Spicy Grilled Onion Smash Burger

Try my delicious spicy grilled onion smash burger. A crusty smashed beef patty topped with cheese and grilled onions tucked between toasted brioche buns, slathered with spicy aioli. Add crunchy leaf lettuce and fresh sliced tomato for irresistible mouthwatering goodness that any burger lover would enjoy.

Spicy Grilled Onion Smash Burger Recipe

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A Low Cost Meal

My smash burger recipe cost about $3.25 per burger. That’s half the cost of a Quarter-Pounder at McDonalds. I assure you this burger tastes so much better!

What is a Smash Burger?

A smash burger is a hamburger cooked on a hot skillet or griddle. The meat is pressed down hard onto the hot griddle, and not moved while it cooks. This creates a thin patty with a distinctively flavorful crust that tastes amazing.

If I smash the patty, will it lose its juiciness?

Nope. Not if you do it right. Form evenly sized meatballs, then top with parchment paper. Add a paper-covered meatball to the hot skillet and press down hard for 10 full seconds. Only do this one time, just when you put the uncooked meat onto the skillet. At this point, the juices have not yet emerged from the meat. Start with a meatball and it will form a round patty when it’s smashed.

Use a Large Skillet or Griddle

Use a large skillet or griddle so you will have lots of room to maneuver. Get the cooking surface very hot. When you add the beef, you want it to really sizzle. A large skillet or griddle will allow you to keep the burger patties separate from each other when they cook. It will also give you enough room to smash the patties down hard.

Maximize contact with the skillet

You want to get as much contact between the meat and the cooking surface as possible. Once you smash down the patty, do not move it. The emerging juices will form a delicious crust that gives a smash burger its signature flavor.

Seasoning

Do not add seasoning until the juices start to bubble up through the patty. This normally takes about 2 minutes. Add the seasoning, but don’t move the patty for another full minute. This will allow enough time for the crust to form on the patty.

Flipping the Burger Patty

When you flip the patty over, try not to leave any of the crust behind in the skillet. Use a thin spatula, and press down hard at an angle against the skillet. Get under the crust, leaving it intact on the patty surface. When you flip the patty, there should be a nice brown crusty layer on the top.

Adding the cheese

Smash burger patties are on the small side, so don’t add too much cheese. I like to cut one slice of American cheese into quarters. I’ll then add two quarters to the top of each patty. This is plenty of cheese, and it will not mask the crusty flavor of the burger patty. Add the cheese about 2 minutes after flipping. This will allow enough time to melt the cheese before the patty is finished cooking.

Doneness

Smash burgers taste best when cooked medium to medium-rare. The burger patties are thin, so if you cook them too long they will dry out and lose their deliciousness. It will take about 6 minutes of cooking to produce a medium-done burger.

Resting the Patties

It is important to allow the patties to rest after cooking. This will re-distribute the juices through the meat. Every bite will be juicy and delicious.

Season the Tomato Slices

Sliced tomatoes taste so much better when you salt and pepper them directly. Use coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper for the best results.

Spicy Aioli

My spicy aioli is made with mayonnaise, dijon, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. It has a light, lingering spiciness that adds heat without overpowering the other flavors. It really pairs well with the grilled onions, and gives this sandwich a unique flavor that’s very tasty. Follow the link for the recipe.

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