I made Ina Garten's caramelized-onion cheeseburgers, and the easy recipe is perfect for Memorial Day

Erin McDowellMay 29, 2024, 09:14 IST

I tried making Ina Garten's recipe for caramelized-onion smash burgers and they were easy and delicious.Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I made Ina Garten's smashed cheeseburgers with caramelized onions.
The recipe only calls for a few ingredients and you don't even need to fire up the grill.

Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, I decided to try one of celebrity chef Ina Garten's cheeseburger recipes.

Ina Garten has come up with multiple different burger recipes during her decades-long career. The recipe for smashed hamburgers with caramelized onions called to me because of its simplicity — a number of the ingredients I needed were already in my pantry, which helped me save money on buying supplies and was a testament to Garten's flair for simple yet delicious recipes.

Here's how to make Ina Garten's caramelized-onion cheeseburgers.

This recipe only requires a few basic ingredients, including onions.

Red onion slices.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I added 2 tablespoons of canola oil into a large nonstick pan over medium heat and then added the onions.

Red onion slices cooking.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

While the onions were browning, I began preparing the burgers themselves.

A package of lean ground beef.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

To make the burgers, you season the meat with Colman's mustard powder, black pepper, and kosher salt.

Colman's mustard powder, black pepper, and kosher salt.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I mixed the ground meat and seasonings in a glass mixing bowl.

Ground beef in a glass bowl.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I shaped the meat into four burger patties and placed them on a plate in the freezer, per Garten's instructions.

The burger patties in the freezer.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

After adding a teaspoon of sugar to the onions and letting them caramelize for a few minutes, I added a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

Red wine vinegar.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

After less than a minute, my onions were lightly caramelized and ready to add to the burgers.

Caramelized onions.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I heated up a couple of tablespoons of oil in my trusty cast-iron skillet and waited for the burgers to be done in the freezer.

Oil in a cast-iron skillet.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I placed the burger patties down in the cast iron and made sure not to move them once they made contact.

Burger patties.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

To put the "smash" in "smash burger," I pressed down firmly on my burgers with a spatula.

Burger patties.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

After the burgers had cooked on one side for three minutes, becoming perfectly crispy, I flipped them over and added my toppings.

The hamburgers cooking in the cast-iron skillet.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

After about two minutes, my burgers were done.

The finished burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

When I cut into the burger, it was perfectly medium rare.

The finished burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The burger blew me away — it was juicy and flavorful, and the onions added the perfect amount of sweetness.

The finished burger.Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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I made Ina Garten's caramelized-onion cheeseburgers, and the easy recipe is perfect for Memorial Day

This recipe only requires a few basic ingredients, including onions.

I added 2 tablespoons of canola oil into a large nonstick pan over medium heat and then added the onions.

While the onions were browning, I began preparing the burgers themselves.

To make the burgers, you season the meat with Colman's mustard powder, black pepper, and kosher salt.

I mixed the ground meat and seasonings in a glass mixing bowl.

I shaped the meat into four burger patties and placed them on a plate in the freezer, per Garten's instructions.

After adding a teaspoon of sugar to the onions and letting them caramelize for a few minutes, I added a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

After less than a minute, my onions were lightly caramelized and ready to add to the burgers.

I heated up a couple of tablespoons of oil in my trusty cast-iron skillet and waited for the burgers to be done in the freezer.

I placed the burger patties down in the cast iron and made sure not to move them once they made contact.

To put the "smash" in "smash burger," I pressed down firmly on my burgers with a spatula.

After the burgers had cooked on one side for three minutes, becoming perfectly crispy, I flipped them over and added my toppings.

After about two minutes, my burgers were done.

When I cut into the burger, it was perfectly medium rare.

The burger blew me away — it was juicy and flavorful, and the onions added the perfect amount of sweetness.