How to Make Hamburger Patties Perfectly Every Time

Anyone who’s ever made homemade burgers knows that they are so much better than the fast-food alternatives. That first bite of a juicy patty with your favorite topping encased in a soft bun… It’s the ultimate comfort food!

We’ve brought you what we consider the classic burger patty recipe, plus a couple of alternatives for different tastes or lifestyles.

Hamburger Recipe FAQs

Are Hamburgers Unhealthy?

Not necessarily, and even less so if you cook them yourself. Controlling your ingredients plus how much fat and salt you include helps you make your burger as healthy as possible. Your patty can be a source of dense protein, ideal for building muscle. Add in healthy veggies like lettuce, tomato, or onion for a micronutrient boost.

Is a Burger Patty The Same as a Quarter Pounder?

A quarter pounder simply refers to the weight of your patty. A quarter pounder is thicker than a classic patty, so it’s entirely down to personal choice and how much meat you want to consume in one go.

Does My Burger Patty Meat Need to be Fatty?

Meat with a slightly higher fat content will give a juicier burger. But, as you’ll see from our meat-free alternative, there are ways around this if you need to cut some fat out of your diet.

Tips for the Best Burger Patty Recipe

Making homemade hamburgers is easy if you follow these few basic tips.

• Don’t overseason your patty.
• Use high-quality ingredients.
• For beef mince, consider 15 -20% fat content
• If you use a lower fat content, add a splash of olive oil to the patty mix.
• For sides, fries are classic but consider a lightly dressed slaw or mixed pickles for a low carb option.

Best Burger Recipes and Variations

Our hamburger patty recipes all use ingredients you should be able to pick up at your local grocery store. Which hamburger patties will you make?

Classic Beef Patty

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs. of ground beef, ideally 20% fat content
• 4 hamburger buns (or more if you decide to make thinner patties)
• Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt or a good splash of soy sauce
• A generous grind of black pepper
• Your choice of oil for frying

Preheat your grill or skillet to medium heat.

1.   Mix together the beef and seasonings in a large bowl. If you’re not squeamish, use your hands to bring everything together for a few minutes. This will help the mixture to bind and avoid you needing to add breadcrumbs or egg.
2.   For thick, quarter-pounder-style burgers, split the mix into four. Or divide into six for thinner patties.
3.   Use your hands to shape the meat into patties. Make each patty slightly wider than the bread, as it will shrink during cooking. Then, press down lightly into the middle of each one – this helps keep them level as they cook.
4.   Cook each patty for about 5 minutes on each side (3-4 minutes for thinner patties).

If you use a meat thermometer, your patty should be 160 F at its thickest point. Let your patties rest for a minute to let any excess fat drain off, then build your burger. Always put the patty straight on the bottom half of the bun. Putting cheese or lettuce on the bun first can make your patty slide out when you try and bite into it!

Burger toppings are very personal, but a classic combo is a cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and your favorite sauce.

Turkey Burger Recipe

Turkey is an excellent substitute for beef when it comes to burgers. Turkey has an exceptionally high protein content, with breast meat boasting a whopping 70% protein. This makes it a great choice for anyone looking to build muscle or on a high-protein diet. Turkey is also very versatile when it comes to flavor, so you can make these as basic or as bold ad spicy as you like.

This patty mix contains egg, not just to bind the burgers but to add moisture in place of the fat that beef mince contains.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey (The breast is higher in protein, but the thigh is juicier.)
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili peppers (optional, turkey loves heat though!)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 burger buns
• Olive oil for frying

1.   Mix the meat and all the seasonings in a large bowl, or put in the blender and blitz until combined.
2.   Make the mix into 4 equal patties. Wet your hands a little to prevent the mixture from sticking to you.
3.   Grill each patty on medium heat for a minimum of 5 minutes on each side. It’s poultry, so you don’t want a rare burger!
4.   Top your burger with cheese, juicy tomatoes, and thick slices of onion for a protein-packed and healthy meal.

Best Hamburger Recipe – For Vegans

There are many fantastic veggie burger recipes out there, but is it possible to have a classic hamburger that’s truly vegan? If your local grocery store stocks some high-quality ground beef alternative that’s meat-free, the answer is yes. You can make your vegan burgers using the exact same recipe as our classic burger; just add a tablespoon of olive oil for moisture and a little more salt and pepper or an alternative seasoning such as miso paste.

Top with your favorite vegan cheese and salad, and you’re enjoying the classic hamburger, plant-based style.