What beef is best for smash burgers?

80 percent lean ground chuck; the fat helps the crust form.

A heavy cast-iron skillet works perfectly.

Smash Burgers

Double smash burgers with thin, crispy-edged patties pressed onto a hot griddle, melted American cheese, pickles and a tangy burger sauce on soft buns. Makes 4.

Vegetarian with swaps

Contains: milk, egg, wheat. Based on the ingredients as written; check package labels, which can change.

Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Total 25 min
Yield 4 double burgers
Level Easy

Updated November 4, 2026

Double smash burger with melted American cheese, pickles and sauce on a soft bun with fries

Smash burgers get their flavor from crust. Balls of ground beef are pressed thin onto a screaming-hot griddle, which browns the whole surface and creates lacy, crispy edges in about two minutes.

Two thin patties with melted American cheese between them make the classic diner-style double.

Ingredients

Burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80 percent lean), cold
Salt and black pepper
8 slices American cheese
4 soft potato or brioche buns, toasted
Dill pickle slices

Burger sauce

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickles

To make it vegetarian

For the ground meat, use a plant-based ground meat, or cooked lentils mixed with finely chopped mushrooms.

Meat substitutes change the flavor, texture and cooking time: cook plant-based meats to the package directions, and tofu and mushrooms only need to brown and heat through. The nutrition on this page is for the original recipe. See all our vegetarian recipes.

What you’ll need

cast-iron skillet or griddle
sturdy metal spatula
parchment squares

Instructions

Prep. Stir the sauce together. Divide the beef into 8 loose 3-ounce balls; keep them cold.
Heat. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat until very hot.
Smash. Place 2 or 3 balls on the skillet and immediately smash each flat with a sturdy spatula, pressing hard. Season with salt and pepper.
Flip and melt. Cook 2 minutes, until the edges are crisp and deeply browned. Scrape up and flip, top half the patties with cheese and cook 1 minute. Stack two patties per burger.
Build. Spread sauce on the buns, add pickles and the stacked patties.

Nutrition per double burger (estimated)

870Calories

36 gCarbohydrates

1 gFiber

34 gNet carbs

42 gProtein

61 gFat

Estimated per double burger (the recipe makes 4 double burgers), using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Optional ingredients, garnishes and anything served on the side are not included, and marinades are counted at about a third because most is discarded. Brands and portion sizes change the numbers.

Budget-friendly Vegetarian with swaps

Tips

Food safety: cook ground beef and pork to 160°F, and ground turkey or chicken to 165°F, checked with an instant-read thermometer in the center.
Use a piece of parchment between the spatula and beef so it does not stick.
Do not move the patties until they are ready to flip.

Printable: safe cooking temperatures chart (PDF).

Storage and leftovers

Smash burgers are best right off the griddle. Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days and reheat in a hot skillet for 1 minute per side.

Questions about this recipe

What beef is best for smash burgers?: 80 percent lean ground chuck; the fat helps the crust form.
Do I need a griddle?: A heavy cast-iron skillet works perfectly.

Serve it with

Build the whole dinner: sides, sauce and dessert ›

Pairs with: Zinfandel or Syrah, or an amber ale. Wine pairing guide

More beef and steak recipes

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