Easy Smash Burger with Baconnaise Sauce

Making a truly great burger at home can feel like an impossible task. Sure, you can throw some ground beef on the grill and call it a day, but if you’re craving that crispy-edged, juicy perfection you get from your favorite burger joint, you might think you need professional equipment or some secret technique that’s way out of reach.

The good news is that smash burgers are actually one of the easiest ways to get restaurant-quality results right in your own kitchen. By pressing seasoned beef onto a screaming-hot surface, you create an incredible crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy. And when you top it with homemade baconnaise sauce—a smoky, tangy blend of crispy bacon and creamy mayo—you’ve got a burger that’ll make you forget about takeout completely.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For smash burgers, ground chuck with an 80/20 fat ratio is really your best bet. That 20% fat content is key because when you smash the burger on a hot griddle, all that fat renders out and creates those crispy, caramelized edges that make smash burgers so good. If you go leaner, like 90/10, your burgers will end up dry and won’t get that same crust. You can ask your butcher to grind chuck fresh for you, or just grab the pre-packaged stuff from the meat section – both work perfectly fine. Just make sure you’re not using pre-formed patties, since you need loose ground beef that you can shape into balls and then smash down.

Options for Substitutions

This smash burger recipe has some room for swaps, though a few ingredients really make the dish what it is:

• Ground chuck (80/20): The 80/20 fat ratio is pretty important for a juicy smash burger – don’t go leaner than 85/15 or your burgers might end up dry. Ground sirloin or a blend of chuck and brisket also works great.
• Pepper jack cheese: Not a fan of spice? Swap for American cheese (classic choice), cheddar, or Swiss. American melts the best, so if you want that gooey cheese pull, that’s your best bet.
• Avocado oil: Any high smoke point oil works here – try vegetable oil, canola oil, or even clarified butter if you have it. Just avoid olive oil as it can burn at the high heat needed for smashing.
• White onions: Yellow onions or sweet Vidalia onions are fine substitutes. If you don’t have a mandoline, just slice them as thin as you can with a sharp knife.
• Bacon for baconnaise: Turkey bacon can work in a pinch, though it won’t have quite the same smoky punch. Cook it extra crispy and chop it fine so it mixes well into the sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar: White vinegar or red wine vinegar will give you that tangy kick in the baconnaise sauce if you’re out of apple cider vinegar.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with smash burgers is pressing down on the patty more than once – you should only smash it when you first place it on the griddle, then leave it alone to develop that crispy crust.

Another common error is using a pan that isn’t hot enough, which prevents the proper sear and browning, so make sure your griddle or cast iron is screaming hot before you add the meat balls.

Don’t skip squeezing the liquid out of those thinly sliced onions, as excess moisture will steam the burger instead of letting it crisp up properly.

Finally, resist the urge to flip the burger too early – wait until you see the edges turn brown and the patty releases easily from the pan, which usually takes the full 3-4 minutes, otherwise you’ll tear apart that beautiful crust you worked so hard to create.

What to Serve With Smash Burgers?

Crispy fries are the obvious choice here – whether you go for classic shoestring, thick-cut steak fries, or even sweet potato fries, they’re perfect for dipping in that extra baconnaise sauce. I’m also a big fan of serving smash burgers with a simple coleslaw on the side, which adds a cool, crunchy contrast to the rich, cheesy burger. If you want to keep things easy, potato chips or kettle chips work great too, and you can even pile some right on top of the burger for extra crunch. For a lighter option, pickles and a side of raw veggies like carrot sticks or celery give you something fresh to balance out all that bacon and cheese.

Storage Instructions

Store the Sauce: The baconnaise sauce is actually better when made ahead! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The flavors meld together nicely over time, so I usually whip up a batch on Sunday and use it throughout the week on burgers, sandwiches, or even as a dip for fries.

Prep Ahead: You can form your beef into balls and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. The sliced onions can also be prepped a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Just don’t cook the burgers ahead of time since they’re best enjoyed fresh off the griddle when they’re still crispy and juicy.

Leftover Burgers: If you happen to have leftover cooked patties, wrap them individually and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes on each side to bring back some of that crispy edge.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4100-4400
• Protein: 200-220 g
• Fat: 310-340 g
• Carbohydrates: 140-160 g

Ingredients

For the burgers:

• 2 lb beef (80/20 ground chuck is best for a juicy crust)
• 2 onions (thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rings)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• 8 slices pepper jack cheese
• 4 Brioche buns
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 lb thick-cut bacon

For the baconnaise:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp dry rub
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

Step 1: Prepare the Baconnaise and Season the Beef

• 1/2 lb thick-cut bacon
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp dry rub
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 lb beef

Start by cooking the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until crispy, then drain on paper towels and chop into small pieces.

While the bacon cooks, prepare the baconnaise by whisking together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, dry rub, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.

Reserve half of the chopped bacon to garnish the finished burgers and fold the other half into the baconnaise for maximum flavor distribution.

In a separate bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika—this seasoning blend will be applied during cooking for better crust development.

Form the ground beef into 6 loosely packed balls (don’t compress them too much or they’ll be tough), then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you finish other prep work.

Step 2: Prepare the Onions and Toast the Buns

• 2 onions
• 4 Brioche buns

Slice the onions into thin 1/8-inch rings and place them in a colander or fine-mesh strainer.

Squeeze out as much liquid as possible by pressing gently—this prevents the burgers from steaming and helps achieve a better crust.

Set the drained onions aside on a plate.

Split the brioche buns and set them aside, ready for toasting once the burgers are nearly finished cooking.

Step 3: Heat the Griddle and Smash the Burgers

• beef balls from Step 1
• onions from Step 2
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• seasoning blend from Step 1

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil, letting it shimmer for about 1 minute until it just begins to smoke.

Working quickly, place one beef ball on the hot surface and immediately top it with a generous handful of the prepared onions.

Using a sturdy spatula, press down hard on the meat and onions for about 30 seconds to create a thin, crispy patty—this contact with the hot surface creates the prized flavorful crust.

I like to let the onions caramelize slightly on the bottom while pressing, which adds a sweet, savory depth to the burger.

Sprinkle the seasoning blend (from Step 1) evenly over the top of the patty, and cook for 3-4 minutes without moving it, allowing the crust to develop.

Step 4: Flip, Add Cheese, and Toast the Buns

• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• 8 slices pepper jack cheese
• 4 Brioche buns

Once the bottom is deeply browned and crispy, flip the patty carefully using your spatula.

Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard across the cooked top side (now facing up), then immediately top with one slice of pepper jack cheese.

The residual heat will melt the cheese perfectly.

At this point, place the brioche buns cut-side down on the griddle next to the burgers to toast for 30-60 seconds until lightly golden—they toast quickly, so watch them carefully.

If needed, work in batches to manage space on your griddle without crowding.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve the Smash Burgers

• cooked patties from Step 4
• baconnaise from Step 1
• reserved bacon pieces from Step 1
• toasted buns from Step 4

Transfer the toasted buns to a clean work surface or serving platter.

Spread a generous dollop of baconnaise on the bottom bun of each burger.

Stack two of the finished patties (with melted cheese facing up) onto the sauce, then top with another dollop of baconnaise.

I like to add the reserved crispy bacon pieces and any remaining caramelized onions from the griddle right at the end—they add crunch and keep everything from sliding around.

Cap with the top bun and serve immediately while everything is still hot and the cheese is gooey.