Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Beef: 1 pound 80/20 ground beef, divided into 8 loosely packed 2-ounce balls
- Seasoning: 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Cheese: 4 slices American cheese
- Hash browns: 1 pound russet potatoes, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Eggs: 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, pinch of salt and pepper
- Buns: 4 brioche or potato burger buns, split, plus 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles, 1 teaspoon pickle brine, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional toppings: 1/2 cup dill pickle chips, 2 tablespoons sliced scallions or chives
Do This
- 1. Stir together the burger sauce and refrigerate while you cook.
- 2. Grate, rinse, and squeeze the potatoes very dry. Toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- 3. Cook 4 hash brown patties in oil and butter over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side; keep warm in a 200°F oven.
- 4. Butter and toast the buns on a skillet or griddle at 325°F to 350°F for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 5. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle to 425°F to 450°F. Smash beef balls very thin, season, cook 90 seconds, flip, add cheese to 4 patties, and cook 45 to 60 seconds more.
- 6. Fry eggs sunny-side up in butter over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until whites are set and yolks are runny.
- 7. Assemble each burger with sauce, hash brown, 2 beef patties, American cheese, a fried egg, pickles, scallions, and the top bun. Serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Breakfast-meets-burger comfort: Crispy hash browns, a runny fried egg, melty American cheese, and juicy beef all stacked on a toasted bun.
- Big crispy edges: The smash technique creates deeply browned, lacy beef edges that taste like the best diner griddle burger.
- Home-cook friendly: Everything is cooked in a skillet or on a griddle, with clear times and temperatures to help you nail each layer.
- Ultra-satisfying: This is a hearty brunch, breakfast-for-dinner, or weekend treat that feels special without being complicated.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 pound russet potatoes, scallions or chives, dill pickle chips, dill pickles
- Meat & Eggs: 1 pound 80/20 ground beef, 4 large eggs
- Dairy: 4 slices American cheese, unsalted butter
- Bakery: 4 brioche or potato burger buns
- Pantry: Mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickle brine, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, neutral oil such as avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
Full Ingredients
For the Burger Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle brine
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Crispy Hash Browns
- 1 pound russet potatoes, about 2 large potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided if needed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Smash Burger Patties
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef, kept cold until ready to cook
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 slices American cheese
For the Fried Eggs
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Buns and Assembly
- 4 brioche or potato burger buns, split
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for toasting buns
- 1/2 cup dill pickle chips, optional but recommended
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chopped chives, optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the burger sauce and set up your station
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, finely chopped dill pickles, pickle brine, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the recipe. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Preheat the oven to 200°F and place a wire rack on a sheet pan. This will keep the hash browns warm and crisp while you cook the beef and eggs. Set out your buns, cheese, pickles, scallions, spatula, parchment paper, and a sturdy metal burger press or heavy spatula before turning on the griddle.
Step 2: Shape the beef into loose balls
Divide the cold ground beef into 8 portions, 2 ounces each. Gently roll each portion into a loose ball; do not pack the meat tightly. Loose beef smashes more easily and creates more craggy, crispy edges.
In a small bowl, combine the 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Keep the beef balls refrigerated until your cooking surface is fully hot. For the best texture, season the patties after smashing rather than mixing the salt into the beef ahead of time.
Step 3: Grate, rinse, and dry the potatoes
Grate the russet potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the shreds to a bowl of cold water and swish for 30 seconds to remove excess surface starch. Drain well, then pile the potatoes into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly until very dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispy hash browns, so take an extra minute here.
Transfer the dried potato shreds to a bowl. Add the cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss until the potato shreds are evenly coated. Divide into 4 loose mounds, each about the size of your burger buns.
Step 4: Cook the hash browns until golden and crisp
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the surface reaches about 375°F, or until a potato shred sizzles immediately when it touches the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.
Add the 4 potato mounds and press each into a compact round or square patty about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on the first side, without moving them, until deeply golden brown. Flip carefully, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if the pan looks dry, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until the second side is crisp and golden.
