American
Patty Melts
Thin beef patties cook with softened onions and Swiss between slices of rye that toast in butter. The sandwich tastes savory and a little sweet from the onions, with a crisp bread crust.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Thin patties cook through on a griddle without drying out.
- Onions cooked until soft add the sweetness this sandwich needs.
- Swiss melts at a gentle heat that also toasts the rye.
- Butter on the bread, not a pool in the pan, makes an even crust.
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.
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Instructions
- 1
Season the ground beef with the salt and pepper and shape it into 4 thin patties, slightly larger than the bread.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Cook the onion until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- 3
Cook the patties in the same skillet until the center of each reaches 160°F, about 3 minutes per side.
- 4
Top each patty with Swiss cheese and let it melt. Move the patties to a plate.
- 5
Butter one side of each rye slice. Build sandwiches with onions and a patty, buttered sides out.
- 6
Griddle the sandwiches over medium heat, about 325°F in the pan, until the rye is toasted and the cheese is fully melted, about 2 minutes per side.
Pro tips
- Keep the patties thin so the cheese and the 160°F center finish together.
- Do not rush the onions; pale onions taste sharp in this sandwich.
- Press the sandwich lightly with a spatula so the bread contacts the pan.
Easy substitutions
- Swiss cheese
- provolone cheese
- rye bread
- sourdough bread
- butter
- mayonnaise spread on the bread for toasting
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate cooked patties and onions separately for up to 3 days and build the sandwich when you reheat.
Reheating
Reheat the patties in a covered skillet until hot, then grill fresh buttered rye around them.
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
- 516
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 3 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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