Smash burgers are a staple in our house-quick to cook and shockingly flavorful for how little they ask of you. The crisp, browned beef and melty cheese stay true to the classic, but ultra-thin shaved onions and fresh jalapeños add a touch of sweetness and heat for my ultimate weeknight version. A homemade pickled okra burger sauce brings acidity and balance, finishing everything off with a pop of brightness.
These smash burgers work so well because they do one thing perfectly: build flavor and texture fast. Pressing the beef thin creates those crispy, lacy edges while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
The onions and jalapeños cook directly into the patties (borrowing a technique from the classic Oklahoma onion burger) and add sweetness, aroma, and gentle heat in every bite. A quick Pickled Okra Burger Sauce cuts through the richness and ties everything together, turning a simple weeknight burger into something you'll crave again and again.
If you really want to take these burgers to the next level, homemade buns make all the difference. My Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns or Fluffy Brioche Buns are the perfect places to start.
And if you're hungry for more beefy goodness, my Beef and Chorizo Chili is a must-try-it's bold, comforting, and the kind of chili that wins cook-offs.
Quick Recipe Insights
- ⏱️ Prep Time: ~15 min
- 🍳 Cook Time: ~15 min (total cooking time)
- 🕐 Total Time: ~30 min
- 👥 Servings: 6 Double Burgers (12 patties)
- ⚡ Calories: ~550 per serving (varies with toppings)
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🧑🍳 Flavor Profile: Crispy, beefy, deeply browned edges; sweet onions, gentle jalapeño heat, bright acidity from pickled okra sauce.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe keeps the ingredient list short and flexible, with simple substitutions noted where applicable.
Smash Burger Ingredients
- 80/20 Ground Beef: The best balance of flavor and juiciness for crisp edges and a tender center. You can use 85/15 in a pinch, but anything leaner tends to dry out.
- American Cheese: Nothing melts as smoothly or evenly. If you can, grab deli-sliced American for the best melt and flavor.
- Onion: Yellow, Vidalia, or white onion all work great. Just slice it paper-thin so it cooks quickly.
- Fresh Jalapeños: Fresh slices char and blister; pickled jalapeño slices are packed in brine and won't brown. If you must use pickled, pat them dry first.
- Pickled Okra Burger Sauce: Details below. If you want to keep it simple, swap with your favorite condiments like mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickles.
Speaking of pickles, check out my Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices or Quick Bread and Butter Pickles if you want to make your own!
Pickled Okra Burger Sauce Ingredients
- Pickled Okra: Adds a tangy, southern twist that makes this sauce stand out from all the others. I like Wickles brand Pickled Okra, but you can substitute an equal amount of dill pickles or bread-and-butter pickles. Add a little of the brine for brightness.
Essential Smash Burger Equipment
A screaming hot cooking surface matters the most, but the right tools make it much easier to get thin patties with crisp edges without losing your crust in the process.
- Sturdy Spatula: This Dexter Russel 5" x 4" Hamburger Turner is perfect for scraping the patties off the griddle to retain the crust.
- Burger Press (Optional): Not required, but it makes smashing easier and more consistent. I like a press that lets you apply pressure straight down over the patty - like this one.
- Parchment Paper: Keeps things from sticking when smashing the burgers into patties.
- Infrared Thermometer: A quick and easy way to check the griddle temperatures. This Etekcity Infrared Thermometer does the trick.
How to Make Smash Burgers (with Optional Onions and Jalapeños)
Below is the step-by-step method for making smash burgers with crisp edges, juicy centers, and maximum flavor in just minutes.
Step 1 - Heat & Salt: Heat griddle (or pan) to at least 450°F. Place two 2.5-oz balls of beef per burger (one for each patty) on the hot griddle and add a generous amount of salt.
Step 2 - Add Onions and Jalapeños: Add a handful of paper-thin onions and fresh jalapeño slices over each beef ball.
Step 3 - Smash: Using a burger press or stiff spatula (with a small square of parchment if needed), quickly and firmly smash into thin patties. Cook for 60-90 seconds on the first side.
Step 4 - Scrape, Flip & Cheese: Scrape firmly under each patty to release the crust, then flip. Add two slices of cheese to one patty per burger and let it melt for an additional 30 seconds.
