This juicy Burger Patty Recipe is seriously so easy and packed with flavor. No fancy ingredients or grilling required—just good quality ground beef, a few pantry spices, and a hot skillet. These cook up perfectly every time with a golden crust on the outside and a tender, juicy center. Trust me, once you try these, you won’t go back to store-bought patties again!
I originally tried making hamburgers with leaner meat, which was too dry. Since then, I’ve updated this hamburger patty recipe to include 80/20 ground beef to create the ultimate juicy burger. I like to think this is the best homemade hamburger recipe since it’s so easy and quick to whip up.
Pair this burger with a side like Fresh Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, Air Fryer Scalloped Potatoes, or Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese for a more filling meal. Let’s dive into how to make burger patties from mince below, including tips, tricks, and recommendations.
Need more side dish recommendations? I curated a list of the 20 Best Side Dish Recipes for Hamburgers!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Hamburger Patty Recipe
- Other Cooking Methods
- How to Cook a Burger to Your Perfect Doneness
- Best Buns for Hamburgers
- Recipe Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- How To Freeze Raw Burger Patties
- Additions & Variations
- Recipe FAQs
- More Main Dish Recipes
- Homemade Hamburger Patty Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple – This recipe requires less than ten ingredients, and most are likely already in your fridge/spice cabinet.
- Flavorful – Worcestershire, brown sugar, soy sauce, and spices help create a delicious flavor in this hamburger patty recipe.
- Easy – This beginner-friendly recipe requires minimal kitchen tools. Plus, cleanup is quick since you’ll only be using a few bowls, a baking sheet, a grill/pan, and a spatula.
- Kid-friendly – Even your picky eaters will enjoy this homemade burger recipe, especially since you can adjust the toppings to their preference!
- Cheesy – This recipe includes melty cheese on top for added flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Ground Beef: 80/20 (ground chuck) is best for this hamburger patty recipe. Avoid leaner beef patties, which dry out while cooking, leaving you with crumbly burgers.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Hamburger Patty Recipe
Quick Overview
- Prep a baking sheet.
- Whisk together seasoning.
- Mix beef and seasoning.
- Divide beef into six portions.
- Press into patties.
- Grill burgers.
Step by Step Instructions
Avoid overcrowding hamburger patties on the pan/grill.
Add cheese last so it does not melt off the burger.
Step 1: Prepare a large plate or small baking sheet with two pieces of parchment or wax paper. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder.
Step 2: Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Pour the seasoning mixture over the beef.
Step 3: Using your hands (I like to wear gloves), gently combine the meat and seasoning mixture.
Step 4: Roughly divide the meat into six portions or use a kitchen scale to weigh out 6 5.3-ounce portions. Use your hands to gently press the meat into a round patty. Make a small well in the center. Burgers shrink when cooked, so make the patty larger than your buns. Repeat and place the patties on the prepared plate or baking sheet. Use the paper in between layers to prevent the burgers from sticking together.
Step 5: I prefer to cook my burgers on the stovetop or griddle. See the section below for other cooking methods. Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 Tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan. Place 1-2 burgers in the skillet. Use a burger press to smash the burger down if desired. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Flip the burger and fry for another 2 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness. Add the cheese and cover the pan for about 30 seconds to melt it. Remove from the heat immediately and serve.
Other Cooking Methods
- Grill: Another excellent way to make this hamburger patty recipe is on a grill. It adds a delicious, charred flavor and grill marks to the patties.
- Air Fryer: You can also cook burgers in the air fryer, though it can be more challenging to cook them to a certain doneness with this method. Ensure you use a meat thermometer to test the patties before removing them from the air fryer. You can also follow my Frozen Burgers in Air Fryer recipe.
- Oven: Like the air fryer, cooking burgers to a specific doneness in the oven is challenging. This method is not recommended for a hamburger meat recipe.
How to Cook a Burger to Your Perfect Doneness
The easiest (and most reliable) way to know when your burger is perfectly cooked? A meat thermometer! Use the guide below to hit your ideal doneness every time. Just insert the thermometer into the center of the patty and check the temp:
- Medium: Warm, pink center – about 140°F
- Medium-Well: Slightly pink center – about 150°F
- Well Done: No pink – 160°F and up
I would not recommend cooking a burger below medium, unless the beef is extremely high quality or grinded at home!
If you don’t have a thermometer, look for juices that run clear and a firmer texture as your backup cues. But honestly—a quick temp check makes all the difference for that juicy, just-right bite.
