Stovetop Burgers

Craving a juicy burger? Make these easy and delicious Stovetop Burgers! It’s an easy go-to dinner recipe perfect for any time of the year. Top these burgers with melted cheese and your favorite condiments for the ultimate flavor!

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You don’t need a grill to make the best burgers – you can make stovetop burgers that are juicy and so delicious! This is always a family-favorite dinner and the burgers are just as good as any restaurant version.

We love burger night at our house and these cheeseburgers are always a hit! Especially when I add some tater tots or homemade sweet potato fries on the side.

Juicy beef burgers topped with oozing melted cheddar and all the toppings will be a hit at your house, too!

Why This Recipe Works

• I’m sharing the secret for making the best burger patties that are tender and juicy and not dry and dense.
• I’ll also show you how to cook them in a pan on the stove so they are perfectly cooked. It’s easy than you think!
• Serve them plain or make them the most amazing cheeseburgers and add all the burger toppings.

Don’t want to turn on the stove? You should try my air fryer hamburgers!

When’s the last time you made homemade burgers? If it’s been a while, this is the recipe for you. They are perfect all year!

Ingredients

• Ground beef – For the best hamburgers, I like to use beef that is between 80 and 85% lean. For juicy burgers with tons of flavor, you need fat in the meat.
• Salt and pepper – these are all you need to season the beef and don’t skip them. They both add flavor, but the salt draws out moisture in the surface of the meat creating a delicious crust!
• Butter – you don’t need a lot, but cooking the burgers in butter just adds more flavor and delicousness.
• Sliced cheddar cheese – you can also use sliced American cheese, pepper jack, Monterey jack, Provolone, or other good melting cheese for your cheeseburgers.

How to Make the Best Burger Patties

The first step is to make the patties. Divide the meat into four equal parts. Gently form the meat into a patty with your hands. It’s okay if the edges are completely smooth and round. It’s more important that the burgers are the same thickness.

Don’t form the meat into a ball and then press it down to make the patty. This compresses the meat and will make your burgers dry and dense.

Once you’ve made the patties, season them on both sides with salt and pepper.

How to Cook Burgers on the Stove

Melt the butter in a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat.

Place the burger patties in the hot pan and cook them until they are browned on the bottom. This should only take about three minutes.

Flip the burgers over and cook them for two to five minutes or until they are cooked to at least 160°F on the inside. Add the cheese about one minute before they are done so it can melt.

Take the burgers out of the pan and let them rest on a cutting board or plate for five minutes.

While they rest, toast the buns. I like to butter inside of each bun and then and toast them, butter-side-down in a pan. You can use the same pan that you cooked the burgers, just wipe it out before warming the buns.

Toppings

Don’t forget some delicious toppings! You can make your burgers as simple or as dressed up as you like!

• Sauces: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, BBQ sauce or try my amazing burger sauce!
• Veggies: Sliced onions, tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce leaves. You could also add some creamy sliced avocado.
• Other Ideas: Get fancy and add crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms, or caramelized onions.

FAQ

With my tips, it’s so easy to make delicious, juicy burgers on the stove. Give it a try and you will want a burger night every week!

More Easy Family Dinners

• Skip the boiled hot dogs and make Air Fryer Hot Dogs. This is the best way to cook hot dogs that have a crispy bite!
• Learn how to make the best Fish and Chips! Crispy breaded fish with fries is a dinner everyone will love.
• Make Instant Pot Chicken Tacos for your next taco night and you’ll get rave reviews!

Have you tried this recipe? I’d love it if you would rate it!! A five-star rating will make my day!

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats that way I’m sure to see your pictures!!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

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5 from 5 votes

Stovetop Burgers

Juicy burgers made right on your stove! These pan fried Stovetop Burgers have so much flavor and are an easy dinner idea!

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:5 minutes mins

Resting Time:5 minutes mins

Total:20 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb ground beef 80-85% lean
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
• ▢ ½ tsp ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ ½ Tbsp salted butter
• ▢ 4 slices American or Cheddar Cheese
• ▢ 4 Burger Buns
• ▢ Additional butter if toasting the buns
• ▢ Toppings i.e. sliced pickles thinly sliced red onions, lettuce, tomatoes etc.

Instructions

• Divide the meat into four equal amounts.
• Gently press each section into a round patty about ½’’ thick. It’s ok to have jagged edges. You do not want to pick up each section, form a ball and press the meat into a patty because this leads to dry, tough burgers.
• Season each side of the patties with salt and pepper.
• Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Melt butter in the pan.
• When butter is melted and hot add the patties to the pan.
• Fry burgers until the surface is browned, about 3 minutes. Flip burger over and cook until it reaches desired doneness, about 2-5 minutes. USDA standards are that burgers should be cooked until they reach the internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
• If you are adding cheese add cheese during the last minute or two of cooking so it melts.
• Transfer burgers to the plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
• While burgers are resting, butter inside of buns and toast them in a frying pan. If using the same pan make sure to wipe grease out before toasting.

Tips

What is the secret to juicy hamburgers?

There are two secrets: first, when you form the patties gently form them with your hands – don’t ball up the meat and mash it to make the patties. That will make the burgers dry and tough. Second, don’t overcook them. Use a meat thermometer and cook them to a temperature of 160°F. If you cook them too long they will dry out.

Should you cover burgers when cooking on the stovetop?

Nope! I cook them uncovered. If you cover them, you trap the moisture which steams the burgers instead of frying them. You won’t get a nice crust.

How long does it take to cook them in a frying pan?

Not long! A 1/2″-thick burger will take about eight minutes or so. Cook it on one side for three minutes and then turn it and cook it on the other side for two to five minutes longer.

Can you cook stovetop burgers ahead of time?

I think they are the best right after they are cooked, but you can precook the patties and keep them in the refrigerator. If you do, I recommend undercooking them by a minute or so. That way, when you heat them up they won’t be overcooked.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 489kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 32g (64%), Fat: 29g (45%), Saturated Fat: 14g (88%), Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 110mg (37%), Sodium: 1058mg (46%), Potassium: 420mg (12%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 326IU (7%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 295mg (30%), Iron: 4mg (22%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.