Crispy Onion Beef Burger (Printable Version)
A juicy beef patty with crispy fried onions, fresh lettuce, tomato, and tangy sauce in a brioche bun.
# What You Need:
→ Crispy Onions
01 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
04 - ½ teaspoon paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
08 - Vegetable oil, for frying
→ Burgers
09 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Assembly
13 - 4 brioche burger buns
14 - 4 lettuce leaves
15 - 4 slices tomato
16 - 4 slices cheddar cheese (optional)
17 - 4 tablespoons burger sauce or mayonnaise
18 - Pickles (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place thinly sliced onions in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Let soak for 10 minutes.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F.
04 - Dredge soaked onions in the flour mixture, shake off excess, and fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
05 - Preheat grill or skillet over medium-high heat.
06 - Gently mix ground beef with salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Shape into four equal patties.
07 - Cook patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium doneness. Add cheese slices during the last minute if desired.
08 - Lightly toast the brioche buns.
09 - Spread burger sauce on buns, layer lettuce, tomato, beef patty, a generous amount of crispy onions, and pickles if using. Top with the bun.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Those crispy onions stay crunchy even after assembly, giving you texture in every bite that soft buns alone could never deliver.
- The whole thing comes together in 40 minutes, which means you can feed four people something restaurant-worthy on a random Tuesday.
- It's customizable enough that everyone gets what they actually want, but structured enough that you're not making four different meals.
02 -
- Overcrowding the frying pan is the enemy—even if you're impatient, fry the onions in two batches so they actually crisp up instead of steaming into limp submission.
- The buttermilk soak is non-negotiable because it's what keeps the onions from turning into a soggy mess; skip it and you'll understand why restaurant versions taste different.
- Don't press down on the burgers while they cook—every time you do, you squeeze out the precious juices that keep them tender and flavorful.
03 -
- Double-fry the onions if you want maximum crunch—fry them once until light golden, drain, let cool for a minute, then fry again for 30 seconds until they're deeply golden and stay crispy for hours.
- Shape your patties thinner than you think and slightly larger than your buns, since they'll shrink as they cook and you want that slight overhang for texture contrast.
- Toast your buns with a light brush of butter and garlic powder instead of plain—it adds a layer of flavor that makes people wonder what's different about your burgers.