Smash Burger Salad
Are you tired of lettuce wrapped burgers and trying to trick your mind into thinking you are eating a thick juicy burger from your favorite burger joint? It’s just not the same. Heck, you might as well just have a salad. This Smash Burger Salad just might fit the bill to help cut the carbs and still leave you feeling satisfied.
Unlike other cheeseburger salads you may have seen that just use browned ground beef, this recipe calls for a true smash burger patty.
What makes a smash burger better? A good smash burger has a crispy flavorful brown crust and is topped with a good melty cheddar cheese.
Choosing Your Ingredients
- Ground Beef – The beef choice is important. I recommend a quality 80/20. The extra fat content will help create that mouth-watering crispy crust and keep it a juicy burger.
- Greens – When I think of a hamburger I prefer crisp Iceberg lettuce but you can use romaine or your favorite salad mix.
- Thick Cut Bacon – No explanation needed. Everything is better with bacon!
- Yellow Onion – I like to use very thinly sliced onion and cook them right on the smash burger to add even more flavor to the crispy brown crust.
- Cheddar Cheese – A good quality cheddar cheese helps get the perfect melt on the burger patty. You could also substitute with your favorite cheese such as american cheese, spicy pepper jack, or a smokey gouda.
- Tomato – Diced tomato is another classic burger topping.
- Pickles – Classic dill pickles are a great option but my favorites are sweet and spicy pickles.
- Fried Onion Strings – If you love croutons on your salad these crispy onions will add a nice crunch. If you want to leave off the fried onion strings another great topping on any salad is pickled red onions. Check out my super simple Pickled Red Onion Recipe!
- Burger Sauce Dressing – A classic burger sauce makes for the perfect salad dressing. You can find my recipe for Classic Burger Sauce here.
Cooking a Smash Burger
The great thing about smash burgers besides the intense flavor is that they cook super fast. I cook my burgers on my Blackstone Flat Top Griddle but you can also cook them in a heavy pan on the stovetop.
The Smash – The key to a perfect smash burger is in the name: you need to smash that patty down onto the hot griddle or skillet. Start by putting down a little cooking on a nice hot cooking surface. Form the beef into small 4-ounce, loose balls.
Using a sturdy spatula or burger press flatten the balls of beef into thin patties. You want to get a good sear on each side, so do be afraid to press down hard.
Cook for about 1-2 minutes, until you have a nice crust forming on the bottom side.
Add Onions – Before flipping the burger top with thinly sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper or your favorite burger seasoning. Now we are ready to flip and continue to cook another 1-2 minutes.
Get Cheesy – Once flipped top the patty with your favorite melty cheese. American and cheddar are classic choices but a spicy pepper jack or a smokey gouda all work great.
Building the Salad
Greens – Start with a base of your favorite lettuce.
Toppings – Next add your favorite burger toppings. I started with diced pickles and tomatoes. Of course a proper burger will need some crispy cooked bacon, crumbled and sprinkled on top. Lastly, I like to add some crunchy fried onion stings which act like salad croutons.
Burger – Slice the smash burger patty lengthwise and place on top of the salad.
Dressing – You can choose any dressing that compliments the ingredients you choose to add to your salad. I think a rich, tangy, creamy burger sauce is the perfect dressing for this smash burger salad.
Enjoy your Smash Burger Salad!
Smash Burger Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef. 80/20 , 4 oz balls
- 1 head Iceberg Lettuce , chopped
- 1 med Onion , thinly sliced
- 1 lg Tomato , diced
- ½ cup Diced Pickles
- 6 slices Thick Cut Bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 4 slices Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Fried Onion Strings
- ¾ cup Burger Sauce
Instructions
- Start by heating up a flat top griddle or a heavy pan over high heat.
- Divide the ground beef up into 4 oz loose balls.
- Lightly coat the griddle or pan with cooking oil.
- Place the beef balls on the hot surface and using a heavy spatula or burger press, flatten the balls of beef into thin patties. Tip: Place a piece of parchment pater over the beef ball before pressing to prevent sticking to the spatula.
- Add a generous amount of sliced onion to the top of each burger patty and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook 1-2 minutes until a nice crust forms on the bottom of the patty.
- Flip the patty over and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160℉.
- After flipping the burger add a slice of cheese to each patty. If possible, cover the patties to help melt the cheese.
- Assemble the salad by adding the lettuce to a bowl as a base. Top with the diced pickle, diced tomato, and fried onion strings.
- Slice the burger patty lengthwise and place on top of the salad.
- Dress the salad with the homemade burger sauce.
- Now enjoy your Smash Burger Salad!