Best Buns for Hamburgers
After frying burgers, always toast or grill buns with a fat like butter, oil, or grease left over in the cast iron skillet/grill to provide a crispy texture and delicious flavor.
- Brioche: I prefer using brioche buns, which are soft and have a slightly sweet flavor. These buns help elevate burgers.
- Sesame: Something about sesame buns always reminds me of childhood. These are a great option if you have them in your kitchen, as they add texture and a slight nutty flavor to burgers.
- Classic: Classic burger buns are always a great choice; they’re soft and fluffy, perfect for housing a burger patty.
- Potato: These buns are slightly sweet (like brioche) but don’t typically have eggs or dairy, so they’re ideal for those who follow a dairy-free diet.
- Pretzel: Pretzel buns add a chewy bite to burgers and a slight crunch.
- Sliced Bread: If you forget to grab burger buns at the store, you can use sliced bread in a pinch to make a patty melt with this hamburger patty recipe.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Serve these juicy burger patties on toasted brioche buns with all your favorite fixings—cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, pickles, and a generous swipe of mayo or special sauce. You can also make it a complete meal with these sides:
- Italian Pasta Salad: This pasta salad is flavorful, packed with fresh veggies, and protein-rich.
- Pesto Orzo Salad: I enjoy this cold pasta as a light lunch or serve it with a grilled protein for dinner. Ideal if you want to ditch the hamburger bun!
- Caesar Salad: This recipe will be your new go-to for salads this summer.
- Seasoned Tater Tots: This recipe is a great way to doctor up a frozen bag of tots.
- Smashed Potatoes: These air fryer smashed potatoes are one of my favorite easy side dishes!
Looking for something outside of the normal french fry? My post, Side Dishes for Hamburgers (Besides French Fries), is a great place to start!
Expert Tips
- Do Not Overwork the Meat: Overworking the meat leaves you with tough, chewy burgers. Only mix until the seasoning is incorporated into the ground beef.
- Use a Scale to Weigh the Patties. The best way to get even serving sizes is by weighing each ground beef section before forming it into a patty. Start by weighing the entire meat mixture, then divide the amount by six so you know what weight to aim for with each patty.
- Make the Burger Bigger Than Your Buns: Like any hamburger patty recipe, the patty will shrink as it cooks. If you make the patty larger than the bun, it will be approximately the same size as the bun once it’s done cooking.
- Make a Well in the Center of the Patty: Avoid rounded burgers by making a well in the center of the patty before placing it on the pan/grill.
- Prepare the Toppings & Buns Ahead of Time: Burgers cook quickly, so it’s best to have the toppings prepped and buns toasted beforehand. Then, you and your family can assemble your burgers when they’re out of the pan.
- Storing Leftovers: Let leftover burger patties cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or pop them in the microwave until warmed through.
How To Freeze Raw Burger Patties
- Once you’ve formed the patties into circles, place them in a single layer on a large baking sheet covered in saran wrap.
- Add a loose covering of plastic wrap over the top of the patties.
- Allow the patties from the hamburger patty recipe to sit in the freezer for about two hours until they firm up.
- Once firm, you can repackage the patties into multiple airtight ziplock bags.
- Label each bag with the date you froze them. They are good for up to three months in the freezer.
Additions & Variations
- Ground Turkey/Chicken: I prefer using ground beef for this burger patty recipe to create juicy burgers, but you can use ground turkey/chicken as a leaner option. Note – the burgers will be drier since turkey and chicken have less fat content.
- Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms: Caramelized Mushrooms and Onions are a great way to elevate homemade burgers. They will add time to the meal, but are more than worth the wait.
- Leftovers: Freeze any uncooked leftover patties in an airtight bag (see section above for more details). If you have leftover burger patties, they can stay in the fridge for up to four days. Store toppings and buns separately from the patties to avoid soggy bread/veggies.
- Cheese-Stuffed Burgers: Tuck a slice of cheddar or melty American cheese right into the center of each patty before cooking. You’ll get that gooey, cheesy surprise with every bite. So good!
- Spicy Jalapeño Burgers: Add a little heat by mixing in some diced jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce. Perfect if you love a little kick.
- BBQ Bacon Burgers: Stir a spoonful of BBQ sauce into the beef mixture, then top your cooked patty with crispy bacon. Smoky, sweet, and absolutely delicious.
