These are the fast-food–inspired special of the day. Smashburger patties are thin, with dark crispy edges. Juicy, they are not, so top them with processed cheese (yes, this is diner food) and tuck into a squishy bun with shredded lettuce and lots of burger sauce.
Smashburgers with Diner-Style Burger Sauce
These are the fast-food–inspired special of the day. Smashburger patties are thin, with dark crispy edges. Juicy, they are not, so top them with processed cheese (yes, this is diner food) and tuck into a squishy bun with shredded lettuce and lots of burger sauce. Smashburgers are tough to mess up. The patties are so thin it’s hard to undercook them, and if you overcook, it’s an extra brown, extra-crisp smashburger. Which you can insist was intentional. Since the meat gets pressed flat, you’ll need a griddle, rather than a grate—if you don’t have a flat-top barbecue or an insert, a cast iron skillet—or two—on the grill works perfectly.
Course dinner
Cuisine grilling
- Ground beef regular, not lean
- Burger buns toasted
- Processed cheese optional
- Shredded lettuce optional
Diner-style burger sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp mustard.
- A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce optional
Roll ground beef into balls the size of small eggs or golf balls (75–100 g each). In a hot, lightly oiled skillet or on a flat-top, place a ground beef ball.
Using a burger press or spatula, flatten the meat as much as possible. (If the meat is sticking to your utensil, place a square of parchment on top before pressing, then peel the paper off.) If you like, top the meat with shaved red onions before smashing.
Sprinkle with salt; flip when deep golden on the bottom and crisp around the edges.
Stack two patties, with an optional slice of processed cheese between, on a toasted bun, ready for some burger sauce and shredded lettuce.
Keyword burgers, grilling
This recipe originally appeared in our Summer ’26 issue.
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