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Get It Now- Why This Is The Best Burger Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Juicy Burgers
- Tips For The Best Burgers
- How Long To Grill Burgers?
- How Long To Cook Burgers On The Stove?
- What Temp Are Burgers Done?
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Juicy Burgers
- Tools To Make The Best Burger Recipe
- Best Burger Recipe (So Juicy, Grill Or Stovetop) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
One of my favorite ways to enjoy grilling season is with a good barbecue… especially when the best burger recipe is involved! With my secret ingredients and a few tips and tricks, you’ll be making the best homemade juicy burgers in no time.
I’ll show you how to make burgers on the stove and on the grill, so you can decide how you want to do it — just like the steak in my steak salad, my ultra-moist turkey burgers, or even grilled eggplant. The stovetop burger method means you can do this anytime of year just like air fryer brats!
Why This Is The Best Burger Recipe
- Juiciest burger meat ever
- 4 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Done in less than 15 minutes
- 2 cooking methods — grill or stovetop!
- Easy lunch or dinner that comes together fast
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the ingredients for the best burgers, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef – I use 85/15 beef for juicy homemade burgers, but 80/20 also come out juicy. 90/10 ground beef is usually less juicy, but they still come out quite juicy with the ingredients I add below.
- Secret Ingredients – The secret to juicy burgers is mixing olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into the meat prior to cooking! This locks in the moisture and flavors giving you the juiciest burgers.
- Seasonings – I like to keep it simple with sea salt (one teaspoon per pound of meat), black pepper, and a little garlic powder. You could also use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic as well. The salt is actually the most important from a flavor perspective. A good rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon per pound of meat. I first read somewhere that this was Julia Child’s recommendation for meat, and she’s right!
VARIATION: Use other seasonings.
Instead of garlic powder, salt, and pepper, use 2 teaspoons of any seasoning blend you prefer. Try jerk seasoning for a spicy and zesty flavor, Montreal seasoning for a savory steak flavor, or Italian seasoning for more subtle flavors.
How To Make Juicy Burgers
This section shows how to make the best burger recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Mix the beef, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder salt, and pepper. Place ingredients in a large bowl. Work through using your hands until just combined (see tips below).
- Shape the patties. Make 1/2-inch-thick patties. Make a thumb print in the center of each patty.
- Grill or pan fry. Preheat a grill or grill pan. Cook burgers until browned on the bottom. Flip, add cheese if desired, and cook until done to your liking (see time and temp chart below).
- Rest. Remove from heat. Let the homemade burgers rest for a few minutes before serving, which lets the juices settle.
Tips For The Best Burgers
Whether you’re using the grill or making stovetop burgers, follow these tips to ensure you end up with the best burger recipes possible:
- Don’t overwork the meat. Mixing or mashing too much pushes the juices out and leads to a tough burger. Instead, use a gentle kneading motion to mix the ingredients into the ground beef.
- Use cold hands. This will prevent the meat from heating up and becoming rubbery. Just wash your hands with cold water before working with it.
- Be gentle. Form the patties gently too to avoid driving out the juices. You want the moisture to stay in the burgers instead of escaping.
- Make a thumbprint. Making a large thumb print in the middle of each patty prevents the burgers from puffing up as they cook. This happens because the heat pushes the juices to the middle, so if you start out with a cavity in the middle, the burger will be nice and flat when they are done.
- Turn up the heat. For super juicy burgers, you want to sear them for maximum flavor. Have the heat up on medium-high, and make sure your grill or pan is preheated before adding the meat.
- Don’t move them around. Don’t keep checking on your burgers by lifting the lid of the grill (or pan lid if making stovetop burgers), or moving them around. Once you add the patties, leave them undisturbed for 4-5 minutes, then flip only once.
- Don’t push down on the burgers. Whatever you do, don’t push down on the burgers with a spatula. I don’t know who started this idea, but it literally pushes all the juices out!
- Let them rest and don’t cut open to check. If you cut the burgers open to find out if they are done, all the juices will leak out and you’ll end up with a dry burger. Instead, use a meat thermometer or the time chart below to check for doneness, and wait a few minutes after cooking before eating.
How Long To Grill Burgers?
Grill burgers for a total of 6-8 minutes for medium doneness.
How Long To Cook Burgers On The Stove?
Cook burgers on the stove for a total of 6-8 minutes for medium doneness.
What Temp Are Burgers Done?
The USDA officially recommends at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (well done) as the stovetop or grill temp for burgers, but for juicy burgers I recommend medium (140-145 degrees F). If you have a meat thermometer, that’s the most reliable way to test for doneness.
