Smash Burger Recipe

Make sauce and prep toppings

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place pickles, sliced onion, shredded lettuce and tomato slices on a plate. Lightly season tomato slices with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Split buns and lightly butter cut sides. Keep buttered buns ready near the stove.

Divide the chilled ground beef into 4 equal portions (about 4 oz/115 g each). Roll each portion loosely into a ball without packing; chilling helps prevent sticking.

Heat pan

Place a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and let it get very hot, about 4–5 minutes. You want surface smoking lightly. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and spread to coat the cooking surface.

Smash first two patties

Place two beef balls on the hot surface, spaced apart. Immediately cover each ball with a piece of parchment or the flat bottom of your metal spatula and press down hard to flatten into about 3½–4" thin patties. Press for 10–15 seconds to get good contact; the edges should spread thin. Remove the parchment (if used).

Season and cook

Sprinkle each smashed patty evenly with a pinch of kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Let cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until dark brown and crisp around the edges and juices start to appear on the top.

Flip and cheese

Using a sturdy spatula, scrape and flip each patty. Immediately place one slice of American cheese on each patty. Press lightly to adhere. Cook for another 30–60 seconds to melt cheese and finish cooking (total cook time ~3–4 minutes per patty). Transfer cooked patties to a plate and tent loosely with foil while you cook remaining patties. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if the pan is dry and repeat the process for the other two balls.

After all patties are cooked, wipe the skillet quickly if there are excess burnt bits, return to medium heat. Place buttered bun cut sides down on the skillet and toast until golden brown, about 30–60 seconds. Remove buns.

Spread sauce on both top and bottom buns. On the bottom bun place shredded lettuce (if using), then one cheesy patty. Top with two pickle slices, a few onion slices, and second patty. Add tomato slice on top patty if using, then cap with the top bun.

Serve immediately while hot with fries or chips.