Home » Diet & Food » Ina Garten's Caramelized Onion Burgers Are Perfect For Memorial Day & You Don't Even Need a Grill

Ina Garten's Caramelized Onion Burgers Are Perfect For Memorial Day & You Don't Even Need a Grill

05/25/2021 | Diet & Food

Nothing says summer like a juicy burger, whether it’s fresh off the grill or served from a sizzling cast iron skillet. We love them both ways, but to be honest, sometimes dealing with the grill is a little much. And let’s be real – not everyone even has a grill, or the space for one. So finding a great skillet burger recipe is a must, and this year, our girl Ina Garten has come through just in time for Memorial Day weekend. She just shared a smashed burger recipe from her cookbook Modern Comfort Food that will totally scratch your summer burger itch, and you don’t even have to deal with turning on a propane tank or getting messy with charcoal.

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If you’ve never had a smashed burger, you’re in for a treat. Usually you try *not* to press down on your burgers, so none of the juices leak out, but smashed burgers rely on a different technique.

You smash the meat down into a hot cast iron skillet (Ina Garten likes this brand) as it cooks so you get a really crisp, caramelized sear on both sides. This adds a ton of meaty, umami flavor to each burger patty.

Garten pairs her smashed hamburgers with a heap of caramelized onions, which adds a hint of savory sweetness. Next up, they’re topped with grated Gruyere cheese. The nutty, salty, gooey melted cheese coats the onions and burger patty, and by the time the burgers are fully assembled, you won’t miss the flavor of the grill at all.

Crispy, sizzled edges, tender caramelized onions, melted cheese, and a soft potato roll – could there be any meal more summery, more satisfying?