Use these times and temperatures as a guide for the best burger recipe:
Doneness | Temperature in Fahrenheit | Temperature in Celsius | Total Cook Time |
---|---|---|---|
Rare | 120 to 125 degrees | 49 to 52 degrees | 4-5 minutes |
Medium Rare | 130 to 135 degrees | 54 to 57 degrees | 5-6 minutes |
Medium | 140 to 145 degrees | 60 to 63 degrees | 6-8 minutes |
Medium Well | 150 to 155 degrees | 65 to 68 degrees | 8-9 minutes |
Well Done | 160 to 165 degrees | 71 to 74 degrees | 9-10 minutes |
The internal temperature will rise an additional 5 degrees from the temperatures above while resting, so these temps are when you’d remove from heat.
Storage Instructions
- Store: To keep your burgers delicious and juicy, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: You can either place them in a pan on the stovetop with a little bit of oil and heat until warm, or place them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. You can also reheat burgers on the grill.
- Freeze: You can freeze this homemade burger recipe before or after cooking, but before cooking works best. Shape the patties, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Alternatively, you can keep cooked burgers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking or reheating.
What To Serve With Juicy Burgers
The best burgers deserve the best side dishes! Here’s what to serve with them for an easy, unforgettable meal:
- Fixings – I serve mine over lettuce with some onion, tomato, avocado, and whole grain mustard most of the time. But, I also love to add cheddar cheese, sugar-free ketchup, and mayonnaise, too. You could use other condiments such as sugar-free barbecue sauce or spicy mayo (which is similar to burger sauce). For extra meaty taste, add slices of oven baked bacon.
- Buns – Use a regular bun or brioche bun, a gluten-free bun (shown above), or try the flattened version of my almond flour biscuits or simple low carb hamburger buns.
- Fries – I love to pair this homemade burger recipe with a side of garlic parmesan fries, classic steak fries, or lighter rutabaga fries (shown in the photos), zucchini fries or even fried zucchini.
- Veggies – Take advantage of your grill and make a healthy meal with grilled broccoli, grilled eggplant, or roasted cauliflower steaks.
- Salad – Pair these burgers with classic cauliflower potato salad or a sweet and smoky grilled peach salad. Simpler options like wedge salad or cucumber tomato salad taste just as good, and are quick enough to make while your burgers are cooking.
Tools To Make The Best Burger Recipe
- Grill – Fits 15 burgers at once! Perfect for a party or barbecue.
- Grill Pan – Great for giving a homemade burger recipe those grill lines when it’s too cold to grill outside (or if you don’t have an outdoor grill).
- Meat Thermometer – An instant-read thermometer is a must for perfectly cooked burgers!
Best Burger Recipe (So Juicy, Grill Or Stovetop)
This homemade juicy burger recipe makes the best burgers, thanks to 2 simple secret ingredients. Includes grill or stovetop options!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Work through using your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
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Shape into 1/2 in (1 cm) thick patties, about 1/4 pound each. Make a thumb print in the center of each patty to keep the burgers from bulging out when cooking.
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Preheat an outdoor grill, or cast iron grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stovetop, to medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook 4-5 minutes with the lid closed, until browned on the bottom and the only juices visible are no longer red. Do not push down on the burgers or move them around. Flip over, top with cheese if desired, and cook 2-3 minutes for medium, or until done as desired. (For best results, use a meat thermometer. See time and temp chart in the post above!)
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Remove burgers from heat. Let the burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 burger (1/4 lb)
- Nutrition information is based on 85/15 lean ground beef, and does not include optional cheese.
- Check for more cooking tips in the post above the recipe card.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
170 Comments
Sandra
0I made it exactly as written and it was outstanding. I can always count on Maya’s recipes. She’s the best!
Dayle Purcell
0An oldie but a goodie. Im 62 and this is almost the same recipe Ive been making since I learnt it from my dad. Only difference is we add a diced medium onion to the mix. My father would sometimes add a good slug of barbecue sauce or even a tablespoon of tomato paste. Really boosts the flavour. We use the same recipe to make meatloaf as well. So versatile and so delicious.
Lynn
0Can you use Impossible ground beef substitute instead of ground beef?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lynn, I have never tried that but I think it should work.
Jerry C.
0By far the best burgers I’ve EVER made. Better than using mayo, absolutely!!
This combination of spices give great flavor as well. I don’t usually rave like this. Try it, you will rave too!
Karen J Sweet
0Best hamburgers I’ve ever made & I’m over 70 yo!
This is how I will make them from now on. Very juicy……very!
Lloyd Lucas
0Yes will try this recipe
Tina Kerbel
0Will try this recipe.
