Spicy Jalapeño-Onion Smash

Turn plain ground beef into something awesome by stacking sweet browned onions, zippy jalapeños, and homemade burger sauce on top. Give your patties a smash for crispy, crunchy edges that burger lovers can't get enough of.

This all started after forking over way too much at a famous burger spot. After plenty of tinkering at home, now my family begs me to make these—and honestly, they say mine blew the restaurant's away.

Irresistible Ingredients

• Burger Sauce: Mayo makes everything creamy and rich
• Ketchup: Brings a little zing and cuts the mayo's thickness
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds tasty savory notes that make the sauce pop
• Garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper: This trio seasons things just right
• Smash Burgers: Go with 80/20 ground beef for juicy, flavor-packed burgers
• Canola oil: Keeps patties from sticking and gives everything an even cook
• Yellow onion: Slices down and caramelizes for a touch of sweetness
• Fresh jalapeño: Choose firm ones—heat level is totally up to you
• American cheese: Melts into gooey awesomeness every time
• Hamburger buns: Brioche is extra soft and makes things feel special

Easy-to-Follow Steps

Assembly:

Start by spreading a little sauce on both halves of your bun. Add the cheesy burger patty, then pile on the onion-jalapeño mix. Serve up while everything's still hot, gooey, and fresh.

Creating the Crust:

Let your burgers sit until one side gets a deep golden crust, about 2 minutes depending on your pan’s heat. Hold off on flipping until you see that crust—it brings loads of flavor.

The Smash Technique:

When your skillet starts to barely smoke, set the beef balls in with some space between. Push down hard with a spatula to smash them thin. Irregular edges are a good thing—they get the best crunch.

Prepare the Beef:

Keep beef cold till cooking time and gently form it into loose balls—don’t fuss too much. That helps you end up with juicy burgers instead of tough pucks.

Caramelize the Aromatics:

Pour oil into a hot skillet, then drop in sliced onions and jalapeños with some seasoning. Let them cook, stirring every so often, until onions are brown and soft, and jalapeños are a bit roasted. They’ll cook down to about half the size they started.

Mix the Burger Sauce:

Throw all your sauce stuff in a small dish. Whisk till you see no lumps—it's ready when it looks pink and flecked with pepper. Tuck it in the fridge so the flavors get cozy while you finish up the other steps.

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Don't knock American cheese till you've seen it in action—seriously, it's the secret to that classic melt. My granddad cooked diner food for decades and always chose it. Watching it go all gooey on hot burgers brings back memories of Sunday afternoons from way back.

Adjust the Heat Your Way

One of the big perks of making these burgers at home? You run the show on spiciness. Go mild by ditching the jalapeño seeds and insides. Want things bolder? Leave them in, or mix hot sauce into your burger sauce. Don’t stress too much—cooking tones down jalapeño fire, so even leaving in the seeds won’t totally set your mouth on fire.

Simple Science Behind Smashing

Smashing patties transforms your burger game. Squashing beef balls onto a sizzling cast iron pan means more surface touches the heat. That’s when the magic happens—protein and sugar in the beef caramelize and you wind up with tons of tasty flavors and a super crusty crunch on the outside, while keeping the center juicy.

Favorite Ways to Serve

Pair these burgers with easy sides like crispy fries, cold pickles, or a quick slaw for balance. For drinks, crack open an ice-cold root beer or brew. If you’re feeling grown-up, go for something spicy like a Bloody Mary to echo the peppers. Steer clear of complicated side dishes—let these loaded burgers take the spotlight.

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These burgers will find their way onto your table all the time—perfect for busy weeknights or any chill get-together!

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How are smashed burgers not like regular burgers?

You press the beef super thin right on the hot skillet, which gives you those crunchy edges and a juicy middle. More surface hits the heat, so the beef gets loads of flavor and that crust everyone loves. These cook up fast and the patties come out crispy and a bit uneven around the rim—that’s what you want!

→ Ways to make the jalapeños less spicy?

Sure thing—just scoop out the seeds and white bits before slicing the peppers. If you want it even cooler, use some bell pepper instead, or just add fewer jalapeños.

→ Best way to pick beef for these?

Grab some 80/20 ground beef, which means 20 percent fat. That fat brings flavor and keeps your patties from turning dry. Better beef makes for better burgers, so go as good as you can!

→ What’s so special about American cheese for this?

It melts like a dream and sticks right on the burger, plus it won’t overshadow the other tastes. You could swap in cheddar, Swiss, or pepper jack if you want, but they all melt a bit differently.

→ Which tools do I need for smash burgers?

You really want a flat, sturdy spatula or a burger press to smash the meat hard. A big cast-iron pan or a griddle will help get that crisp outside. Parchment paper stops sticking when you're shaping the meat, and grab a thermometer if you want to check doneness.

→ Can I make anything ahead of time?

Yep! The sauce keeps for a few days in the fridge. You can cook up your peppers and onions early and warm them later. But don’t make or cook the beef patties until last minute—they taste way better fresh.