These baked hamburgers are super easy. Simply press seasoned ground beef into a pan and bake for 15 minutes in a 400°F oven. Add cheese, cut into squares, and serve! It's so much easier than pan-frying.
Burgers are one of the menu items most often requested by my family members. I make grilled hamburgers, broiled burgers, and bacon burgers often, but these baked hamburgers are the easiest. There's no need to form the meat into patties or keep an eye on the burgers as they fry or grill. And just as important, there are no grease splatters to clean up!
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Ground beef: I typically use lean ground beef (85/15). Extra-lean (90/10) can be tricky in this recipe. It's drier and can also be more crumbly. Having said that, I occasionally use ground bison. Despite being 90% lean, it's delicious.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Sometimes, I add ½ teaspoon of dried oregano or thyme.
- Sliced cheese: I typically use sharp cheddar, but other great options include Gouda, provolone, pepper jack, smoked cheddar, or Swiss cheese.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Combine the ground beef with spices. Gently press the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch glass or ceramic square pan. Bake the mixture for about 15 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Top the cooked beef with four slices of cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, for about 2 more minutes.
Allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into four squares and serve.
This is my new go-to hamburger recipe! I had 2 pounds of ground beef and 1 pound of ground turkey, so I tripled the recipe and spices. Sooooo delicious and sooo easy!!! Thank you for this recipe!!
Heidi
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This is my new go-to hamburger recipe! I had 2 pounds of ground beef and 1 pound of ground turkey, so I tripled the recipe and spices. Sooooo delicious and sooo easy!!! Thank you for this recipe!!Recipe Tip
Although I recommend using an 8-inch square pan, I sometimes double the recipe and use two pans. One of the pans I own is a square 9-inch pan, so I use both pans simultaneously, as shown in the image below. This works just fine, although the burgers baked in the 9-inch pan are slightly flatter.
Recipe FAQs
Almost. They are a bit drier compared to frying or grilling since some juices are lost during baking, but they are delicious, and my family requests them often.
There's no need for any fillers or binders. Ground beef and spices are all you need.
No, there's no need to flip them. Simply season the meat, press it into the pan, and bake until it's done. This is one of the advantages of this recipe over pan-frying. It's so easy!
Serving Suggestions
Baked hamburgers pair well with any side dish you would serve with regular burgers. This includes jicama fries, zucchini fries, coleslaw, cucumber salad, and cucumber tomato salad.
You can top the burgers with a fried egg (as shown in the photo below), oven bacon, pickled red onions, or caramelized onions.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I store them in a glass food storage container, as shown in the photo below.
You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave at 50% power, but I love them best cold, straight out of the fridge! I make a lunch plate like the one shown in the photo below of these burgers, fresh-cut veggies, and pickles (or homemade quick pickles). Sometimes, I add Dijon mustard or sriracha mayo. It's one of my favorite lunches.
Recipe Card
Easy Baked Hamburgers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef - 85/15
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 slices sharp cheddar - or any other melty cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
- Gently press the beef mixture into an ungreased 8-inch square glass or ceramic pan.
- Bake until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160°F. If there's a lot of cooking liquid in the pan, you can drain some. I like to keep it and allow some of it to get absorbed back into the burgers as they rest.
- Top the cooked meat with the cheese slices.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into four squares and serve.
Notes
- A nice variation is adding a generous pinch of cumin, and I also like to add ½ teaspoon of dried oregano or thyme.
- I typically use lean ground beef (85/15). Extra-lean (90/10) ground beef can be tricky in this recipe. It's drier and can also be more crumbly.
- Although I recommend using an 8-inch square pan, I sometimes double the recipe and use two pans. One of the pans I own is a square 9-inch pan, so I use both and bake them at the same time. This works just fine, although the burgers baked in the 9-inch pan are slightly flatter.
- The best way to make sure the burgers are done is to use an instant-read thermometer. It's OK to pull them out of the oven when they reach an internal temperature of 155°F, since you will return them to the oven to melt the cheese, at which point they should reach 160°F.
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power, or enjoy them cold.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Rod Dombek says
Sometimes the simple way is the best way.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Agreed, Rod! Thank you very much for the review.
Steve says
This was an awesome recipe, made it as directed, would recommend it to anyone.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Steve! I'm so glad you liked this recipe. Thank you very much for the review.