Fran
0I made these for my family and my son-in-law’s comment was “Outstanding!” Truly the best burger I have ever made (I’m 65 years old) . Thanks so much for sharing your recipe and tips!!!! YUM!
Arthur Edelson
0Info about the bun please
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Arthur, The bun in the pictures is a store-bought gluten-free bun. I also have these low carb buns if you need that option.
Robert Dalsbo
0I thought this recipe worked pretty good. It’s a pretty basic thing, cooking burgers. So, adding Worcestershire sauce is obvious, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of adding oil. It made grilling dangerous, and I had to avoid getting burned by the constant flare-ups. The burgers charred pretty quickly, but I was able to move them to the top rack to finish. Luckily they weren’t ruined. I think making the Montreal seasoning made them taste better than they otherwise would have. I used my own home-grown cilantro seed to make ground coriander, and it smelled better and sweeter than store-bought. I had to run out for dill seed, which is not the same as dill weed (more common), but I found it at the local co-op. Thankfully, the quantity needed only cost 50 cents.
Allison
0Adding the worchestershire sauce and the olive oil to the burgers really made a difference. My family enjoyed them to the very last bite.
Cindy
0These were good and easy and we ate them all!! Will make again!!
April Congleton
0We did the best burgers yesterday like you recomended and they were delicious and juicy like you said. My husband was amazed at the difference. Thank you so much.
Judy Dafryck
0This burger was easy to make and so much better than the usual dried out burger. It is juicy and flavorful.
Elaine Kinion
0This is so delicious and easy! I cooked mine in my new air fryer along with a side of jicama fries. Thank you for the recipe!
MonaLisa
0Made this burger recipe today and hubby cooked them on the grill. It really helped the burger stay together while making the patties. They were tasty! Topped mine with Provolone cheese and put it on a bed of lettuce with all the burger fixings. Thanks for another great recipe!
Margarete
0Excellent burger! Used 80/15 grass-fed beef. I’ve always used worcestershire sauce but never added olive oil–a great addition that makes a very moist patty. Thumb print trick worked well, too. No “burger hump” that makes your tomatoes or pickle slices fall off. In recent years I’ve been on a quest for what I call “master” recipes that are quick, healthy, delicious and easy to prepare. This recipe definitely qualifies. It will be my go-to master recipe for all future burgers! Thank you, Maya.
Arlene
0Maya, thanks for the great recipe. Taking your advice and adding the EVOO, as well as the Worcestershire sauce [something I would’ve of never thought of doing], along with my two other ingredients (2 TBSP of Lipton Onion Soup Mix as well as 3/4 TBSP HP Sauce, gave the burger more flavor. Using my Cuisinart Griddler, I cooked them for 4-5 min. Best burgers ever, they were not only flavorful but juicy too. Thanks again, and keep your tips & recipes coming.
Pam Brooks
0These burgers were amazing and moist. Cooked just perfect the family loved them. Thank you for your secret. I’d do this again.
Carrie
0I made these last night for dinner, and, yes, they were the juiciest burgers I’ve eaten. My husband was sceptical as he’s never added fat to burgers, just seasoning and he adds pork rinds as a binder. I did add in some fresh chopped jalapenos since my family likes some heat; and we cooked them over an open fire. Not sure if it was just being outside that much, or the garden-fresh tomato and lettuce to top the cheeseburgers, but everyone was done in a matter of minutes. Will definitely be adding oil and Worcestershire sauce to burgers in the future. Thank you for sharing your secrets and all the hard work you do developing and sharing your recipes.
Cindy
0I am new to low carb and kero receipes. My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes. All my cooking and baking will change.
These burgers were fantastic.
D.
0I made these tonight everyone enjoyed them. I didn’t have Worcestershire sauce so I used a little bbq sauce instead. I’ll buy Worcestershire sauce a next trip to the store. They did shrink quite a bit. Any suggestIons
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, I suggest using a higher quality meat with less fat.
Shirley
0I made this recipe tonight for dinner. I had to leave out the Worcestershire sauce because my son is Celiac and we didn’t have the GF kind. Well, they still tasted amazing and I think the addition of the olive oil made all the difference. I’ve never added oil to hamburger meat before. These burgers were really juicy and I fried up some onion slices to put on top of them. My picky son actually liked these burgers because usually they are pretty tough when I make them. I stopped making burgers to be honest, because they weren’t turning out very juicy. Also, I learned a new trick about putting the thumb print in them, kept them nice and flat. I will definitely be making these again!!! Thank you 😀
Kris
0I made these last night and they were awesome – nice and juicy. I will continue to make them this way. I baked them in the oven because I find that less messy than frying and they turned out great.