These easy homemade grilled burgers are a summertime classic! They are simply seasoned, completely delicious, and perfectly cooked along with toasted sesame seed buns.
Nothing says “summer” quite like fresh hamburgers cooked on the grill. These grilled burgers are made with meaty, juicy beef patties, char-grilled to perfection, topped with melty cheese, and served on toasted buns.
This recipe is super simple, and only takes a few minutes to execute. If you have a pound of ground beef, you can make grilled burgers for dinner!
You don’t need any special seasonings here, as I like my grilled burgers to taste like, well… burgers!
Top your homemade hamburgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, and some tangy, creamy Big Mac Sauce!
Looking for a stovetop burger recipe? Or maybe you’d like to make Smash Burgers? Don’t worry, I have all the best burger recipes here.
Grilled Burgers Recipe Highlights
- Classic Burger Flavor – There are plenty of ways to season hamburgers, but I think that less is more when it comes to ground beef burgers on the grill. Salt and pepper do the trick, and let all of the wonderful flavor of the meat shine through.
- Toasted Buns – Buttered hamburger buns toast up beautifully right on the grill next to your burger patties!
- All the Best Toppings – I enjoy my burgers with the works! I’ll even show you how to make a quick and easy burger sauce that everyone will love.
- Versatile Recipe – These burgers can be made on a gas grill, charcoal grill, indoor grill, or on a grill pan on the stovetop.
Ingredients For Homemade Grilled Burgers
Here’s what you need:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef: I find that the best ground beef for burgers on the grill is labeled as 80/20. This means that there is about 20% fat in the mixture, which keeps the burgers nice and juicy.
- Salt and Pepper: The only seasonings you need to make really delicious grilled burgers! Keep it simple. There really is no need to add anything else to the meat.
- American Cheese: You can’t make a cheeseburger without some of this! Feel free to swap out the american for cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese if you prefer.
- Rolls: For really delicious burgers, pick up some premium hamburger buns. Look for buns that are topped with sesame seeds for the best presentation. Brioche buns are also delicious with burgers!
- Toppings: Get your burger toppings all ready before you start grilling. Slices of tomato and red onion are delicious, along with lettuce, pickles, and mayonnaise or burger sauce.
How To Make The Best Grilled Burgers
Tip!
To get the burgers all the same size, weigh the meat with a scale. 1 pound of ground meat will give you 4 quarter-pound burgers, or you can use more meat to make the patties thicker.
Tip!
While the burgers are cooking, add the buttered buns to the grill next to them to get toasty!
Recipe Tips
- Clean your Grill: It might go without saying, but it’s very important to start with a clean grill whenever you’re cooking on it! Scrub the grill grates with a brush to remove old char and food, then use a paper towel to coat the grates with cooking oil.
- Use 80/20 Blend Beef: This means that the ground meat mixture is 80% lean beef and 20% fat. That fat is what keeps the meat moist and delicious, so try not to go any leaner! You’ll normally find this labeled as “ground chuck” in the supermarket.
- Don’t Overmix the Meat: You want to very quickly form the meat into patties without mushing it around too much. It’s also important that the meat stays cold until you put it on the grill, and the heat from your hands has the potential to soften the fat in the mixture too much.
- Add an Indentation: To keep fresh hamburgers from puffing up in the middle, make an indent in the center of each patty with your thumb or a spoon.
- Enjoy with your Favorite Toppings: What I’m using here is just a suggestion! Try these with ketchup, mustard, relish, bbq sauce, bacon, or any of your favorite things.
Storing Tips
Without the bun and toppings, you can keep grilled hamburgers in the fridge for up to 3 days if they’re stored in an airtight container.
Be sure to let them cool down before storing. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove.
How to make an Easy Hamburger Sauce
I have a copycat recipe for Big Mac Sauce that is amazing, but I also like this one, which makes a bit less and has fewer ingredients:
- Mix together ¼ cup mayo, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 teaspoon of sweet relish, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon of honey, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Spread on your hamburger buns, or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Best Sides for Burgers
I often like to serve hamburgers with french fries, but since we’re grilling outside, I prefer to serve easy to make cold side dishes instead.
