These are the best sausage smash burgers with caramelized onions stuffed into the patty, topped with gooey, melty Jarlsberg cheese, homemade pickles, and crunchy sprout slaw!
Smash burgers take juicy ground meat and slam it into a hot skillet for a fun variation of a classic American cheeseburger. You’re going to love them!
There aren’t many things that bring my family to the table with smiles on their faces more than burgers, and maybe spaghetti. Some days, when I’m tempted to run to our local burger joint for takeout, I remember this sausage smash burgers recipe, and it’s no contest. Homemade is ALWAYS better, in my (humble) opinion, and these burgers are the best!
After smashing them in the skillet, I assembled my sausage burgers between toasted brioche slices, topped with crunchy sprouts slaw and refrigerator pickles for the ultimate diner experience at home.
Why These Smash Burgers Are the Best Burgers
- Juicy sausage burger patties. I mix caramelized onions right into the burger meat, and the results are incredibly juicy, flavorful finished burgers. I love savory pork sausage in this recipe, but you can absolutely swap it for any meat you prefer, like beef or turkey.
- Homemade pickles and slaw. My refrigerator pickles need only 3 ingredients, and they’re ready in an hour. I promise you’ll reuse this homemade pickles recipe over and over again, from sandwiches to salads. Then, it’s a matter of mixing up shaved Brussels sprouts with a little mayo and garlic for the crunchy slaw. Easy!
- Adaptable. Like any burger recipe, these smash burgers are completely customizable. Brush the patties with barbecue sauce, swap the bun, and change the toppings. You can go the traditional lettuce and tomato route, borrow the bacon and avocado from my California burgers, or adapt this recipe as you’d like.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below are some notes on my sausage smash burger ingredients. These burgers don’t need anything particularly fancy to taste gourmet, which is just one more reason I love this recipe! Scroll down to the printable recipe card after the post for the complete recipe details and amounts, followed by step-by-step instructions with photos.
- Ground Sausage – I use the Jimmy Dean® Original Sausage for these burgers, but any ground meat will work. You can also use ground beef or chicken, or make turkey burgers.
- Onions – The best onions for caramelizing are yellow onions. Since we’ll be combining the onions with the burger meat, I recommend finely dicing them as opposed to slicing.
- Oil – This can be extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil, like canola.
- Butter – To add flavor to the caramelized onions. You can also use ghee (clarified butter) or skip the butter and use extra oil instead.
- Brioche Bread – Or your choice of bun for your burger. I love the sweetness of brioche for a little something different. You can swap it for classic hamburger buns, pretzel buns, or another type of bread roll, like ciabatta.
- Tomatoes – Good options are Roma tomatoes or any larger tomatoes, sliced.
- Cheese – I use shredded Jarlsberg cheese, but any shredable, melty cheese works, such as cheddar, Monterey, or Colby Jack, gouda, etc.
Easy Homemade Burger Toppings
I make the pickles on these burgers AND the cool and crunchy sprout slaw from scratch. You’ll find the full ingredient lists in the recipe card along with step-by-step instructions afterward, but this is a quick overview of what you’ll need for each:
Refrigerator Pickles
- Sugar – Granulated sugar works best here.
- Vinegar – I use apple cider vinegar and water for the brine, but you could also make these pickles with red or white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar.
- Cucumber – Sliced. If your cucumber has a lot of seeds, I recommend removing them.
Sprout Slaw
- Brussels Sprouts – Chop or shave the Brussels sprouts (like you would for a shaved Brussels sprouts salad). You can replace Brussels sprouts with shredded cabbage for a more classic coleslaw if you prefer.
- Mayonnaise – You could substitute mayo with Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, or sour cream if you’d like.
- Garlic Paste – I always have some in the fridge! You can also finely mince or smash fresh garlic cloves.
Recipe Tips
- Short on time? Feel free to swap in your favorite store-bought pickles and coleslaw in place of the homemade versions I use here.
- Keep the meat mixture loose. Well, loose-ish. The key to tender burgers (and meatballs, for that matter) is not to overpack or overhandle the meat, and this is especially true with smash burgers. Divide and gently shape the sausage mixture into balls, but don’t overmix the ingredients or roll the balls too tightly, or the burgers will turn out tough.
