American
French Onion Burgers
Beef patties are cooked through and topped with deeply browned onions and melted Gruyere on toasted buns. The burger tastes savory and sweet from the onions, with a beefy, fully cooked center.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- The onions need time; that sweetness does not come from a quick saute.
- Gruyere melts like the cheese on French onion soup.
- The patties are cooked to 160°F because they are ground beef.
- Toasted buns stand up to the juicy onions.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until deep brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Move the onions to a plate.
- 2
Mix the ground beef with the remaining salt and the pepper. Shape 4 patties and press a small dent in the center of each.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 4
Cook the patties until the center of each reaches 160°F, about 4 minutes per side.
- 5
Lay a slice of Gruyere on each patty, cover the skillet, and let the cheese melt, about 1 minute.
- 6
Toast the burger buns. Add the patties and a pile of onions.
Pro tips
- Do not turn the onions every few seconds; let them color between stirs.
- A dent in the patty helps it stay flat as it cooks.
- Check 160°F in the center, not at the edge.
Easy substitutions
- Gruyere cheese
- Swiss cheese
- butter
- olive oil for the onions
- burger buns
- toasted sourdough slices
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate patties and onions separately for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat the patties in a covered skillet until hot and warm the onions alongside, then rebuild on fresh buns.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 500
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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