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A great Cheeseburger is the heart of every backyard cookout, a juicy, seasoned beef patty with a slice of melty American cheese on a soft bun. I fire these up *all summer long* while the kids run through the sprinkler, and they never last more than a few minutes. If you love a good burger, our perfect smash burgers are another must-try around here.
With a handful of pantry seasonings mixed right into the beef, these burgers come out flavorful, juicy, and grill-ready in minutes.
Cheeseburger Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 8 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 18 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 burgers
- ⚡ Calories: 333kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Juicy and savory with classic backyard flavor and melty American cheese
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a cookout staple like our ham and Swiss sliders
Quick Answer
Mix lean ground beef with ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Form four patties with a dimple in the center, then grill over high heat about five minutes per side. Add a slice of American cheese near the end, let it melt, and serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The seasonings go in the beef. Mixing ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar right into the meat flavors every bite instead of just the surface.
- A dimple keeps them flat. Pressing a thumbprint in the center stops the burgers from puffing up into a dome on the grill.
- Do not overmix. Gently combining the beef by hand keeps the patties tender and juicy instead of dense and tough.
- High heat means a great sear. A screaming-hot grill gives the burgers that crusty, caramelized exterior everyone loves.
- Cheese melts at the end. Adding the cheese in the last couple minutes lets it get perfectly gooey without overcooking the patty.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the classic, juicy cheeseburger everyone craves, with big flavor in every bite.
- The seasonings mix right into the beef, so there is no special sauce or fuss required.
- It is the ultimate cookout main, right alongside our loaded tater tot nachos.
Key Ingredients
A few simple ingredients make the juiciest, most flavorful burgers. Here is what matters most:
- Ground beef: An 80/20 lean-to-fat blend gives you the juiciest burgers. Leaner beef works but can dry out.
- Ketchup and Worcestershire: These add moisture, tang, and savory depth right into the patty.
- Brown sugar: Just a touch helps the burgers caramelize and balances the savory seasonings.
- Garlic and onion powder: The backbone of that classic burger flavor in every bite.
- American cheese: It melts like a dream over a hot patty, the same melty magic we love on our crispy onion petals.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make these cheeseburgers your own with a few easy ideas:
- Switch the cheese: Try cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss, or blue cheese.
- Cook indoors: Use a cast iron skillet or griddle if the grill is not an option.
- Load the toppings: Pile on bacon, fried onions, avocado, or a fried egg.
- Make it a feast: Serve them up cookout-style with a rack of our BBQ ribs.
How to Make Cheeseburger
- Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add the ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix by hand just until combined, being careful not to overmix or the burgers will turn out tough.
- Divide into four even portions, shape into patties, and press a small dimple into the center of each so they stay flat.
- Preheat the grill over high heat for 10 minutes and lightly oil the grates.
- Grill about 5 minutes per side, flipping once, until cooked to your liking. We like ours at 150 degrees F for medium-well.
- Top each patty with American cheese for the last couple of minutes, then serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use 80/20 beef for the juiciest results, the fat keeps the burgers moist.
- Do not press the patties on the grill, that squeezes out all the flavorful juices.
- Make a dimple in the center so the burgers cook flat, not domed.
- Toast the buns on the grill for the last minute for extra flavor and structure.
- Let them rest a couple minutes after grilling so the juices redistribute.
- Round out the spread with a crispy app like our onion petals.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve cheeseburgers hot off the grill on toasted buns with all the classic fixings, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Set out a toppings bar and let everyone build their own.
Round out the cookout plate with all the sides. These burgers are right at home next to our loaded tater tot nachos or a batch of our ham and Swiss sliders for a crowd.
Hosting a backyard party? Pair the burgers with our BBQ ribs and a pile of pulled pork sandwiches for the ultimate grilling spread. It is an easy, crowd-pleasing menu all summer long.
Cheeseburger FAQs
Use an 80/20 ground beef blend, mix the seasonings in gently without overworking the meat, and avoid pressing the patties on the grill. Cook over high heat for a good sear and let the burgers rest a couple minutes before serving so the juices stay in.
An 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio is ideal because the fat keeps the burgers juicy and flavorful. Leaner beef like 90/10 works but tends to dry out, so do not overcook it if that is what you have.
For food safety, ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. We like ours medium-well at about 150 degrees F and then let them rest, but cook to whatever doneness you prefer.
Yes. Cook the patties in a hot cast iron skillet or on a griddle over medium-high heat for about four to five minutes per side, adding the cheese near the end so it melts.
Absolutely. Form the patties, place a sheet of parchment between each, and store them covered in the fridge for up to a day or freeze for up to three months. Thaw before grilling.
Classic toppings include lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. For something heartier, add bacon, fried onions, avocado, sauteed mushrooms, or a fried egg.
Fire up more favorites: our perfect smash burgers are the next burger to add to your grilling lineup.
If you love classic burger flavor, our cheeseburger recipe is a family favorite on its own.
Cheeseburger
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices American cheese
- Burger buns and toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- Mix to combine fully but try not to over mix or it may make the burgers tough. I like to mix by hand1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- Portion the mixture into four even portions. Form into patties and using your thumb, make a small indention into the center of each burger. This will help the burgers from not plumping up in the center while grilling.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- Preheat the grill over high heat for 10 minutes. Lightly oil the grates and place the burgers on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Cook the burgers to your desired temperature, I like to cook ours medium-well so they are done when they reach 150°F. A couple of minutes before the burgers are done.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- Add a slice of cheese on top of each one and close the top.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- Once the cheese is melted and the burgers are done to your liking, serve them on your favorite burger buns with your favorite toppings.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
Notes
- Buns and toppings are not calculated in nutritional value.
- Top these with all of your favorite burger toppings.
- The leaner the ground beef the better, this helps reduce shrinking.
- Make sure that you indent the top of your burgers before cooking so it will cook evenly.
- You can can use any of your favorite cheese on these as well. American is what we usually default to using.
Nutrition
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