Egg Burger
intro
Juicy cheeseburger topped with a runny-yolk fried egg, stacked on a toasted brioche bun for a fast, satisfying, protein-packed meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Form beef patties
Divide 680 grams of 80/20 ground beef into 4 equal 170-gram portions. Gently shape each portion into a 10cm-wide patty slightly larger than your brioche buns, pressing a 1cm shallow dimple in the center of each to prevent bulging during cooking. Season both sides of every patty evenly with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Toast brioche buns
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of unsalted butter and swirl the pan to coat the surface evenly once melted. Place the cut sides of the 4 brioche buns face-down in the skillet. Toast for 1 to 1.5 minutes until the cut surfaces are golden brown and crisp at the edges, then transfer buns to a clean plate and set aside.
Sear beef patties
Increase the skillet heat to medium-high (190°C/375°F). Add the seasoned beef patties to the pan, cooking in 2 batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan (which causes steaming instead of searing). Cook for 3 minutes on the first side until a deep, caramelized brown crust forms, then flip each patty. Top each flipped patty with one 20-gram cheddar cheese slice immediately, and cook for 2 more minutes for medium doneness (internal temperature 71°C/160°F). Transfer cooked patties to a plate to rest for 2 minutes.
Fry sunny-side eggs
Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of unsalted butter and swirl to melt and coat the pan. Crack 4 large eggs directly into the skillet, spacing them at least 2cm apart to prevent sticking together. Season eggs with the reserved 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes until egg whites are fully opaque and set, but yolks remain bright and runny (add 1 extra minute of cook time for firm, fully set yolks if preferred).
Assemble burger bases
Spread 1 tablespoon (15ml) of mayonnaise evenly across the cut surface of each toasted bottom bun. Layer 1/4 cup (17.5 grams) of shredded iceberg lettuce, one 30-gram tomato slice, and 2 dill pickle slices on each dressed bottom bun, then place one rested cheddar-topped beef patty directly on top of the vegetable layers.
Top and serve burgers
Place one fried sunny-side-up egg directly on top of each beef patty, then set the toasted top bun in place. Press down gently on the center of each burger to slightly break the egg yolk, allowing it to run and coat the patty and vegetable layers, then serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.Let cooked patties rest for 2 minutes before assembly to allow meat juices to redistribute, which prevents soggy bottom buns and keeps every bite juicy.
3.Avoid overcrowding the skillet when searing patties; cook in two batches if your pan is too small to fit all 4 patties with 2cm of space between them for even browning.
OMG this is exactly the egg burger I used to get at my hometown diner after high school football games! The runny yolk dripping down the patty? *Chef’s kiss* My husband ate two in one sitting last night, said it’s better than the takeout we usually order on Fridays. Game changer for weeknight dinners!
Made these for my three kids’ after-school soccer practice potluck and every single parent asked for the recipe! I added a little extra pickles on mine per my usual, but the egg really takes a regular cheeseburger to a whole new level. SO good, even my super picky 7 year old cleaned his plate!
Really solid recipe! Super easy to throw together even after a long day at work, only took me 18 minutes total which matches the cook time almost exactly. I knocked a star off because I overcooked my first egg (rookie move) but the second one was perfect. Tastes just like the burger I get at the little diner by my office.
Added this to my weekly meal prep rotation! I cook the patties ahead, keep them in the fridge, and fry up a fresh egg each morning when I assemble the burger for lunch. Way cheaper than hitting the diner on my lunch break, and it tastes way fresher too. 10/10 would recommend to anyone needing easy lunch ideas.
I was so skeptical that a home-cooked burger could taste like actual diner food, but wow? The trick with smashing the patty thin on the cast iron? Total game changer. I added a slice of American cheese and a dollop of special sauce, and my roommate thought I ordered delivery from the bodega down the street. Obsessed!
Made these for our college football tailgate last weekend and they were a HIT. Everyone kept coming back for seconds, even the guy who swears he ‘doesn’t eat eggs on burgers.’ The cook time is so short I was able to crank out a dozen of these without missing a single play.
I worked at a small town diner for 22 years, and let me tell you— this recipe is dead on. The buttered bun, the thin smashed patty, the over-easy egg with just a little salt and pepper? Tastes exactly like what we used to sling on Saturday mornings for the regulars. Great job!
Finally a recipe that doesn’t require 100 fancy ingredients! All I had to pick up from the grocery store was ground beef and eggs, I already had the buns and cheese in my dorm kitchen. So easy to make between study sessions, 10/10 for broke college kids.
Really good base recipe! I added a few slices of jalapeño and a drizzle of hot honey on mine to give it a little kick, and it was chef’s kiss. The egg cuts the heat perfectly so it’s not too overwhelming. Next time I’ll probably add a little bacon too for extra crunch.
Made this for my boyfriend for our at-home date night last week and he is still raving about it! I served it with crispy tater tots and a milkshake, just like we get at our favorite diner, and he said it was better than going out. Will definitely be making this again for our next date night in.
Great recipe! I swapped the regular bun for a gluten-free brioche bun and it worked perfectly. The egg didn’t slide off or make the bun soggy even with the runny yolk, which is usually my biggest complaint about burger recipes. Super easy, minimal cleanup too.
This is the first recipe I’ve ever made that didn’t turn out burnt or totally messed up! I was so nervous to cook the egg but I followed the directions exactly and it came out perfect. My roommates said it looked like it came from a restaurant. I feel like a real chef now lmao.
I’m the guy who complains that every homemade burger is missing that ‘diner X factor’ and let me tell you— this recipe has it. I don’t know if it’s the American cheese melting into the crevices of the smashed patty or the runny egg mixing with the ketchup and mustard, but this is perfect. No notes.
Super tasty! I made mine with a turkey patty instead of beef because that’s what I had in the freezer, and it still turned out really good. The egg adds so much moisture that even the lean turkey didn’t taste dry. Will make again, maybe with beef next time for the full diner experience.
We added these to our Sunday brunch spread last weekend and they were gone in 10 minutes! We set up a little topping bar with grilled onions, pickles, cheese, hot sauce, and let everyone build their own. Perfect for brunch because it’s savory, filling, and way more fun than regular pancakes or eggs benedict.
Made this at 1am after a night out with friends and it hit DIFFERENT. Better than any fast food run we could have made, took 20 minutes total, and we didn’t even have to leave the house. 10/10 drunk food, 10/10 sober food too, honestly.
I live in a tiny studio apartment with just a single electric burner and no fancy cookware, and I still pulled this off! I used a regular non-stick pan instead of a cast iron and it still got that nice crispy crust on the patty. Proof you don’t need a fancy kitchen to make good food.
Taste was great! I just made a mess when I was smashing the patty and got grease all over my stovetop, lol. Next time I’ll remember to use a spatula with a little weight on it instead of pressing too hard. My kid still thought it was the best burger ever, so I can’t complain too much.