Smash Burger
Thin, crusty beef patties with American cheese on a soft bun.
Ingredients
- 400 g Ground beef
- 2 slices American cheese
- 2 Burger buns
- ½ Onion
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 40 g Dill pickles (optional)
Method
- Loosely form the beef into balls without overworking it, then thinly slice the onion and pickles.
- Toast the buns cut-side down in a hot pan until golden, then set aside.
- Add the oil to a screaming-hot pan, smash the beef balls hard into thin patties, season with salt, and sear until a deep crust forms, then flip and lay a slice of cheese on each patty, about 5 minutes total.
- Stack the patties on the toasted buns with the onion and pickles and serve.
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About Smash Burger
The smash burger is a griddle-cook's answer to the thick pub patty: a loose ball of ground beef pressed hard onto a screaming-hot surface so it spreads thin and develops a deep, lacy brown crust. It grew out of American short-order and drive-in cooking, where speed and a maximal sear mattered more than height. The defining move is the smash itself, which forces the meat flat against the metal to trigger the Maillard browning that gives these patties their intensely beefy, almost fried-edge flavor.
Because the patties are thin, they cook in only a few minutes, and a slice of American cheese laid on just after the flip melts into the craggy crust. The contrast is the whole point: crisp, savory edges against a soft toasted bun, with raw onion and dill pickle bringing sharpness and crunch to cut the fat. Handling the beef loosely, without packing it into dense pucks, keeps the interior tender. It is a two-serving, eighteen-minute cook that rewards a truly hot pan and firm pressure, best eaten immediately while the crust is still crisp.
Smash Burger: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Smash Burger?
A serving has about 747 calories — 47g protein, 34.3g carbs, 45.6g fat, 1.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 47g of protein, roughly 25% of its calories.
Is Smash Burger gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Burger buns. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Smash Burger dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses American cheese. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Smash Burger?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dill pickles — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Smash Burger make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.