Best Hamburger Patty Recipe – Thick or thin, made on the grill or stovetop, this is the best and easiest all-purpose recipe for perfect hamburger patties every time! These juicy, delicious homemade hamburgers are ready in less than 30 minutes and are a must-make for your next cookout.

Best Burger Recipe

Best Hamburger Recipe

Close your eyes, and picture the perfect hamburger.

Is it a thin diner-style hamburger patty, or a thick steakhouse-sized burger? Seared to the peak of juiciness on a grill or in a flat griddle?

With or without cheese?!

Make burgers your way and have them come out flawless every time with what I consider to be the Best Hamburger Patty Recipe, in my humble opinion.

It’s a classic all-American recipe for mouthwatering burgers that can be cooked on the grill, on the stovetop, as thick 1/3 pound patties, or as ultra-thin griddle patties.

Get ready, because you are about to make the burger of your dreams, people!

best hamburger recipe

The Best Hamburger Patties

What makes this absolutely the Best Hamburger Patty Recipe?

These burgers offer a rich and meaty taste, with a punch of zesty herbs that can be customized with your preferred flavors. A few simple key ingredients help to consistently create juicy hamburger patties, no matter which cooking method you prefer.

And while you’ll love the terrific savoriness of these homemade hamburgers on their own, they are excellent for loading with your favorite toppings to create truly one helluva great burger. This is sure to be your go-to recipe for easy burger patties from scratch!

homemade burgers

What Ingredients You Need to Make Homemade Hamburgers

The secret to incredibly juicy burger patties is the addition of crushed crackers or panko breadcrumbs to hold in the natural fat and juices.

We definitely recommend using crackers if you have them. Adding crushed crackers is an old-school method to add more flavor than plain breadcrumbs. Plus, it’s super handy for using up that package of crackers you’ve had sitting in the pantry for weeks.

Here is everything you need to make the best homemade hamburger patties:

  • Ground chuck – We prefer an 80 lean/20 fat ratio for the juiciest burgers.
  • Crushed crackers or Panko bread crumbs – The best binders for juicy hamburgers. (Could be gluten-free!)
  • Worcestershire sauce – Adds a deep beefy, smoky flavor.
  • Egg – To bind all of the ingredients together without drying.
  • Milk – The enzymes help to soften and tenderize the ground beef.
  • Seasonings: Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion powder, Pepper, or other spices of choice.

It’s helpful to save prep time and add lots of flavor to your patties by adding dried spices rather than fresh herbs to the hamburger mix. For instance, you can incorporate red pepper flakes for a spicier burger, a bit of cumin and chili powder for a Southwestern-inspired bite, or parsley and dill to create a Mediterranean taste.

Tell us your favorite hamburger seasonings in the comments below!

How To Make The Perfect Burger Every Time

It seriously only takes mere minutes to make restaurant-quality hamburgers from scratch. Prep your workspace and ingredients before getting started and you’ll be whipping out hot plates from your home kitchen (or backyard) in no time!

Here’s how

First, set out a large mixing bowl and add in the ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and spices.

  • Use your hands to thoroughly combine until the mixture is very smooth.

Next, press the meat down in the bowl, into an even disk. Use a knife to cut and divide the hamburger patty mixture into 6 – 1/3 pound grill or skillet patties, or 12 thin griddle patties. Like so:

Set out a baking sheet, lined with wax paper or foil, to hold the patties. One at a time, gather the patty mix and press firmly into patties of your desired thickness. You typically want hamburger patties to be slightly larger than the buns they’ll be served on since they’ll shrink a bit in the cooking process.

Place the formed patties on the baking sheet. With thick patties, press an indentation in the center of each patty, so they don’t puff up while cooking.

You can stack the patties with sheets of wax paper between layers if needed.

Then, preheat the grill or a skillet to medium heat, approximately 350-400 degrees F.

  • I love using a cast-iron skillet for getting that drool-worthy caramelized sear on the burgers.