Transfer the hash browns to the prepared wire rack and keep them warm in the 200°F oven while you toast the buns and cook the burgers.
Step 5: Toast the buns
Spread the cut sides of the buns with the softened butter. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat, about 325°F to 350°F. Place the buns cut-side down and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden around the edges. Remove to a plate.
Toasted buns are important here because they add flavor and help hold up to the juicy beef, runny egg yolk, and sauce.
Step 6: Smash and sear the beef patties
Increase the heat under a cast-iron skillet, carbon-steel pan, or flat griddle until the cooking surface reaches 425°F to 450°F. A very hot surface is what creates the signature crispy-edged smash burger crust. Work in batches if needed so the patties have room to spread.
Place 2 to 4 beef balls on the hot surface, leaving several inches between them. Immediately place a small square of parchment paper over each ball and press straight down with a heavy spatula or burger press until the patty is about 1/4 inch thick. Hold pressure for 8 to 10 seconds, then lift off the parchment.
Season the patties evenly with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder mixture. Cook without moving for 90 seconds, until the edges are browned and lacy. Use a sharp metal spatula to scrape under each patty so you keep the crust attached, then flip.
Place 1 slice American cheese on 4 of the patties. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds more, until the cheese melts and the beef reaches 160°F. Stack each plain patty under a cheese-topped patty to make 4 double stacks. Transfer to a warm plate.
Step 7: Fry the eggs with runny yolks
Reduce the heat to medium-low and place a nonstick skillet over the burner. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until it foams but does not brown, about 30 seconds. Crack in the eggs, spacing them apart.
Cook sunny-side up for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites are set and opaque but the yolks are still runny. If the tops of the whites need help setting, cover the pan for 30 to 45 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. For a firmer egg, cook for 1 additional minute or flip and cook over-easy for 20 to 30 seconds.
Step 8: Assemble the breakfast smash burgers
Spread a generous spoonful of burger sauce on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add one crispy hash brown patty, then one double smash burger stack with the melted American cheese facing up. Place a fried egg on top of the cheese so the yolk sits in the center.
Add dill pickle chips and a sprinkle of scallions or chives, if using. Spread a little more sauce on the top bun, close the burger gently, and serve immediately while the beef edges are crisp, the cheese is melty, the hash browns are hot, and the egg yolk is still runny.
Pro Tips
- Use 80/20 beef: Leaner beef will not brown or stay as juicy. The fat helps the patties fry against the hot surface and develop crispy edges.
- Do not smash after flipping: Smash only once, right at the beginning. Pressing after the flip squeezes out juices.
- Dry the potatoes aggressively: The drier the grated potatoes, the crispier the hash browns. A clean kitchen towel works better than paper towels.
- Scrape, do not simply lift: Use a sharp metal spatula to scrape under the patties so the browned crust comes with the meat instead of sticking to the pan.
- Build in the right order: Sauce on the bottom, hash brown next, beef and cheese, then egg. The hash brown acts like a crispy barrier and keeps the bun from getting soggy too quickly.
Variations
- Spicy breakfast smash burger: Add 1 tablespoon hot sauce to the burger sauce and top each burger with pickled jalapeños.
- Bacon diner version: Add 2 crisp bacon slices to each burger and reduce the added salt slightly, since bacon and American cheese are both salty.
- Maple breakfast twist: Stir 1 teaspoon maple syrup into the burger sauce and serve with a few extra-crispy hash brown bits on top.
Storage & Make-Ahead
This burger is best eaten immediately after assembly, especially because of the crisp hash browns and runny fried egg. To prep ahead, make the burger sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container. The potatoes can be grated, rinsed, dried, and refrigerated in a towel-lined container for up to 4 hours before cooking. Beef balls can be portioned up to 24 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
Store leftover cooked patties and hash browns separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat hash browns in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes, and reheat beef patties in a skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side. For the best texture, fry fresh eggs right before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 1040 kcal | Carbs: 64g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Sodium: 1780mg | Cholesterol: 350mg
