Let’s be honest, burgers are just about the easiest weeknight meal around. They’re simple to throw together, are built to customize and even the pickiest eaters will devour them.
But you don’t have to visit the dive-though for this meal to be convenient. We’ll show you how to cook burgers in the oven so you can get a delicious dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat.
Before we start, take a look at these other quick dinner recipes for busy weeknights.
How to Cook Burgers in the Oven
This recipe for easy hamburgers comes from Taste of Home’s Deputy Editor, James Schend. Check out what James has to say about which ground beef is best for burgers.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/3 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
- Optional toppings: Lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced onion, bacon and mayonnaise
Yield: 4 burgers
Tools:
- Bowl
- Sheet pan
- Spatula
- Thermometer
- Cast-iron skillet
Directions:
Step 1: Shape the Patties
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Add your beef to a large bowl and gently break up the meat with your hands. Then, divide the beef into 4 even portions.
Being careful not to overwork the meat, shape the patties into 3/4-in.-thick disks. There’s no need to press the meat together; the patties will hold their shape. Use your thumb to press a divot into the middle of each patty to prevent them from shrinking while they cook.
Place your patties on a plate and pop them in the fridge, covered, until your oven has come up to temperature.
Editor’s tip: It might be tempting to add the salt and pepper to the beef before shaping the patties, hold off! Salt will draw moisture out of the burgers, making them tough and dry. So, wait to season your beef until just before they’re cooked. Check out these other tips for making your burgers taste better.
Step 2: Season and Bake
Once your oven has reached 350°F, lightly grease a baking sheet with butter or oil.
Pull your burgers out of the fridge and generously season each side of the patties with salt and pepper. Then, place the patties on the greased baking sheet, making sure that they aren’t touching.
Bake the burgers for about 10 minutes, flip them and then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center of the patties reaches 160°F. Don’t have an instant-read thermometer? Pick up a ThermoPop from ThermoWorks, it’s our Test Kitchen’s preferred thermometer.
If you’re making cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese to each patty in the last minute of cooking.
Step 3: Toast the Buns
As the burgers are baking, toast the buns. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and butter the split buns. Toast the sliced side of the buns for a minute or two, until they’re golden brown. It’s likely that you’ll have to toast the buns in batches.
Editor’s tip: Upgrade your burgers from those thin buns that you get from the bread aisle and go with a fluffy brioche or pretzel bun. Not only will they hold up better than a typical bun, but they taste much better. Or, you can try your hand at making homemade burger buns.
Step 4: Assemble and Enjoy!
When the burgers are done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to the toasted buns. Add your favorite topping and enjoy this quick and easy meal.
How to Serve Baked Burgers
There’s no wrong way to serve a burger, but some of our go-to toppings include spicy ketchup, mustard, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato and homemade pickles. Get some more inspiration by checking out these fun ways to top a burger.
When it comes to sides, these baked burgers go great with air-fried sweet potato fries, baked French fries, onion rings or a fresh side salad.
How to Store and Freeze Baked Burgers
Any leftover burgers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days. Just be sure to store them in an air-tight container.
For those who want to meal prep a few burgers, freezing uncooked patties is a great option. To do so, break up the beef and form the patties as usual. Then, place the raw burger on a plastic wrap- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, wrap and freeze until the patties are firm.
Remove the frozen patties from the baking sheet and transfer them to an air-tight container. You can store the patties in your fridge for up to four months. Here’s more on how long you can freeze ground beef and tips for keeping it fresher for longer.
To use the frozen burgers, bake frozen patties as directed above, increasing the cook time as needed for a thermometer to read 160°.
Oven-Baked Burger Tips
Is it better to cook burgers in the oven or on the stove?
It’s up to your personal preference! Baked burgers are a great, nearly hands-off cooking method that won’t fill your kitchen with the smell of frying beef.
Pan-fried burgers, on the other hand, have the benefit of a tasty sear from the cast-iron skillet. And, if it’s hot out, cooking burgers on the stove-top won’t heat your house as baking burgers will.
Why put a thumbprint in a burger?
As mentioned above, adding a small divot to the middle of a burger patty helps circulate air around the burger, preventing it from shriveling up while it cooks. This means that the burger will cook more evenly and won’t bulge up in the center. In fact, creating a dimple is one of the top burger tips we got from a restaurant chef.
Can I make baked burgers with different meats?
Definitely! Use the same ingredient proportions and directions as listed above, but slightly change the cooking times and temperatures. For chicken burgers and turkey burgers, bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the patties reach 165°F.
You can even bake vegetarian burgers in the oven. For a chickpea burger, bake the patties at 350°F until the center reaches 160°F, about 10 to 15 minutes.
By the way, our Test Kitchen found the best plant-based burger brand.
Now that you’ve mastered cooking burgers in the oven, learn how to grill burgers perfectly every time.
The post How to Cook a Burger in the Oven appeared first on Taste of Home.
Caroline Stanko