A truly easy grilled burgers recipe. Mix and form the patties in the morning, refrigerate, and when it’s time for dinner, grill them for 10 minutes. Voila – dinner is ready!
This is such an easy burger recipe, and it produces reliably juicy patties. Burgers are part of my easy-weeknight-dinner repertoire. They are juicy, intensely flavorful, and so easy to make! 🍔
I mix and form the patties in the morning and refrigerate. When it’s time for dinner, I grill them in the grill pan for ten minutes. Served with a simple side dish such as a tomato salad, this is as easy as dinner can get.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make delicious and juicy grilled burgers. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Ground beef: I use a lean ground beef mixture, 85% lean and 15% fat. I wouldn’t go any leaner than that when making burgers or the patties will end up too dry.
Dijon mustard: It is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard. But any mustard will work here.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use. A teaspoon of kosher salt weighs less than a teaspoon of regular salt.
Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Make sure they are fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Chopped parsley: You could use dried parsley instead, but the fresh herb adds great flavor.
Oil for the grill: I prefer using avocado oil, which is very suitable for high-heat cooking.
How to grill burgers
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the details. Here are the basic steps:
Season the beef. Mix a pound of lean ground beef with mustard and spices.
Shape into patties. Divide into four parts and form them into patties.
Cook the burgers. At this point, you can either grill right away, or refrigerate for a few hours until ready to grill.
What beef to use
Ideally, you would use fresh ground chuck from your butcher. But let’s be realistic – most of us just grab a vacuum-packed block of ground beef when we cook at home.
So it’s fine to use that, but do use lean ground beef (85/15). If you use extra lean ground beef your burgers will turn out quite dry and not as flavorful.
How to season them
You can simply season the burgers with salt and pepper. So you could shape the patties, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper and grill.
But I like to use quite a few seasonings, including Dijon mustard, onion and garlic powders, paprika and cayenne. When I have fresh parsley, I add that too.
Should I make a dimple in the patties?
There’s some controversy on whether one should make a dimple in burgers prior to cooking. I do make a dimple, but it’s completely up to you.
How to serve grilled burgers
I usually serve them on cloud bread, although sometimes we just skip the bread and use a knife and a fork. 90-second bread is also good, and easier to make than cloud bread.
As for side dishes, they’re great with fries. Jicama fries or zucchini fries for low-carb or keto options, and steak fries if you don’t mind the carbs.
And if you happen to have some sauteed onions (or if you have the patience for making them), they make a great topping for burgers.
Grill them, don’t char them
When grilling the patties, it’s a good idea not to let your grill get too hot, and to keep an eye on the patties so that they don’t burn. Charred meat is not good for you, especially when eaten frequently or in large quantities.
More delicious ground beef recipes
Another favorite ground beef recipe that’s even easier than this grilled burgers recipe is this very tasty ground beef casserole.
And baked hamburgers are the easiest – though not the juiciest – way to make burgers.
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Grilled Burgers
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Avocado oil for the grill
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, use clean hands to mix together all the ingredients except the oil.
- Form the mixture into four patties, each of them about 4 ounces in weight, 3.5 inches in diameter, and 1/2 inch thick.
- Preheat a grill or a grill pan on medium-high heat. Lightly brush the grill with oil.
- With your thumb, make a slight depression in the center of each patty, to help the hamburgers cook evenly and maintain their shape.
- Cook the hamburgers, dimpled side up, for 4 minutes. Turn and cook them on the other side, about 3 more minutes for medium doneness. This is a rough guideline. How long you need to grill will ultimately depend on how hot your grill is, on the thickness of the patties, and on your desired level of doneness.
- If you'd like to make cheeseburgers, you can top each burger patty with a slice of your favorite cheese during the last minute of grilling. Cover the grill or the grill pan so that the cheese can melt. Alternatively, finish cooking the burgers, top them with cheese, and briefly microwave them to melt the cheese, about 30 seconds for 4 burgers.
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.