Crisp, juicy smashburgers with a tangy, creamy sauce caramelized right into the patty. Adapted from Meaningful Eats’ Gluten-Free Smashburgers.

Smashburger Sauce

Ingredient Amount
Mayonnaise 1/2 cup
Ketchup 1 tbsp
Yellow mustard 1 tbsp
Yellow onion, grated 1 tbsp
Hot sauce 1 tsp
Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, ketchup, mustard, grated onion, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Set aside half of the sauce in a separate bowl for serving.
  3. Use the other half for cooking the burgers.

Smashburgers

Ingredient Amount
Ground beef, 80/20 2 lbs
Smash burger seasoning (e.g. McCormick Grill Mates) to taste
Cheese slices (cheddar or preferred) 12 slices
Hamburger buns, toasted 6
Butter, melted (for brushing buns) as needed
Toppings: shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, sautéed onions to taste

Instructions:

  1. Divide the ground beef into 12 loose balls — divide each pound in half, then each half into 3 balls. Keep them loose; don’t pack tightly, to help create crispy, lacy edges.
  2. Brush the buns with melted butter. Preheat a griddle or skillet to medium-high heat (about 400–450°F).
  3. Place the buns cut-side down on the hot griddle. Toast until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes, then set aside.
  4. Place the beef balls on the hot griddle, leaving plenty of space between each — they spread out a lot as they cook.
  5. Immediately press straight down on each ball with a heavy spatula until the patty is very thin with jagged edges.
  6. Season each patty generously with smash burger seasoning.
  7. Just before flipping, add a spoonful of smashburger sauce to the uncooked side of each patty and gently spread it across the top.
  8. Flip the patties and cook for another 1–2 minutes. The sauce will caramelize slightly as the second side cooks.
  9. Add a slice of cheese to each patty right after flipping so it melts as the burger finishes cooking.

To assemble:

  1. Start with the bottom bun and spread on a layer of the reserved smashburger sauce.
  2. Add lettuce and tomato slices — placing toppings on the bottom helps keep the burger more stable and intact.
  3. Stack two cheesy patties on top.
  4. Finish with pickles, sautéed onions, and the top bun.

Notes

  • Make-ahead: Sauce keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. Beef can be portioned into balls up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
  • Storage: Cooked patties keep in the fridge up to 4 days. Assembled burgers are best eaten fresh.
  • Freezing: Uncooked beef balls or cooked patties can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Source: meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-smashburgers