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Stovetop Burgers are a go-to easy dinner! Forget the drive-thru and learn how to cook hamburgers on the stove so you can make the best burgers all year round – no grill needed!
Love cheeseburgers? That works, too! These easy stovetop burgers are a family favorite, and they are so easy to make.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Cheeseburgers anytime! My kids love a perfect stovetop burger so much they ask for them weekly. I love that I don’t have to check the weather in order to make the best burgers!
Juicy and flavorful burgers every time – You’ll be surprised at how much flavor these pan fried burgers have. And they are so juicy every time!
Healthier than fast food – No additives, just pure, beautiful, lean ground beef. Once I learned how to make delicious burgers on the stove, I realized I didn’t have to go to the drive-thru for burgers ever again!
Ingredients For Stovetop Burgers
I kept the ingredients really simple, just like I do for my Juicy Grilled Hamburgers. Just ground beef, kosher salt, and black pepper, and a little oil or butter for the pan is all you need to make the best stovetop burger recipe.
- Ground Beef – You can totally make a juicy burger with a lean ground beef, but I highly recommend a ground chuck with at least an 85/15 ratio.
- Hamburger Buns – I love a good sesame seed bun. Other options include brioche or even toasted sourdough.
- Salt and Black Pepper – The only seasonings I use to really let the flavor of the beef shine through. Sometimes I’ll add a little garlic powder or Worcestershire sauce.
- Butter or Olive Oil – For the skillet. You don’t need a lot, it’s just to prevent the burgers from sticking.
- Toppings – Lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced red onions, sliced American or cheddar cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard.
How To Make Stovetop Burgers
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Mash the ground beef, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
- Form into patties, making an imprint in the center with your thumb. Pro Tip – To get equal portions, use a kitchen scale.
- Heat up some oil or butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Fry the hamburger patties for 3-5 minutes per side. Add cheese during the last couple of minutes, if desired. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet – it’s the best pan to get that golden-brown sear.
- Toast the buns and place a burger on each bottom bun. Top with desired toppings.
Burger Cooking Times
- Medium (pink center): 7-8 minutes
- Medium-Well (slightly pink center): 9 minutes
- Well Done (no pink): 10 minutes
For medium-rare burgers, you can cook them for about 6 minutes total. But I don’t recommend this temperature for food safety reasons, as there could be bacteria still present.
FAQs
You can, and they will taste good but I highly recommend using fresh. It’s not difficult at all to make the patties and they will taste so much better.
Sure you can definitely cook these burgers in the oven instead. Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the broiler. Place hamburger patties on the sheet pan and broil for 3-5 minutes per side. Top with cheese if you want, and turn the broiler off and leave the pan in the oven for a few minutes for the cheese to melt.
The stovetop method takes about 4 minutes per side. You want to cook them to an internal temperature of at least 160℉.
The FDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160℉. I don’t recommend cooking below that temperature. However, if you want your burger a little pink in the middle (medium to medium-well) just shave off a couple of minutes from the cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
The classic way to serve hamburgers or cheeseburgers is on a toasted bun with condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, pickles, and tomato. We also love caramelized onions. But what do you serve with burgers? I’ve got some great recommendations for you!
- Best Macaroni Salad
- Southern Potato Salad
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Cook Corn on the Cob
- Mediterranean Green Bean Salad
- Easy Baked Potato Wedges
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
Storage
Storing leftovers: If you happen to have a few burgers leftover, let them cool then wrap them up in an airtight container in the fridge. They will remain fresh for 3-4 days.
Reheating: You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop with a little butter or oil.
Freezer: To freeze cooked burgers, let them cool then wrap tightly in plastic wrap to preserve their flavor. Place them in a freezer bag and they’ll be good for up to 4 months.
- Size matters. When forming the burger patties, keep in mind they will shrink up quite a bit as they cook, so you want to make them fairly large. About 4” across and less than an inch thick is a good rule of thumb.
- Indent the center. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of the patty. This will help reduce shrinkage as the juices pool to the center.
- Put your hands to work. Use clean hands to mash the meat instead of a spoon. This will help prevent overworking, which can lead to dry burgers.
- Toast the buns (optional). Place the buns cut side down in the skillet until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate, loosely tent with foil to keep warm, and set aside. You could also toast them in your air fryer or in the oven.
- No touching! Resist the urge to press down on the patties or to constantly flip or move them. You want to leave them alone so they get a nice sear.
- Need to make a double batch of burgers? If you’re cooking burgers to feed a crowd, cook them to just under the desired doneness level and keep them warm in a 300℉ oven while you finish the rest.
More Sandwich Recipes
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Classic Baked Italian Sub Sandwiches
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Stovetop Burgers
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground chuck
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Butter or olive oil for the pan
Burger Assembly
- 6 Hamburger buns
- Optional hamburger toppings: Lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced red onions, sliced American or cheddar cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt, and pepper. Mash the meat with clean hands several times until combined.
- Again using your hands, form 6 equal sized patties from the ground beef. They will shrink up quite a bit as they cook, so you want to make them fairly large, about 4” across and less than an inch thick. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of the patty.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil in the skillet.
- Toast the buns (optional). Place the buns cut side down in the skillet until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate, loosely tent with foil to keep warm and set aside.
- Turn the heat to medium-high. Place the patties in the pan, working in batches if necessary to keep from overcrowding. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Flip, add cheese if desired, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until desired doneness is reached. (Food safe internal temperature is 160 degrees F.) Resist the urge to press down on the patties or to constantly flip or move them. You want to leave them alone so they get a nice sear.
- Transfer the burgers to the toasted buns and add your desired toppings.
Notes
- Medium (pink center): 7-8 minutes
- Medium-Well (slightly pink center): 9 minutes
- Well Done (no pink): 10 minutes
