This delicious patty melt combines two classic flavors—beefy smash burgers and gooey grilled cheese—to create one of the best sandwiches you'll ever have.
The toasty sourdough bread, caramelized onions, and homemade burger sauce take this patty melt to the next level. If you like smash burgers, you'll *love* this patty melt.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Ground Beef — I love using 80/20 beef for my smash burgers.
- Sourdough Bread — Use your favorite bread here; for my, for this recipe, it's definitely sourdough with its sturdy texture, perfect for grilling.
- Cheddar Cheese — I typically use American cheese for my burgers, but the cheddar added a really nice flavor here.
- Sweet Onion — Thinly sliced, and we're going to caramelize these.
- Burger Sauce — I'm using my homemade burger sauce on this patty melt.
- Butter — I'm using Kerry Gold butter to toast up the sourdough bread on the griddle.
- Seasoning — You need to season your burger meat. I love Lawry's Seasoning Salt, but feel free to just use salt & pepper if you want.
HOW TO MAKE A PATTY MELT
@grillfrenzy Search “grill frenzy patty melt” on Google for the full recipe with measurements. STOP scrolling if you're craving the ULTIMATE comfort food. 🧀 This Sourdough Patty Melt is next level and only needs ingredients you probably already have. The best part? It's way better than any diner version and takes just 30 minutes to make 🔥 Make this crispy, cheesy masterpiece with: • Buttery sourdough bread (trust me on this one) • Juicy beef patties (80/20 is the secret) • Perfectly melty cheddar • Sweet caramelized onions • That special burger sauce magic ✨ Perfect for lunch, dinner, or those late-night cravings. Pro tip: Press down gently while grilling to get that golden-brown crunch that'll have everyone drooling 🤤 #pattymelt #comfortfood #sandwichrecipes #easyrecipes #foodhacks #kitchenhacks #homemademeals #dinnerinspo #cooking #sourdough #cheeselovers #burgerrecipes #dinnertime ♬ original sound - Mike Futia
1. Caramelize the Onions
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until they're golden brown and caramelized—about 25-30 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the Burgers
Form your ground beef into 2-ounce balls. Smash the patties onto a hot griddle, season with salt & pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they've developed a nice crust and are cooked through.
3. Assemble the Patty Melt
Spread some of the burger sauce on one side of each piece of sourdough. Then place a slide of cheddar cheese on top of the sauce on two slices of bread. Next, add a burger patty and some caramelized onions. Top with another slide of cheddar and cover with the second slice of sourdough (burger sauce side facing down).
4. Grill the Patty Melt
Clean your griddle and lower the heat to medium. Melt a tablespoon of butter, and then lay the patty melt on top. Grill the patty melt for 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the cheese has melted and the sourdough is golden brown and crispy.
5. Serve & Enjoy
Remove the sandwiches from the griddle, slice in half, and serve immediately with some burger sauce.
OTHER BURGER RECIPES
Be sure to also check out my Copycat In-N-Out Burger, Copycat Shake Shack Burger, Smoked Burgers, and Onion-Wrapped Flying Dutchman Burger.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Burger Sauce Options. I've got plenty of options for you to make your burger sauce: Shake Shack Sauce, In-N-Out Sauce, or my classic smash burger sauce.
- Customize It. A classic patty melt uses Rye bread, so you can obviously go that route if you prefer. You can also use American, Swiss, or Pepperjack cheese.
Best Patty Melt
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef 80/20
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 4 tbsp burger sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes until golden and caramelized. Remove and set aside.
- Divide ground beef into two-ounce balls. Cook patties on a griddle over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, seasoning with salt & pepper. Remove and set aside.
- Spread burger sauce on one side of each sourdough slice. Assemble with cheddar, patties, and onions between bread slices.
- Wipe griddle, reduce heat to medium, and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Grill sandwiches for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and cheese melts.
- Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Burger Sauce Options. I've got plenty of options for you to make your burger sauce: Shake Shack Sauce, In-N-Out Sauce, or my classic smash burger sauce.
- Customize It. A classic patty melt uses Rye bread, so you can obviously go that route if you prefer. You can also use American, Swiss, or Pepperjack cheese.
