The best hamburger recipes are made with nothing more than beef, salt and pepper. I’m talking the ones you get from good steakhouses and diners. A great crust on the outside, juicy, beef and tender on the inside.
Homemade hamburgers are made for piling on toppings of choice. So don’t let anyone tell you what should and shouldn’t go on your burger!
Hamburger recipe
In my youth, I learned how to make hamburgers from a celebrity chef who insisted that you needed breadcrumbs, egg and seasonings for a truly great burger. And that’s how I made it for years, thinking that was the right way.
After multiple trips to the States (sorry Australia, but no one does burgers like America!), too many burgers, and watching countless cooking shows, meeting chefs, caterers and restauranteurs, I’ve been converted to the right way.
A great beef hamburger patty requires nothing more than beef.
No flavourings other than salt and pepper. Just a nice fatty beef mince – even from the supermarket.
Best Hamburger Patties
The secret to a truly great homemade hamburger recipe is to use beef that’s nice and fatty. Ideally, a good quality ground beef / mince from a butcher, but nowadays, supermarkets sell very good quality beef too.
When it comes to cooking with meat, here’s a big takeaway from this hamburger recipe: fat = flavour. If you mix pork fat into lean beef then cook it up, you’d swear you’re eating pork.
Thus, the big secret is revealed. The very best burgers you’ve had are made with nothing more than fatty beef, salt and pepper. That’s the way it’s done at all your favourite burger joints and diners (McDonald’s aside, because who knows the secret spices in those burgers??).
Tip: Dent the Hamburger Patty
If you’ve ever had your burgers shrink into little domes, you’ll love this little tip.
Dent the surface of the patty using your fingers. You’ll still get some shrinkage, but substantially less. Great tip I picked up from Bobby Flay!
What to put on Hamburgers
As a food blogger, it’s sometimes hard to resist making food look crazy irresistible. I confess to being a sucker for this, and such is the case with the first hamburger recipe I published, pictured below, with that mouth watering runny yolk and golden crispy bacon.
Truth be told, I never order burgers fully loaded. Because classic hamburgers done right are crazy delicious as they are, and also for practical reasons – whose mouth is big enough to shove THIS in????
For me, if you’ve got a big, juicy hamburger patty topped with melted cheese, all you need is a big dollop of a condiment of choice (relish, ketchup, mustard, mayo), lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Everything else is optional.
Though as an Aussie, excluding beetroot from the list of “must haves” may be considered a blasphemy!!! – Nagi x
PS I’m a sucker for hamburgers on the BBQ, but ironically, I usually make them on the stove because it’s easier midweek.
More Burgers, Sliders and Sandwiches
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Chicken Burger – juicy seasoned chicken breast steak with the lot!
-
Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken Burger – chicken marinated in a homemade flavour bomb Peri Peri sauce
-
Cubanos – The famous Cuban roast pork sandwich from The Chef movie
-
Pastrami Sandwiches – Rye bread piled high with homemade pastrami. EPIC!
-
Veggie Burger – Meatless made amazing. Puts those doughy bricks at the shops to shame!
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Browse all Burgers and Sandwiches & Sliders recipes
How to make hamburgers
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Hamburger Recipe
Ingredients
Hamburger Pattie
- 800g - 1kg / 1.6 - 2 lb ground beef (mince), 20%+ fat (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 onions, peeled and sliced into rings
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 - 8 slices cheese of choice, I use Swiss (optional)
Hamburger
- 4 soft hamburger buns, lightly toasted
- Lettuce, tomato slices
- Ketchup, mustard, relish, sliced pickles
On the side
Instructions
- Separate beef into 4 equal portions. Use hands to lightly form into patties the size of your buns (mine are about 10 cm / 4") - don't press hard, light fingers = soft juicy patties (see video for how I do this).
- Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Make a dent on one side (stop burger from become dome shape and shrinking when cooking).
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy based skillet or BBQ over high heat. Add onion and cook until wilted and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper, then remove.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil until smoking. Add patties and cook for 2 minutes until deep golden with a great crust. Do not press! Flip carefully, cook for 1 minute then top with cheese (if using). Cover with lid and cook for further 1 minute until cheese is melted.
