Meatloaf Burgers take everything you love about a meatloaf dinner and shape it into patties: tender beef seasoned with onion, garlic powder and oregano, a browned crust from the skillet, and a glossy, sweet-and-tangy brown sugar ketchup glaze on top. They make an easy weeknight burger night. The recipe serves 4.
How to make meatloaf burgers: Mix the beef with onion, egg, cracker crumbs, seasonings and ketchup, shape 4 patties and brown them in a hot skillet over medium heat. Flip, spoon on the glaze right away and cook about 5 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick: 25 minutes start to finish, including the rest.
- More crust, more glaze: every patty gets its own browned edges and its own layer of brown sugar ketchup topping.
- Pantry ingredients: ground beef, an onion, an egg, saltine crackers, ketchup and brown sugar.
- Bun or plate: serve them as burgers, or next to mashed potatoes and green beans like a classic meatloaf dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: One pound makes 4 burgers.
Saltine cracker crumbs: Half a cup, about 12 crackers, crushed. Dry bread crumbs or Italian breadcrumbs can take their place in the same amount.
Egg: One large egg helps bind everything together.
Onion: Half a cup, chopped, which is about half a small onion.
Ketchup, twice: 1/3 cup goes into the meat, and another 1/3 cup is stirred with 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar to make the glaze.
Seasonings: Dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper season the mix.
Buns: Plain hamburger buns work, and so do potato or brioche buns.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped (about 1/2 a small onion)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs (about 12 crackers), or dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup ketchup, for the patties
- 1/3 cup ketchup, for the glaze
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, for the glaze
- 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, for the skillet
- 4 hamburger buns (or potato or brioche buns)
- Lettuce, tomato and pickles, sliced, for topping (optional)
How to Make Meatloaf Burgers
1. Mix gently. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, egg, cracker crumbs, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and 1/3 cup of the ketchup. Mix with your hands just until everything is combined; do not overwork or squeeze the mixture.
2. Shape the patties. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape each one into a patty about 4 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick.
3. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, stir the remaining 1/3 cup ketchup and the brown sugar together until smooth.
4. Brown the first side. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the patties in the skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Turn the heat down a little if they brown too quickly.
5. Flip and glaze. Flip the patties and right away spoon the glaze over the tops. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until a thermometer in the center of each patty reads 160°F.
6. Rest and serve. Move the patties to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve them on the buns with lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Skillet, Oven or Grill: Cooking Meatloaf Burgers
The egg helps bind a meatloaf patty, but it still does not hold up on a grill as well as a plain hamburger patty. That is why the skillet is the main method here, with the oven and the grill as options when you need them.
| Method | Heat | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Skillet | Medium heat, a little oil | 5 to 7 minutes, flip, about 5 minutes more |
| Oven | 400°F, on a wire rack | 30 to 35 minutes, then a couple of minutes under the broiler |
| Grill | 350°F over indirect heat, then hot coals | About 15 minutes, then 2 minutes per side |
Skillet. Use a pan at least 12 inches across so all 4 fit in a single layer; if yours is smaller, cook them in batches. Let the patties sit undisturbed until the bottoms are deep golden brown before you flip them. You can set the lid on slightly ajar, which lets a little steam escape.
Oven. This is the hands-off way: no standing at the stove. Set the patties on a wire rack over a baking sheet so the grease runs away from them instead of pooling underneath. Spread the glaze over the tops before they go in. Cooking time depends on how thick you shape the patties, so start checking at 30 minutes and give them longer if they need it. Finish them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
Grill. Start the patties over indirect heat, then move them over hot coals and sear them for 2 minutes per side to build a crust and finish cooking. Let them rest a few minutes before serving.
Whichever way you cook them, check the center of a patty with an instant-read thermometer before serving, just as in step 5.
Tips for Success
Why are my patties smaller than the buns?
Burgers shrink as they cook. Shape each patty slightly wider than your buns, and it will fit once it is done.
When should the glaze go on?
As soon as you flip the patties. Spooned on then, the glaze has time to heat up and cook into the tops a bit during the last few minutes in the pan.
Variations
- BBQ glaze: swap the brown sugar glaze for equal parts ketchup and BBQ sauce with a little mustard stirred in.
- Mushroom topping: after the patties come out, add 8 ounces of cremini mushrooms sliced 1/3 inch thick to the same skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up the browned bits, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, and spoon them over the burgers.
- Sautéed onion: cook the chopped onion in a little olive oil over medium heat until soft and lightly caramelized, and let it cool slightly before mixing it into the beef.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Freeze the patties on their own, without buns or toppings; FSIS lists mayonnaise and lettuce among foods that don’t freeze well. Thaw them in the refrigerator, then reheat them covered until they reach 165°F. In the microwave, cover them, turn them partway through and check the temperature in more than one spot.
What to Serve With It
Set out pickles, mayonnaise, mustard and extra ketchup for the burgers, or skip the bun and serve each patty on a leaf of Bibb lettuce. For a classic meatloaf plate, pair them with garlic Parmesan mashed potato cups and Texas Roadhouse copycat green beans. For burger night, add baked garlic Parmesan potato wedges, baked beans or a salad. When you want the whole loaf, there is old-fashioned Momma’s meatloaf. For another beef patty from the skillet, try patty melts with secret sauce or hamburger steaks with onion mushroom gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use meatloaf mix for burgers?
Yes, and that is what meatloaf burgers are. A seasoned meatloaf mixture shapes into patties that pan-fry in about 10 minutes, a lot faster than a whole loaf bakes.
What is the difference between a meatloaf burger and a meatloaf sandwich?
A meatloaf sandwich is traditionally made with slices of leftover meatloaf. Meatloaf burgers skip the loaf: the mix goes straight into patties, which you serve on buns or between two slices of your favorite bread.
What kind of ground beef is best for meatloaf burgers?
Lean ground beef is what this recipe uses. Ground chuck that is 80% lean works too, and so does a mix of 80/20 ground beef with 93% lean ground beef.
Can I make meatloaf burgers ahead of time?
Yes. Mix the meat, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or up to 10 hours, then shape and cook the patties.
Final Notes
For toasty buns, brush them with melted butter and put them under the broiler until golden while the patties rest. If you have a question or make these, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Meatloaf Burgers
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion chopped, about 1/2 a small onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs about 12 crackers, or dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup ketchup for the patties
- 1/3 cup ketchup for the glaze
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar for the glaze
- 1 to 2 tablespoons oil for the skillet
- 4 hamburger buns or potato or brioche buns
- lettuce, tomato and pickles sliced, optional, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, egg, cracker crumbs, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and 1/3 cup of the ketchup. Mix with your hands just until everything is combined; do not overwork or squeeze the mixture.
- Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape each one into a patty about 4 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick.
- In a small bowl, stir the remaining 1/3 cup ketchup and the brown sugar together until smooth.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the patties in the skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Turn the heat down a little if they brown too quickly.
- Flip the patties and right away spoon the glaze over the tops. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until a thermometer in the center of each patty reads 160°F.
- Move the patties to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve them on the buns with lettuce, tomato and pickles.
