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  1. Food and Cooking
  2. Recipes
  3. Breakfast Burger

Breakfast Burger

There's crispy, golden hash browns smashed right into the patty.

By Sarah HoldenPublished: Jan 17, 2025
Star FillStar FillStar FillStar FillStar Fill
5
2 Ratings
Arrow Circle Down IconJump to recipe
the pioneer woman's breakfast smash burger recipe
William Dickey
Yields:
2 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
30 mins

Start your morning with a loaded breakfast burger! Inspired by the famous Oklahoma onion smash burger, this towering breakfast sandwich features hash browns that are fried until crisp in bacon fat, and then pressed into sausage and beef patties as they cook on the griddle. Served on a buttery brioche bun, each burger is piled high with smoky bacon, a perfect fried egg, and melting American cheese. Add a squirt of ketchup, and a dash of hot sauce if you like it spicy. Hearty and satisfying, this is just the recipe for a weekend brunch or to relish before a noon kickoff on game day!

Find more burger recipes here.

Why do you press down on the burgers?

The best part of this burger is the frilly, crispy ring around the edge of the patty, which is created when the meat is pressed onto the hot surface of the griddle. There are lots of burger presses on the market that can be used to smash the burgers, but simple kitchen tools like a stiff spatula and a coffee mug or measuring cup (to help you press down) work great too. The goal is to smash the patties until they are very flat and evenly thin.

Why should the burger balls be cold?

Chilling the burger balls helps the patties hold their shape and keeps them from falling apart during cooking. If you want to work ahead, form the burger balls up to a day in advance and refrigerate them in an airtight container until ready to cook.

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Ingredients

  • 8 oz. ground beef (80/20)
  • 4 oz. pork breakfast sausage (hot or mild)
  • 3 slices bacon, halved crosswise
  • 1 cup frozen shredded hash browns
  • Vegetable oil, for the pan
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 slices American cheese
  • 2 brioche buns, split and toasted
  • 1 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • Ketchup, for serving
  • Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

    1. Step 1In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef and breakfast sausage. Shape into 2 equal balls, place on a plate, loosely cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. 
    2. Step 2On a griddle or in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan. 
    3. Step 3Increase the heat to medium, add the hash browns in 2 piles (1/2 cup each), and let cook, pressing down on the piles with the back of a large (non-slotted) spatula so they come into contact with the pan and spread slightly, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. If the pan looks dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Flip, and let cook 1 minute more, then place a ball of meat on top of each hash brown pile. Working one at a time, place a spatula on top of the meat and use a coffee mug or large measuring cup to press down on the spatula and smash the patties very flat. Season with salt and pepper and let cook until the bottom of the burger and hash browns are golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Flip, press down with the spatula again to make sure the burger has full contact with the hot pan, and cook 1 minute more. Top each patty with a slice of American cheese, cover, and let melt, about 1 minute. Then transfer the patties to the buns. 
    4. Step 4Wipe out the pan. Add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes for medium sunny-side up eggs. 
    5. Step 5Top the burgers with the bacon and eggs. Spread the tops of the buns with ketchup. Serve with hot sauce, if you like.

Love This Recipe? Try One of These Next!

  • Sausage Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches
    1 hr 15 mins
  • Everything Burgers
    30 mins
  • Eggs in Hash Brown Nests
    1 hr 45 mins
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