Recipe FAQs
No. Ground beef for burgers should only be seasoned. Adding ingredients such as bread, crackers, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, etc., makes the texture more like a meatball or meatloaf. Burgers will hold their shape just fine without any binders.
A properly made burger patty should not be overmixed. Overmixing creates a tough texture. Additionally, you can use a ring mold to help form patties in a perfect circle shape before cooking them.
Using oil or butter when pan-frying or grilling burger patties ensures they do not stick to the surface. Both oil and butter add extra flavor to a hamburger patty recipe.
Always let the burger rest for a few minutes after cooking for the best burger recipe. Burgers (and any protein) continue cooking briefly once removed from heat. When you allow burgers to rest, they can reabsorb some moisture, so they’re juicy.
More Main Dish Recipes
Shop my Amazon Storefront!
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
Homemade Hamburger Patty Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespooons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*
- 1 teaspoon EACH freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, & onion powder
- 2 pounds ground beef*
Instructions
- Prepare a large plate or small baking sheet with two pieces of parchment or wax paper. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespooons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*, 1 teaspoon EACH freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, & onion powder
- Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Pour the seasoning mixture over the beef.2 pounds ground beef*
- Using your hands (I like to wear gloves), gently combine the meat and seasoning mixture.
- Roughly divide the meat into six portions or use a kitchen scale to weigh out 6 5.3-ounce portions. Use your hands to gently press the meat into a round patty. Make a small well in the center. Burgers shrink when cooked, so make the patty larger than your buns. Repeat and place the patties on the prepared plate or baking sheet. Use the paper in between layers to prevent the burgers from sticking together.
- I prefer to cook my burgers on the stovetop or griddle. See the section below for other cooking methods. Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 Tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan. Place 1-2 burgers in the skillet. Use a burger press to smash the burger down if desired. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip the burger and fry for another 2 minutes, depending on thickness and desired doneness. Add the cheese and cover the pan for about 30 seconds to melt it. Remove from the heat immediately and serve.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Ground Beef: 80/20 (ground chuck) is best for this hamburger patty recipe. Avoid leaner beef patties, which dry out while cooking, leaving you with crumbly burgers.
- Do not overwork the meat. Overworking the meat leaves you with tough, chewy burgers. Only mix until the seasoning is incorporated into the ground beef.
- Use a scale to weigh the patties. The best way to get even serving sizes is by weighing each ground beef section before forming it into a patty. Start by weighing the entire meat mixture, then divide the amount by six so you know what weight to aim for with each patty.
- Make the burger bigger than your buns. Like any hamburger patty recipe, the patty will shrink as it cooks. If you make the patty larger than the bun, it will be approximately the same size as the bun once it’s done cooking.
- Make a well in the center of the patty. Avoid rounded burgers by making a well in the center of the patty before placing it on the pan/grill.
- Prepare the toppings & buns ahead of time. Burgers cook quickly, so it’s best to have the toppings prepped and buns toasted beforehand. Then, you and your family can assemble your burgers when they’re out of the pan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The flavor of the seasoning combo was wonderful! I used a burger press and cooked them on the grill. The only drawback was that some of them came apart after flipping a few times. Perhaps a binder like an egg or bread crumbs would help?
These were DELICIOUS!!! My only sub was coconut aminos for soy sauce. They were super juicy, full of all the flavor I want from a burger and thanks to the butter, smell absolutely divine while cooking in the pan! I served with buns for my family but put mine on top of lettuce with tomatoes and homemade burger sauce – so satisfying!! We’ve toyed with many different burger recipes through the years. The ones with bread crumbs and eggs, ones with orange zest and so on. None of them gave me that truly satisfying true burger taste until this one! It’s a keeper.
Wonderful recipe! Even my picky 10 year old ate the whole thing. I feel like a winner! Thank you!
Wow, this was incredible! I’m 45 and had never made hamburgers before—always loved eating them, just never cooked them myself. That changed today, and my guy absolutely loved it! I added a little jalapeño jelly on top, and it took things to a whole new level. Highly recommend!
These wel so tasty and moist! I will use the recipe again.
HELLO, I WANT TO TRY THIS RECIPE BUT MY FAMILY HAS DIABETES. CANI LEAVE OUT THE SUGAR?
Excellent. My wife doesn’t like my cooking and usually won’t let me near the kitchen. But she was too tired and I didn’t want Taco Bell. So I used your recipe and we both loved it.
Made these last night! Amazing recipe, my husband continues to rave how delicious there were and asked me to make them again today! Thank you!