salad with seasonal fruits and fresh vegetables like our kale salad or Greek salad is a crowd-pleaser. They provide a gorgeously refreshing taste with pleasant tangy notes that help cut through the beef’s fatty flavor, leaving you craving the next mouth-watering bite.

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Elevate Your Party with These Delicious Beef Finger Foods That Will Impress Your Guests

Transport your taste buds to the Middle East with our beef shawarma recipe. Thinly sliced beef is marinated in a blend of spices and then grilled to perfection, resulting in tender, flavorful meat that's perfect for stuffing into pita bread or topping a salad.

This classic sandwich filling is a favorite among kids and adults alike. Made with ground beef, tangy tomato sauce, and spices, it's a quick and easy meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.

If you're a fan of beef finger food recipes that are just as delicious, check out our roundup for a variety of mouth-watering options.

Beef Burger Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Our beef burger recipe is quick, simple enough to execute as a weeknight dinner and gourmet enough to impress a crowd.

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• cook TIME 10 mins
• prep TIME 10 mins
• total TIME 20 mins

• COURSE Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
• CUISINE American
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 483 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 12 oz 85% lean ground beef
• 4 hamburger buns
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 2 oz romaine lettuce
• 4 oz tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 oz red onion (sliced)
• 1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

1

In a large bowl, mix together 12 oz ground beef, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp mustard, and 1 tbsp flour.

2

Divide evenly into 4 balls (about 3.3 oz each). Shape each ball into a 3/4 - 1 inch-thick patty. Preheat the oven to 425 ℉.

3

Add 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tsp fresh rosemary in a nonstick skillet, heat over medium-high. Add patties, sear on high heat in the first 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook each side for about 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer patties to plate.

4

Spread 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter on 4 hamburger buns. Bake at 425 ℉ for 3 minutes.

5

Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp mayonnaise and 1 tbsp Greek yogurt.

6

Layer romaine, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, and then patties on the burger buns.

7

Add the mayonnaise sauce and top with 1 oz cheddar cheese. Serve warm.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Beef Burger Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 483Calories from Fat 271

% Daily Value*

Fat 30.1g

46%

Saturated Fat 9.5g

59%

Trans Fat 0.8g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 9.8g

Cholesterol 77.2mg

26%

Sodium 539.9mg

23%

Potassium 414.5mg

12%

Carbohydrate 5.8g

2%

Fiber 1.3g

5%

Sugar 3.6g

4%

Protein 18.7g

37%

Vitamin A 1908.1IU

38%

Vitamin C 5.5mg

7%

Calcium 82.2mg

8%

Iron 2.4mg

13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keywords: beef burger, beef burger recipe, how to make burger patties from ground beef