Step 5 - Bun Prep: Place the toasted, sauced top bun on the plain patty (no cheese), then set the bottom bun on top of the top bun to warm and steam slightly while the cheese melts.
Step 6 - Assemble: Move the bottom bun to your plate. Place the cheesy patty on it, then cap with the second patty and the warmed top bun. Serve immediately.
Smash Burger Pro Tips & Quick Fixes
Pro Tips
- High Heat Cooking: A hot surface is the key to a deep Maillard crust. Aim for 450°F+ at minimum; 550-600°F is fantastic if your griddle or skillet can handle it.
- Fast Cook Time: High heat means these cook quickly-about 90 seconds to 2 minutes total. Cooking too long can dry out the patties.
- Cold Beef: Keep the beef cold. This keeps the fat in a solid state for longer, which promotes better searing and retains more moisture.
- Scrape, Don't Lift: When you flip, scrape firmly under the patty with a thin metal spatula, keeping it tight to the surface. That pressure helps release the burger cleanly and preserves the crust you worked so hard for.
- Bun Prep: Sauce and top the buns before you start cooking, so you can assemble immediately while the patties are hot.
Smash Burger Troubleshooting (Quick Fixes)
- Not Enough Browning: Cooking surface temperature is too low. Preheat longer (or slightly higher) until you're at 450°F+.
- Dry Patties: Either cooking too long, or the beef is too lean. Stick with 80/20 if you can, and keep the cooking time tight-typically 90 seconds to 2 minutes total.
Smash Burger FAQs
Aim for 450°F+. Hotter is better if your setup can hold it-500-600°F gives you faster browning and crispier edges without overcooking the center.
Cook each 2.5-oz patty for 60-90 seconds on the first side, then flip. Add two slices of American cheese to one patty, and finish for 30-45 seconds-just long enough to melt the cheese and set the second side.
The usual culprit is not enough heat or not smashing fast enough. Preheat longer to reach 450°F+, smash as quickly as possible after hitting the griddle, and don't move the patty until it's ready to flip-then scrape firmly to release the crust intact.
Fresh is best. Fresh jalapeños blister and char on the griddle; pickled jalapeños carry more moisture and typically won't brown, so you miss the roasted chile flavor. If pickled is all you have, pat them very dry or use them as a topping after cooking.
Other Smash Burger Recipes You'll Love
If you want to build the ultimate smash burger lineup, here are the recipes I reach for most. Go big with my Double-Double Animal Style Smash Burgers, then upgrade your base with Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns. To finish things off, add crunch and acidity with Easy Dill Pickle Slices or Quick Bread and Butter Pickles-they're the easiest way to make rich burgers taste even better!
Did you make this Smash Burger Recipe?
Let me know how yours turned out in the comments below, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Smash Burger Recipe (With Onions and Jalapeños)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale Optional
- Mandolin Slicer Optiona (but recommended)
- Outdoor Flattop Griddle Blackstone, or Camp Chef, etc.
- Large Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle Pan If using a stove top or conventional grill instead of a griddle.
- Infrared Thermometer Optional (but recommended)
- Parchment Paper Optional
- Heavy Spatula
Ingredients
Smash Burgers
- 2 lbs. 80/20 Ground Beef Rolled into 2.5-oz balls. (Each burger uses two patties)
- Kosher Salt
- 1 Onion Shaved as thin as possible.
- 2 Medium Jalapeños Shaved as thin as possible.
- 12 Slices American Cheese Preferably sliced from the deli, and not pre-packaged.
- 1 Batch Pickled Okra Burger Sauce See below
- 1 Batch Ultimate Homemade Hamburger Buns Split and toasted with butter - Optionally, use store-bought buns.
Pickled Okra Burger Sauce (Make Ahead)
- ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Pickled Okra Finely Minced - Substitute Dill Pickles if desired.
- 2 Teaspoons Pickled Okra Brine
- ½ Teaspoon Distilled White Vinegar
- Kosher Salt To Taste
- Black Pepper To Taste
Instructions
Pickled Okra Burger Sauce
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl, stirring to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Smash Burgers
- Using a kitchen scale, portion the ground beef into 2.5-oz balls (approx. ⅓ cup will get you close if you don't have a kitchen scale). Each burger will use two patties. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Using a mandolin slicer, slice the onion and jalapenos as thin as possible. Cover and reserve until ready to cook.