Best Burger Recipe Continued

For thick patties: Grill or fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side for a medium burger.

For thin patties: Cook on the griddle for 2 minutes per side.

Ideally, you only want to flip your burgers once or twice during cooking.

Pro Tip: Homemade cooked hamburger patties will keep well tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Get the Complete (Printable) Best Hamburger Patty Recipe Below. Enjoy!

hamburger patty recipe

Easy Burger Recipe

Stack the hot patties on hamburger buns, and dress up with your favorite hamburger toppings and condiments.

Pictured below left is Lt. Dan’s dream burger, a thick backyard barbecue classic with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a bit of mayo and mustard.

On the bottom right, my gotta-have hamburger offers two thin patties, each covered by a slice of melted American cheese, and all loaded with tomato, pickles, crispy fried onions, and bbq sauce.

Other great toppings you can use are red onions, ketchup, butter grilled buns, and served with either onion rings or sweet potato fries. 

At least we can agree that the best homemade hamburgers are served with a heaping side of cajun friesshoestring fries, or baked french fries!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make Beef Burgers Taste Better?

This simple, terrifically basic recipe for Easy Homemade Hamburger Patties is great for customizing with your favorite spices.

Try incorporating some punches of flavor by adding any of the following ingredients to the raw hamburger mix, or putting them right on top of your cooked burgers:

  • Crushed red pepper
  • Shaved serrano (spicy!) or jalapeno (milder) peppers
  • Chopped fresh scallions or cilantro
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Diced red or white onion
  • Shredded or crumbled cheeses like cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, or blue cheese

How Can I Make the Best Gluten-Free Hamburger Patties?

Although this particular recipe is not gluten-free, it can be easily adjusted using GF-friendly Panko breadcrumbs and gluten-free buns.

Can You Bake Them In The Oven?

When you bake hamburger patties, you must use high heat so an exterior crust forms. Set the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet in the oven so it gets hot like a griddle. Once hot, transfer the patties to the hot pan. If making thin patties, bake/roast for 2-3 minutes per side. If making thick patties, bake/roast for 5-6 minutes per side.

hamburger meat recipe

Looking for More Delicious Burger Recipes?

Check the printable recipe card below for the nutritional information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.

Best Hamburger Patty Recipe
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Best Hamburger Patty Recipe (Grilled or Stovetop)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Best Hamburger Patty Recipe – Thick or thin, made on the grill or stovetop, this is the best and easiest all-purpose recipe for perfect hamburger patties every time!
Servings: 6 patties

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set out a large mixing bowl. Add in the ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, Worcestershire sauce, milk, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Mix by hand until the meat mixture is smooth, but stop once the mixture looks even. (Overmixing can create a dense heavy texture.)
  • Press the meat down in the bowl, into an even disk. Use a knife to cut and divide the hamburger patty mixture into 6 – 1/3 pound grill or skillet patties, or 12 thin griddle patties.
  • Set out a baking sheet, lined with wax paper or foil, to hold the patties. One at a time, gather the patty mix and press firmly into patties. Shape them just slightly larger than the buns you plan to use, to account for shrinkage during cooking. Set the patties on the baking sheet. Use a spoon to press a dent in the center of each patty so they don't puff up as they cook. If you need to stack the patties separate them with a sheet of wax paper.
  • Preheat the grill or a skillet to medium heat. (Approximately 350-400 degrees F.)
  • For thick patties: Grill or fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side.
  • For thin patties: Cook on the griddle for 2 minutes per side.
  • Stack the hot patties on hamburgers buns, and top with your favorite hamburgers toppings. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Homemade hamburger patties will keep well tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you substitute regular dried breadcrumbs for the crackers or panko, reduce to 1/4 cup. They are denser and will create a “meatloaf texture” if you add the regular amount.

Nutrition

Serving: 1hamburger, Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 135mg, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 486mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 4mg
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American
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