Smashed Burger Grilled Cheese (Printable Page)

Thin smashed beef patties layered with melted cheddar cheese between buttered golden bread slices.

# 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
02 - Divide ground beef into two equal portions and loosely shape each into a ball.
03 - Place a beef ball onto the hot skillet and press flat with a heavy spatula or burger press until about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Cook patties 2 minutes on one side, flip, then place a slice of cheese on each patty. Continue cooking 1 to 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 a slice of cheese, a smashed burger patty, and any optional toppings such as pickles, onions, and mustard.
07 - Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
08 - Grill sandwiches 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.
09 - Remove from heat, let rest for 1 minute, slice, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering delivery, yet tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
  • The smashed patty gets crispy edges while staying impossibly juicy in the middle, which somehow works inside a sandwich.
  • You basically get two comfort foods in one bite, so there's no need to choose sides.
02 -
  • Smashing the patty creates surface area for crust, which is where all the flavor lives—don't be timid about pressing down hard.
  • Room-temperature butter spreads without tearing your bread, and cold butter takes forever to melt, burning the outside before the inside toasts.
  • Medium-high heat is the sweet spot; too hot and your bread burns before the cheese melts, too cool and you get a sad, pale sandwich with cold cheese.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're nervous—beef is done when it hits 160 degrees, but honestly, if you're smashing it thin, you'll know by how it stops sticking to your spatula.
  • Make your beef balls right before you cook them so they don't warm up and get oily, which makes smashing uneven and messy.
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