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!)
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?
Was looking for a simple but good burger recipe. Found some with panko and eggs and stuff which was odd. Decided on yours and was so impressed and surprised. So so simple yet so so good. Thanks Nagi!!!
Where’s the ham?
These are beef burgers, not hamburgers ya dope
Great hamburgers thank you
Nagi, but just wanted to say that you’ve eaten too many burgers in America. Apart from McDonald’s, I’ve never seen anyone put pickles on a burger in Australia! The beetroot though, is definitely a requirement.😂
Wot! You don’t have pickles on your burger? Not all Aussies like them, I know. But as I love them!
Oh my gosh this was not only easy to make, but delicious. Kids scoffed them down in a matter of minutes. Great dish for time strapped working parents!
All great, would add that its wise to bring the patties to room temperature before grilling when they are 200g+
Truth be told, I wasn’t sure the secret to great hamburgers was to keep it simple. But since all your other recipes have been so awesome, I tried and boy, now I am convinced! I’d give 6 stars if I could!
We FINALLY know how to make a REALLY, REALLY GOOD burger! Thanks so much, Nagi, for sharing your recipes and for teaching us the hows and whys.
OMG I made this hamburger last night for the family whilst watching the football and it was soo delicious. I also made your caramalised onions, they were the best, sticky and sweet!!! Will definitely be a meal I make often as hamburgers are usually a weekend meal in our household. I look forward to making more of your hamburgers on your website.
So simple! Thank you for sharing.
Would you consider 85/15 a good fat ratio for the plain salt and pepper route? It’s Kirkland organic ground beef.
Thank you!
Best, tastiest, juicy burger ever.
I left out the bread and made a tower of baby spinach, sliced tomato, bacon, fried onions, burger, cheese, topped with a poached egg. I’m in burger heaven.
Oh now you are making me crave a burger!!! N x
Thanks Nagi, that was so easy and definitely one of the best burgers I’ve ever had! The whole family agreed, yum!! 😋
Hi Nagi. I feel that even though i cooked on high heat the patty was not cooked completely with 2 mins on each side. And internal temp was only 135 F. should i be cooking it longer or on higher heat ?
Hi…it needs to be just smoking when you put the meat in the pan. If you can’t get that high on your stove you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly until it is done to your liking. N x
I made this for dinner and was impressed how simple it was, and the flavors were so delicious!
Thanks! N x
Who knew it was this simple. I have been fiddling around for years mixing it with onion, herbs and garlic….what for. Nagi you are our new go to girl. Brilliant.
Nagi, I was a doubter….. didn’t think just salt and pepper would cut it, but I have to admit (even with lean mince) these were the best burgers I’ve made. The two of us ate the lot with some sweet potato wedges on the side. I’m a convert now. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Planning on making the Family Meat Pie on the weekend. I knew that the ‘spare’ stubby of Guinness I was hoarding would be put to a special use 😀
OMG!!! What a delight for such a simple recipe ☺️
Hi Nagi, Just wanted to know what should be the internal temperature of the patty to know its properly cooked and safe to eat
Amazing!
This is literally the best burger recipe in the world. As a self confessed burger coniseur I have been trying to find the perfect recipe for a couple of years. This, despite its simplicity, is simply unreal. Burger patties do not need anything added to the actual pattie; you make it your own with the toppings, and well done for actually telling people that you MUST use a higher fat beef mince as a lot of recipes simply state “beef mince”. As you say, the fat is imperative for flavour. Also texture, as these were the most juicy burgers ever. Thank you so much Nagi