Smashed Burger Grilled Cheese (Printer view)

Juicy smashed beef and melted cheddar between golden buttery bread, enhanced with pickles and mustard.

# What You'll Need:

→ Smashed Burger

01 - 7 oz ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
02 - 1/4 tsp salt
03 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Grilled Cheese

04 - 4 slices sandwich bread (white or sourdough)
05 - 4 slices cheddar cheese (or American cheese)
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

→ Optional Additions

07 - 4 slices dill pickle
08 - 2 tsp yellow mustard
09 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

# Directions:

01 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot.
02 - Divide ground beef into two equal portions and loosely shape each into a ball.
03 - Place a beef ball on the hot skillet and press down with a heavy spatula or burger press to form a 1/2-inch thick patty. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Cook patties for 2 minutes, flip, then top each with a cheese slice. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until cheese melts and patties are cooked through. Remove and set aside.
05 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Place two slices buttered side down on the skillet.
06 - Layer each bread slice with cheese, a smashed burger patty, and optional toppings such as pickles, onion slices, and mustard.
07 - Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
08 - Cook sandwiches 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
09 - Remove sandwiches, let rest for 1 minute before slicing and serving hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 25 minutes, so you can satisfy that craving without a production.
  • The smashed patty technique means more surface area for browning, which gives you that restaurant-quality crust at home.
  • Two sandwiches for two people, or keep one for yourself and enjoy cold leftovers tomorrow (trust me, they're still great).
02 -
  • Don't press down on the burger while it's cooking—let it sit undisturbed for those first two minutes so a proper crust forms. The smashing happens once, at the very beginning.
  • If your cheese isn't melting evenly, place a lid or foil tent over the skillet for the last 30 seconds to trap heat. This is the small move that saves the whole sandwich.
03 -
  • Butter your bread generously and use medium heat rather than blasting it on high—this gives you time for the cheese to melt before the bread burns.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, cook all the patties first and keep them warm on a plate, then assemble and grill the sandwiches in batches. It keeps everything organized and the last person's sandwich is just as hot as the first.
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