# Smash Burgers > Roll 450 g of cold 80/20 ground beef into 8 balls. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, add 4 balls and smash each one flat to about 6 mm with a sturdy spatula. Season, cook for 2 minutes until the edges are deeply browned, flip, add American cheese and cook for 1 minute, until 71°C (160°F). Stack two per toasted bun. Source: https://savourrecipes.com/recipe/smash-burgers Author: Ben Kowalski | Published: Oct 15, 2026 Categories: Ground Beef Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, American Recipes Collections: Quick Weeknight Dinners Tags: High Protein, 30-Minute Meals, Kid Friendly Smash burgers get their flavour from the crust. Pressing a ball of cold beef flat onto a very hot cast-iron pan puts every bit of it in contact with the metal, so the edges turn lacy, brown and crisp in about 2 minutes. Two thin patties stacked with cheese give you more crust in every bite than one thick burger. ## Key facts - Prep time: 10 mins - Cook time: 12 mins - Total time: 22 mins - Yield: 4 double burgers - Difficulty: Easy - Cuisine: American - Method: Pan-frying - Calories: 635 per serving ## Ingredients ### Burgers - 450 g ground beef, 80/20, about 1 lb, kept cold - 3/4 tsp salt - 1/2 tsp black pepper - 8 slices American cheese, or mild cheddar - 4 soft burger buns, potato or brioche buns, split - 1 tbsp butter, softened, for the buns ### Sauce - 3 tbsp mayonnaise - 1 tbsp ketchup - 2 tsp yellow mustard - 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish ### To serve - dill pickle slices and thinly sliced onion (optional) ## Equipment - Large cast-iron or carbon steel skillet, or a flat griddle - Sturdy flat metal spatula - Parchment paper - Instant-read thermometer ## Instructions 1. **Prepare the sauce and beef.** Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and relish in a small bowl. Divide the cold beef into 8 portions of about 55 g and roll each one loosely into a ball. Keep the balls in the fridge until the pan is hot. Cut 4 squares of parchment paper slightly bigger than a patty. 2. **Toast the buns.** Spread the cut sides of the buns with butter. Heat the skillet over medium heat and toast the buns cut side down for 1-2 minutes, until golden. Set aside. 3. **Smash the patties.** Turn the heat to high and heat the dry skillet for 2-3 minutes, until very hot. Place 4 balls in the pan, well spaced. Lay a parchment square on one ball and press down firmly with the spatula until the patty is about 6 mm thick and 10-12 cm wide. Peel off the parchment and repeat with the rest, all within the first 30 seconds. Season the tops with half the salt and pepper. 4. **Cook and flip.** Cook without moving for about 2 minutes, until the edges are deep brown and crisp and the tops look mostly cooked. Slide the spatula firmly under each patty, scraping up the crust, and flip. Top each with a slice of cheese and cook for 1 minute more, until the cheese melts and the patties reach 71°C (160°F) when checked from the side with a thermometer. 5. **Repeat and stack.** Stack two patties on top of each other and keep warm on a plate. Scrape the pan clean, then smash and cook the remaining 4 balls the same way, seasoning them with the rest of the salt and pepper. 6. **Build the burgers.** Spread the sauce on the toasted buns, add a double stack of patties to each, and top with pickles and onion if using. Serve right away, while the edges are still crisp. ## Tips - Smash only once, in the first 30 seconds. Pressing again later squeezes out the juices and breaks the crust. - A square of parchment between the beef and the spatula stops the meat sticking as you press. - Use cast iron, carbon steel or a griddle. Nonstick pans should not be heated empty on high heat, and they will not give the same crust. ## Variations - Oklahoma onion burgers: pile a small handful of paper-thin sliced onion on each ball before smashing, then flip so the onions cook under the patty. - Single smash burgers: make 4 patties of about 110 g each and smash them a little thicker, cooking 2-3 minutes per side. - Bacon smash burgers: add a strip of crisp bacon between the two patties. ## Storage - Fridge: Smash burgers are best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftover patties within 2 hours for up to 3 days. - Freezer: Freeze the raw portioned beef balls on a tray, then bag them, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before smashing. - Reheat: Reheat patties in a hot skillet for 1-2 minutes per side until hot to 74°C (165°F). The edges will not be as crisp as when fresh. ## Nutrition per serving (estimate) | Calories | Protein | Carbohydrates | Fat | |---|---|---|---| | 635 | 31 g | 29 g | 41 g | ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best beef for smash burgers? Use 80/20 ground beef, meaning 80% lean and 20% fat. The fat renders against the hot pan and fries the edges until crisp. Lean beef sticks to the pan and turns dry and grey instead of brown. ### How do you keep smash burgers from sticking to the spatula? Put a square of parchment paper on top of each beef ball before you press it. The spatula pushes on the paper, not the meat, and the paper peels off cleanly afterwards. ### Can you make smash burgers on a grill? Not directly on the grates, because the thin patties fall through and need full contact with hot metal. Set a cast-iron skillet or flat griddle plate on a hot grill and cook them on that. ### Are thin smash burgers cooked through? Yes. A 6 mm patty cooks very quickly over high heat and is usually done after about 3 minutes in total. Check one from the side with an instant-read thermometer; ground beef is safe at 71°C (160°F). ### What cheese is best on smash burgers? American cheese slices melt the fastest and most evenly, which matters when the patty only cooks for a minute after flipping. Thinly sliced mild cheddar also works but melts more slowly. ## Disclaimer - Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use. - Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change. - Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance. - This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.