- Hands off! Once you’ve smashed the sausage burgers in the pan, try not to move them. Flip once halfway through the cooking time, but that’s it. Too much flipping and movement causes the juices to leak out, leading to dry burgers.
- Check the burgers for doneness. The pork sausage smash burgers in this recipe are done cooking when the juices run clear and the outside is nicely seared. You can also use an instant-read meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the patty reaches 160°F.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. If you’re planning on having leftovers, do your best to store the various ingredients (burger patties, sprout slaw, and pickles) in separate airtight containers in the fridge. They’ll last for 2-3 days. I don’t recommend storing the assembled burgers for later, as the bread becomes soggy.
- Reheat. When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, reheat the burger patties in a skillet or the microwave (you can add shredded cheese while reheating if you’d like). Give the slaw a stir, and then assemble the burgers as usual.
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Make the pickles. Combine sugar, vinegar, and water in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add cucumber slices. Refrigerate for an hour before use. The cucumbers will be tender yet still have texture.
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Prepare the slaw. Combine Brussels sprouts, mayonnaise, and garlic paste in a mixing bowl; mix well and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
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Caramelize the onions. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and butter, and cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often until the onions are tender. Drain and reserve excess butter to toast the bread slices. Set the onions aside or in the fridge until cooled.
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Toast the bread. Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Toast 2 slices of bread until desired doneness; repeat with remaining ingredients and set aside.
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Char the tomatoes. In the same skillet, heat the tomato slices until a slight charring occurs, and set aside.
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Prepare the burger patties. Combine the sausage and caramelized onions in a mixing bowl. Divide the sausage mix into 4 equal parts and roll into individual round ball shapes.
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Smash the burgers. Using the same skillet, smash the sausage into the skillet with a flat spatula until you have your desired thickness.
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Cook. Cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until the natural juices run clear.
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Add cheese. Top with the shredded cheese and let it melt before removing from the skillet. You can cook the patties all in the same skillet or two at a time.
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Assemble. Layer the burger between toasted bread with tomatoes, pickles, and slaw. Serve.
Serving: 1burger | Calories: 875kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 965mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1592IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Smash Burgers
A cast iron skillet or griddle works perfectly here. Make sure it’s preheated before you smash the burgers. This shouldn’t be a problem, since we’re caramelizing the onions, toasting the bread, and searing the tomatoes all in the same pan before we get to the burgers! Let’s get started.
First, Prepare the Toppings
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll often prepare the pickles, sprout slaw, and onions a day ahead of cooking the burgers, and keep them covered in the fridge. It’s a great way to save time! Here’s how to make them:
- Make the pickles. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Afterward, take the pot off the heat, stir in cucumber slices, and place your soon-to-be pickles into the fridge for an hour.
- Prepare the slaw. Meanwhile, shave the Brussels sprouts using a mandoline or food processor, and then toss them with mayo and garlic. Pop that into the fridge, too, until it’s time to assemble the burgers.
- Caramelize the onions. Next, take out your skillet and heat up a little oil. Add the onions and butter, and cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until the onions are browned and tender. This can take up to 30 minutes, but it’s important not to rush the caramelization process, so stick with it. Afterward, drain the onions but save the leftover butter for toasting the bread.
- Toast the bread. Return a tablespoon of the onion butter to the skillet, and add your bread slices. I can usually fit two at a time, but adapt the number of slices to your pan. Toast the bread until it’s browned to your liking, and then set it aside.
- Char the tomatoes. Last but not least, place your tomato slices into the skillet and leave them to cook until they’re lightly charred on each side. Move them to a plate afterward. It’s time to make your burgers!
Make the Burgers
When you’re ready to smash some burgers, follow the steps below:
- Prepare the burger patties. Mix the sausage with the caramelized onions until it’s evenly combined. Then, divide and shape the mixture into 4 even-sized, loosely packed balls.
- Smash the burgers. In the same skillet you used to caramelize the onions, smash the burger patties onto the hot surface using a flat spatula. You may need to cook the burgers in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Sear the patties over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Add cheese. Finally, melt shredded cheese over the seared burgers before removing them from the skillet.
- Assemble. Place a cheesy burger over one toasted bread slice, then layer on the tomatoes, pickles, and slaw. Close the top with another bread slice and repeat with the other smash burgers, then dig in!
