Quick Family Sheet Pan Smash Burger

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Making restaurant-style smash burgers at home can feel like an impossible task, especially when you’re dealing with grease splatters and trying to achieve that perfect crispy crust. Between managing multiple patties on a crowded stovetop and timing everything just right, it’s enough to make anyone reach for the takeout menu instead.

That’s where this sheet pan smash burger method comes in: it’s mess-free, lets you cook several burgers at once, and gives you those crispy, browned edges we all love. Plus, you can easily customize each burger to please even the pickiest eaters at your table.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For smash burgers, 80/20 ground chuck is your best friend – this means 80% lean meat and 20% fat content. The higher fat percentage is crucial because it helps create that amazing crust when the burger hits the hot pan, while keeping the inside juicy. Regular ground beef will work in a pinch, but ground chuck has better flavor and a more tender texture that’s perfect for smash burgers. If you can, get your meat freshly ground from the butcher counter rather than pre-packaged, and make sure it’s well-chilled but not frozen when you’re ready to cook. Just avoid anything leaner than 80/20, as the burgers will end up too dry and won’t develop that signature crispy edge that makes smash burgers so special.

Options for Substitutions

While smash burgers are pretty straightforward, here are some helpful swaps if you need them:

• Ground chuck (80/20): The 80/20 fat ratio is pretty important for a good smash burger, but you could use ground beef with a similar fat content. Just avoid lean meat (90/10 or higher) as it won’t give you those crispy edges and juicy center we’re after.
• Cheese: Colby-Jack is great, but American cheese is actually traditional for smash burgers. You can also try cheddar, Swiss, or pepper jack – any cheese that melts well works here.
• Hamburger buns: Regular burger buns can be swapped with brioche buns, potato rolls, or even English muffins. Just make sure to toast them for the best texture.
• Sauce ingredients: The mayo-ketchup-mustard combo is classic, but feel free to use any burger sauce you like. Regular ketchup works fine instead of jalapeño ketchup, or try adding a bit of hot sauce to regular ketchup for heat.
• Toppings: Red onions can be swapped with white or yellow onions, and feel free to skip tomatoes or pickles based on your preference. You could also add lettuce, grilled onions, or different pickle varieties.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making smash burgers is not getting your sheet pan hot enough before adding the meat – you want it screaming hot (preheated at 450°F for at least 15 minutes) to achieve that perfect crust and prevent the burgers from sticking. Another common error is overworking the ground beef when forming your portions – simply divide the meat into loose balls and let the smashing do the work, as handling the meat too much will result in dense, tough burgers. The timing is crucial too – these burgers cook fast (about 2-3 minutes per side), so don’t walk away from the oven or you’ll end up with overcooked, dry patties instead of juicy ones. For the best results, season the meat only right before cooking (salt draws out moisture if done too early), and don’t forget to toast your buns separately – a toasted bun prevents your burger from getting soggy and adds an extra layer of texture.

What to Serve With Smash Burgers?

When it comes to serving smash burgers, you can’t go wrong with classic burger joint sides! French fries are the obvious choice – whether they’re regular, curly, or sweet potato fries, they’ll be perfect for dipping in any leftover special sauce from your burger. A cold, crunchy coleslaw adds nice contrast to the hot, crispy burger patties, and pickle spears on the side give an extra tangy crunch. If you’re feeling fancy, you could also throw together a quick pasta salad or some crispy onion rings, both of which go great with these diner-style burgers.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Already assembled burgers are best eaten right away, but if you have leftover cooked patties, wrap them well and pop them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the fresh toppings and sauce separate to prevent everything from getting mushy.

Make Ahead: You can mix up the special sauce and prep your toppings a day in advance – just keep them in separate containers in the fridge. For the burger patties themselves, I recommend cooking them fresh for the best taste and texture.

Warm Up: If you’re working with leftover patties, warm them in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Add your cheese during the last minute of heating so it gets nice and melty. Toast those buns while you’re at it for that fresh-made taste!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	30-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 120-130 g
• Fat: 160-180 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-110 g

Ingredients

For the burgers:

• 24 oz ground chuck (80/20 blend)
• Coarse salt, as needed
• 4 hamburger buns
• 6 slices preferred cheese (colby-jack used)
• 4 thin red onion rounds
• 4 thin cuts of tomato
• Sliced dill pickles

For the secret sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup (suggested: heinz jalapeño)
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

Step 1: Portion and Shape the Burger Patties

• 24 oz ground chuck (80/20 blend)

Weigh out 3-ounce portions of ground chuck and roll each into a ball without compacting the meat too much.

You should have 8 meatballs.

Using a meat pounder or sturdy spatula, smash each ball into a thin patty; don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round.

Place each patty on a piece of waxed paper and stack them on a plate.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

I recommend chilling them to help the patties stay together during cooking.

Step 2: Preheat the Broiler and Prepare the Sheet Pans

Place two sheet pans in the oven, one on the top shelf and the other on the next shelf.

Preheat your broiler on high, allowing enough time for the pans to get very hot.

This will help sear the burgers well when they’re placed on the pans.

Step 3: Broil the First Batch of Burgers

• chilled patties from Step 1
• coarse salt, as needed

Remove the top pan from the oven and quickly place 4 chilled burger patties onto the hot pan.

Sprinkle each patty lightly with coarse salt.

You should hear a sizzle as they hit the pan.

Press down firmly with a spatula and return the pan to the top shelf under the broiler.

Broil for 2–2½ minutes, or until patties are nicely browned.

For best flavor and texture, avoid overcooking.

Step 4: Add Cheese, Onion, and Stack the Patties

• 4 broiled patties from Step 3
• 2 slices preferred cheese (Colby-Jack used)
• 2 thin red onion rounds

Remove the pan from the oven.

Place 2 slices of cheese on 2 of the burgers, then add a round of red onion on each of those.

Stack the remaining 2 burgers on top to create double-patty stacks.

Return the pan to the broiler briefly, just until the cheese melts.

I like to use Colby-Jack cheese for its creamy texture, but any preferred cheese works great here.

Step 5: Repeat with Second Batch of Burgers

• remaining 4 chilled patties from Step 1
• coarse salt, as needed
• 2 slices preferred cheese (Colby-Jack used)
• 2 thin red onion rounds

Remove the second pan from the oven and repeat the broiling and stacking process with the remaining 4 patties, 2 slices cheese, and 2 onion rounds.

Finish broiling just until the cheese melts and onions have started to soften.

Step 6: Assemble the Smashburgers

• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 assembled double-patty burgers from Steps 4 & 5
• 4 thin cuts of tomato
• sliced dill pickles
• secret sauce (from Step 3 description)

Toast the hamburger buns.

Place each double-stacked smashburger onto a toasted bun bottom.

Top each with a slice of tomato and sliced dill pickles.

Spread the prepared secret sauce on the top bun and close the sandwich.

Assemble the burgers while hot for the most delicious result.

I always make sure to add extra pickles for more tang!