Smash Burger
Smash Burger is a high-protein homemade fast food recipe ready in 25 min. It makes 4 servings, each 750 kcal with 34 g protein. Beginner level, 14 ingredients.
Recipe by @derekkchen, adapted and measured by Cookpath.
- 25 mintotal
- Beginnerlevel
- 750kcal a serving
- 34 gprotein
What is Smash Burger
Beef patties smashed thin on a hot pan until crisp at the edges, served in brioche buns with cheddar, vegetables, pickles and a mayo sauce.
- Fast food · Beef
- Searing & grilling
How to make Smash Burger
Tips from the cook
- Use a very hot, heavy pan and smash the ball flat straight away, so the edges turn crispy.
- Do not press again after smashing, as that squeezes out the juice.
- Season after you smash, as the surface takes the salt better.
- Lay the cheddar on right after flipping, so it melts in the last minute.
Step by step with timers, in your shopping list in one tap.
Goes well with
Sides from Cookpath that balance this dish, the same picks the app suggests.
Meal prep and storage
The sauce keeps 4 days in a jar in the fridge, so make extra.
See this week’s meal prep plan on the blog, or plan your own week in the app.
Smash Burger substitutions
Out of something, or cooking around an allergy. Each swap was checked against a source.
Brioche buns2 options
- Gluten-free burger buns (bought or homemade, labelled gluten-free) 1:1 (one bun per bun)
The page recipe uses eggs and whole milk, so it is only gluten-free.
Still contains dairy and eggs.
- White bread or sourdough 1:1 by weight
Less rich.
Still contains gluten.
Cheddar slices2 options
- Mozzarella or Swiss slices 1:1
Milder than cheddar.
Still contains dairy.
- Dairy-free cheese slices (labelled dairy-free) 1:1
Page warns vegan cheese will not melt like real cheese; brand-dependent allergens.
Still contains soy.
Onion2 options
- Leek, white and light-green part 1:1 by volume
Still an allium; raw dishes.
- Fennel bulb, finely diced 1:1 by volume
Sweet aniseed note; raw dishes.
Pickles1 option
- Cucumber slices (+ a splash of vinegar for tang) same amount
Loses fermented flavour.
Mayonnaise2 options
- Plain Greek yogurt (or unsweetened soy yogurt if dairy-free) 1:1 by volume
Frying/hot dishes; not a binder for crispy rice.
Still contains dairy.
- Vegan mayonnaise 1:1
Often contains mustard; check label.
Still contains mustard and soy.
Mustard2 options
- Splash of red wine or rice vinegar a splash, to taste
No mustard bite.
- Yellow or stone-ground mustard (for Dijon) 1:1
Still mustard.
Still contains mustard.
Onion powder2 options
- Garlic powder use about half as much
- Leave out leave out (small background flavour)
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