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Smash Burgers · Classic Double

Diner-Style Double Smash Burgers

Thin patties smashed onto a screaming-hot skillet for crispy, lacy edges, stacked with melty cheese and a tangy burger sauce. Diner magic at home in 20 minutes.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4 double burgers
Level
Easy
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Ingredients

  • Burger sauce
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise ≈ 73 g
    Swaps for mayonnaise

    Instead of mayonnaise

    • Plain Greek yogurt: The same amount. Tangier and lighter; a bit looser.
    • Egg-free (vegan) mayo: The same amount. Very close.
    • Sour cream: The same amount. Tangier and less rich.

    All 4 swaps for mayonnaise

    Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp dill pickle relish
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
    Swaps for yellow mustard

    Instead of mustard

    • Another prepared mustard: The same amount. Yellow is milder and more vinegary; Dijon is sharper; whole-grain adds texture; spicy brown is in between.
    • Dry mustard: 1 tsp dry mustard + 1 tsp water + 1 tsp white wine vinegar for each 1 tbsp. Sharper and less smooth.

    More for mustard

  • Burgers
  • 1 ½ lb ground chuck, 80% lean, cold
    Swaps for ground chuck

    Instead of ground beef

    • Ground turkey or chicken: The same weight. Leaner and milder; burgers and meatballs are a bit drier.
    • Ground pork: The same weight. Richer and slightly sweet.
    • Plant-based ground: The same weight. Close in tacos and sauces; cooks faster.

    All 4 swaps for ground beef

    Cook ground beef and pork to 160°F (71°C) and ground turkey or chicken to 165°F (74°C).

  • 1 tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 8 slices American or cheddar cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns, soft
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, for the buns
    Swaps for unsalted butter

    Instead of butter

    • Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
    • Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
    • Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.

    All 4 swaps for butter

    Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

  • pickles, sliced onion, lettuce, tomato (optional)

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 160°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Stir together the sauce ingredients. Divide the beef into 8 loose balls (3 oz each) without packing them, and keep them in the fridge.
  2. Spread butter on the cut sides of the buns. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and
    toast (how to toast) Toast Heat nuts, seeds, spices or bread crumbs in a dry pan or oven until fragrant and lightly browned. 1. Spread them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, or on a sheet pan at 350°F.2. Shake the pan or stir often.3. Watch and smell: the moment they smell nutty, they are close.4. Tip them onto a plate right away; the hot pan keeps cooking them. Done when: They are fragrant and a shade darker. Small seeds take 1 to 3 minutes; nuts in the oven 5 to 10. How to toast nuts, seeds, spices and bread: mistakes to avoid
    the buns cut side down until golden. Set aside.
    ⏱ Toast buns: 2 min
  3. Turn the heat to high and let the skillet get very hot, about 3 minutes. Turn on your vent fan.
    ⏱ Heat pan: 3 min
  4. Put 2 or 3 beef balls in the pan, lay a square of parchment on one and smash it flat with a sturdy metal spatula, pressing hard to about 1/4 inch thick. Peel off the paper and repeat.
    Season (how to season to taste) Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid
    the tops with salt and pepper.
  5. Cook without moving until the edges are deeply browned and crispy.
    ⏱ Sear: 2 min
  6. Scrape under each patty with the spatula to keep the crust, flip and top with a slice of cheese. Cook until the cheese melts and the patties reach 160°F (71°C).
    160°F⏱ Cheese + finish: 1 min
  7. Stack two patties on each bun, add sauce and toppings and serve right away. Repeat with the remaining beef.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • Smash once, within the first 30 seconds. Pressing again later just squeezes out the juices.
  • Ground beef should always be cooked to 160°F. Thin smashed patties get there fast, so check one with a thermometer.

Storage

Best right away. Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days and reheat until hot.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

What can I swap?
  • Instead of mayonnaise: Plain Greek yogurt, the same amount.
  • Instead of mustard: Another prepared mustard, the same amount.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
870
Protein
41 g
Carbohydrates
26 g
Fiber
<1 g
Sugars
6 g
Fat
66 g
Saturated fat
25 g
Sodium
1,680 mg

Whole recipe, 4 servings: about 3,480 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 4 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: pickles, sliced onion, lettuce, tomato (to taste or as needed).

Estimated cost

About $3.45 a serving

About $13.75 for the recipe as written (4 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 7 of 10 ingredients, 99% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • ground chuck $10.25 BLS
  • American or cheddar cheese $1.75 BLS
  • hamburger buns $1.05 ERS
  • mayonnaise $0.45 ERS
  • unsalted butter $0.10 BLS
  • ketchup $0.10 ERS
  • yellow mustard $0.05 ERS

Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): dill pickle relish, kosher salt, black pepper.

Not counted: pickles, sliced onion, lettuce, tomato (optional, or to taste).

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

Goes well with

Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.

  • Side Southern-Style Collard Greens 2 hr 10 min Both American. Make it ahead: it keeps. Brings the vegetables the smash burgers don't have.
  • Side Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw 1 hr 10 min No cooking: make it while the main cooks. Make it ahead: it keeps. Brings the vegetables the smash burgers don't have.
  • Dessert Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars 3 hr 5 min Light and fruity after a rich main. Make it ahead, so it's ready when dinner is.

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Cleanup score 4/5 (easy cleanup): 2 things to wash, cast iron skillet, mixing bowl. More skillet recipes.

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