Cast Iron Skillet Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Cooking burgers in a cast iron skillet with cheese and onions.

5 from 3 votes

Cast Iron Skillet Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Cast Iron Skillet Burgers are juicier than anything off the grill! The burgers hit the hot skillet and start to sizzle. The fat comes out, and instead of dripping down into your grill, gone forever, it settles around the burger, essentially braising in its own juices! A crispy seared crust forms without ever drying out. Add caramelized onions cooked in that same fat and melty cheddar, and this 20-minute weeknight stovetop dinner beats summer grilling every time!

Prep Time8

Cook Time12

Total Time20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 568kcal

Author: Meryl Downing

Equipment

cast iron skillet

Ingredients

1 to 1½ pounds ground beef (80/20)
1 teaspoon whole grain dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 grinds fresh black pepper
1 small onion sliced
4 slices Cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
Burger Toppings - lettuce, tomato, refrigerator pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, avocado, etc

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix beef, dijon, Worcestershire, salt and pepper by hand and form into 4 equal patties. Adjust your beef amount if you are serving more or less than 4 people. While the burgers cook, warm buns in the oven at 350°.
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear the burgers in the HOT skillet, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Really use your judgement here, depending on how rare or well done you like them and how big you made them. If you used 1.5 pounds of beef for 4 burgers, you'll likely need 6 minutes per side.
Immediately after flipping the burgers, add onions to the grease around the burgers, season with a pinch of salt and toss them around a bit. Top your burgers with cheese right away after flipping to allow plenty of time to melt.
When burgers are cooked to desired doneness and cheese is melted, pile the onions on top with tongs and assemble with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Make sure your skillet is preheated and nice and hot! - Like an outdoor grill, you want your skillet preheated and HOT! This gives your cast iron burgers a nice sear, sealing in the juices and giving you a crispy crust!
Timing - If your burgers are done but the onions need more time, just remove the burgers to a plate and keep cooking the onions.

Nutrition