- Meanwhile, toast the cut side of the buns lightly.
- To serve: Spread base of buns with sauce / condiment of choice. Top with lettuce then tomato, then hamburger patty. Pile over onions, sliced pickles, then more sauce/condiments. Top with lid of bun. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Originally published 2016 with this recipe. Recipe updated and improved in May 2018.Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
This inflatable cone (the alternative to the plastic Cone of Shame) – he loves it. It’s like an inbuilt pillow. He’s been like this for hours! (Yeah, he ain’t cute when he sleeps!)
Best Burger in Town!
These have become a Sunday night tradition for us giving me a lazy day! I make naked mini ones for my Pooch too!
As a WFH person, these make a great quick lunch also. Mini ones, naked on a bed of spinach/kale with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, fresh lemon juice and whatever else you like 🙂
Thanks again Nagi, love your poached chicken for quick summer salad lunches too! x
Surprisingly the best home made burger I have ever made! I just used 500gram mince and made 4 smaller patties.
Such a great recipe!! I never knew all you needed was mince!
Question though – my mince comes in 500g pack.
Is it possible to form the patty then freeze if for later is it would it fall apart when you defrost it?
Otherwise could I freeze a portion of it without if being firmed into a patty yet and then freeze for later, forming it once defrosted ? Or once again would it just fall apart??
Hi Katie,
You can separate the beef into the portion sizes you want, freeze/defrost, and then shape them as per the recipe. Double wrap in cling film when freezing 🙂
BLOODY AWESOME! I used to buy lean/diet mince, spend forever adding finely chopped veggies, spices, egg and breadcrumbs etc and end up always disappointed. Not anymore!!!! These are the bomb! Quick to make and no, they don’t need egg to keep them together. Your special burger sauce was brilliant too. Thanks!
I just picked up 18% fat mince. I wonder is this still high enough to use this recipe or will it be dry?? (I’d love the basic version if it’s possible).
These burgers were so delicious
And the beef patty was perfect with just salt and pepper yummy Thank you will make again
Your notes are so helpful, Nagi.
These burgers beat my usual ones hands down. Thank you.
These were great!
Once again thank you so much Nagi for this amazingly yummy recipe which we have just finished eating.. absolutely delicious.. soft, juicy and full of flavours. I would never eat burgers out again… thank you so much ❤️🙏🥰✋👍💐🌸xxx five out of five with five stars ✨✨✨✨✨
can you cook and freeze
Making burgers has always been a challenge for me, although I have always been a fan of the Burger King Menu but this recipe has taught me a lot. A special thanks to Nagi for this simple and excellent burger recipe.
I’ve always done burgers the way you describe in your alternative recipe. Done the “American” way, what stops the patties breaking up and falling apart while cooking?
Try it and you’ll see for yourself that they don’t fall apart 😉
My mom always wet her hands when making the hamburgers, she said it kept them together. So I’ve been doing that for 40 years. I wet my hands, and pat the hamburger patty on both sides. Never had an issue with them falling apart doing it that way. I do that with sausage patties too.
Been making burghers for years
The “dent” is the best hint I have ever had
No crums eggs or anything else
I can’t believe how simple it is to make a delicious juicy burger!! Never doing it any other way again! Thanks Nagi!! 👍
I had very lean beef so added garlic and onion as advised in your other recipe. My daughters usually don’t want beef patties, but they loved this version so much they kissed the beef patty. Another recipe we love Nagi!
The best burgers I’ve ever cooked, thank you!
Made this yesterday and it was so awesome. Simple, easy and a very satisfying meal👍👍
Just a note to you and Dozer.
I will be trying this simple method for hamburger.
I’m craving a burger dip but knew to check your site FIRST because every recipe we’ve tried is always excellent!
Animal lovers too so hugs and tiny sample bites to Dozer too!
Made them tonight – seemed too simple to be true, but nope! Fantastic (and my super fussy little kids had second helpings – a miracle). Thank you
At what temperature (medium high?) should the stove be?