- Preheat the griddle (or cast iron pan/griddle pan) to at least 425°F, with 550°F to 600°F being ideal if your cooking setup can handle it.Pro Tip: When the griddle hits 350°F during preheating, toast the buns. Also, add the Pickled Okra Burger Sauce to the buns before cooking the burgers
- Once the griddle is properly heated, add two balls of ground beef per burger, and immediately season with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Cover each ball with shaved onions and jalapeños, then use a stiff spatula or burger press (with a small square of parchment if needed), and quickly and firmly press into thin patties. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds on the first side.
- Use a stiff spatula, scrape the burger patties off the griddle (or pan), and flip. Immediately cover one patty with both slices of American cheese per burger. Place the toasted, sauced top bun on the plain patty (no cheese), then set the bottom bun on top of the top bun to warm and steam slightly while the cheese melts, approximately 30 more seconds.
- Move the bottom bun to your plate. Place the cheesy patty on it, then cap with the second patty and the warmed top bun. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Heat matters: Preheat to 450°F+ (hotter is better if your setup can hold it).
- Cook fast: 60-90 seconds first side, then flip and finish just until the cheese melts.
- Keep beef cold: Cold beef helps the patties brown better and stay juicy.
- Scrape to flip: Use a thin metal spatula and scrape firmly under the patty to keep the crust intact.
- Don't overdo cook time: Lean beef or extra time = drier patties.
- Not browning? Your surface isn't hot enough-preheat longer and try again at 450°F+.
Kristin says
Hands down this ranks as one of the Top 5 burgers I’ve had. It’s not overly complicated, and the balance of toppings is spot on—nothing too crazy. The burger was incredibly juicy and just perfectly executed. Pumped to make this again the future.
Spencer Klickman says
Thanks so much for the kind words, Kristin! These are definitely a favorite on our house too. Thanks for giving the a recipe a shot!
Shem Ishler says
That burger is THICK! That burger is STRONG!
Spencer Klickman says
The burger is indeed THICK, Shem! I appreciate the support and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
JCarreiro says
Tried these tonight and they were awesome! I highly recommend! (My family doesn’t like heat so no jalapeños, but that was the only change. One bit of advice though…cook them outside. Even with the stove top vent on it set the fire alarm off.
Spencer Klickman says
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
I've come to find that if the fire alarm goes off while I'm cooking (and nothing is ACTUALLY burning!), it's a sign that we're in for a treat! I'll update the blog post to include a smoke warning though - thanks for the input!
Paula says
We had these last night and the taste blew my mind! I'll never go back to traditional burgers! Great recipe!
Spencer Klickman says
I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed these! It's seriously hard to ignore the craving for these when it hits!
Miles says
Fried onion smash burgers have quickly become my favorite burger type by far. The simplicity of meat, cheese, onions, salt and a bun is absolutely wonderful. With that being said, experimenting with the added toppings in this recipe is sure to create a whole new experience that I can't wait to try!
Spencer Klickman says
They're so good! Let me know how yours come out when you make them!
Harry K says
I've cooked and ate a lot of smashburgers in my time and these are excellent! I made the recipe as is, minus the bacon, and they were some of the best burgers I've ever had. The thin shaved jalapeños are crucial and add the perfect amount of heat. And that burger sauce is something else! The pickled okra adds a sweetness that balances everything out and really grounds the whole experience. This is a one of a kind burger, for sure!
Spencer Klickman says
Glad to hear that you enjoyed them! I agree though, the bacon is great on them, but not 100% necessary for a tasty burger.
Harry K says
I've cooked and ate a lot of smashburgers in my time and these are excellent! I made the recipe as is, minus the bacon, and they were some of the best burgers I've ever had. The thin shaved jalapeños are crucial and add the perfect amount of heat. And that burger sauce is something else! The pickled okra adds a sweetness that balances everything out and really grounds the whole experience. This is a one of a kind burger, for sure!