Try some of these amazing summer salads:
- Mexican Pasta Salad
- Smashed Potato Salad
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Slaw
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
For dessert, enjoy one of more of my easy no-bake desserts, like Peanut Butter Lasagna, Pineapple Dream, or No Bake Oreo Pie!
Recipe FAQs
What is the best cheese for burgers?
This will really come down to your personal preference. You want to choose a cheese that melts well, and American cheese does this beautifully. Other great cheese options for grilled burgers include cheddar, Swiss, and pepper jack.
What Grill Temp do I use for burgers?
Fresh beef burgers will cook best if the grill is preheated to a medium temperature of around 350°F/180°C. You can also have the grill a little bit hotter than this, grilling is pretty forgiving in this way!
Can I make this recipe with ground turkey?
While I’d normally say that you can replace ground beef with ground turkey, here I’m going to say no. Making moist and flavorful turkey burgers takes a little bit more finesse. Follow my Turkey Burgers recipe for all the details.
What Temperature Should I Cook Burgers to?
You should note that the USDA recommends cooking ground meats fully, to a temperature of at least 160°F/71°C.
Cooking to other temperatures is preferred by some, but should be done with caution. Use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the inside center of each patty, and look for these numbers:
- Rare: 120-125°F (52°C)
- Medium rare: 130-135°F (57°C)
- Medium: 140-145°F (63°C)
- Medium well: 150-155°F (68°C)
- Well done: 160°F (71°C)
It’s the perfect time to light the grill and make these perfectly cooked burgers! Save this recipe for the next time you need an easy, satisfying summer meal, and don’t forget to Pin it too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Grilled Burgers
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Outdoor grill or grill pan
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 burger buns
- 4 tablespoons (42 g) salted butter softened
- 1 – 1 ½ pounds (450 g) ground beef 80/20
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices American cheese
Optional Toppings:
- Mayonnaise or burger sauce
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Dill pickles
Instructions
- Slice the burger buns in half and spread softened butter on them.
- Divide the meat into four equal portions, each weighing about 4-6 ounces. Flatten and shape them into patties about ¼ inch thick. Make a small indent in the center of each patty with your thumb or the back of a spoon. Make sure the patties are about ½ inch wider than the buns because they will shrink when cooked.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (around 350°F or 180°C). Clean and oil the grill grates.
- Cook the patties for about 8-10 minutes on each side, until they are done to your liking.
- While the patties are cooking, place the buns on the grill, buttered side down, and toast for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place slices of American cheese on top of each patty, cover the grill, and let the cheese melt for about a minute.
- Remove the patties from the grill and assemble your burgers on the toasted buns with your favorite condiments and toppings.
Notes:
- To get the burgers all the same size, weigh the meat with a scale. 1 pound of ground meat will give you 4 quarter-pound burgers, or you can use more meat to make the patties thicker.
- Clean your Grill: It might go without saying, but it’s very important to start with a clean grill whenever you’re cooking on it! Scrub the grill grates with a brush to remove old char and food, then use a paper towel to coat the grates with cooking oil.
- Use 80/20 Blend Beef: This means that the ground meat mixture is 20% lean beef and 20% fat. That fat is what keeps the meat moist and delicious, so try not to go any leaner! You’ll normally find this labeled as “ground chuck” in the supermarket.
- Don’t Overmix the Meat: You want to very quickly form the meat into patties without mushing it around too much. It’s also important that the meat stays cold until you put it on the grill, and the heat from your hands has the potential to soften the fat in the mixture too much.
- Add an Indentation: To keep fresh hamburgers from puffing up in the middle, make an indent in the center of each patty with your thumb or a spoon.
- Easy Burger Sauce: Mix together ¼ cup mayo, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 1 teaspoon of sweet relish, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon of honey, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Hamburger Temperatures:
- Rare: 120-125°F (52°C)
- Medium rare: 130-135°F (57°C)
- Medium: 140-145°F (63°C)
- Medium well: 150-155°F (68°C)
- Well done: 160°F (71°C) – FDA recommendation
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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