Ground Beef Burger (From-Scratch)
This from-scratch Ground Beef Burger is packed with protein thanks to a cottage cheese beef patty, fresh yogurt pickle sauce, and a soft hamburger bun made with Greek yogurt. Make everything from-scratch or just prepare the hamburger patty and pickle sauce. Either way, you’ll be able to enjoy extra juicy burgers at home following this recipe.
I love a from-scratch challenge and for this one, I wanted to create a beef burger from scratch that’s packed with protein without compromising on taste. I created this flavor-packed but not-too-greasy burger as a result.
For more details on each item, check out the individual recipes for my cottage cheese hamburger patty, pickle sauce, and yogurt hamburger buns.
Don’t miss some handy tips below the recipe.
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Ground Beef Burger
Ingredients Â
Ground Beef Patty
- 1 lb ground beef lean
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Burger Pickle Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup dill pickles diced, + 1 tbsp of pickle juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
To Assemble
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach or lettuce
InstructionsÂ
- If you're making the hamburger buns from scratch, you'll need to make the dough x hours beforehand. Add the proofed buns to the oven 30 minutes before starting the process for them to cool down a bit before assembling the burgers.4 hamburger buns
- To make the beef patties, add all ingredients except the oil to a large mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients by hand or with a spoon until you have a unified mixture.1 lb ground beef, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup yellow onion, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape patties that are about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Add an indent with the back of a spoon into the middle to prevent them from getting too round when cooking.
- To cook the hamburger patties, preheat a pan or the BBQ on medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan or brush the patties with oil if you're grilling them. Place them in the pan or on the grill and cook them for 4 minutes on the first side. Don't press down on them or you'll lose all the juices. Flip the patties and cook them for another 4-5 minutes until fully cooked or the internal temperature reaches 160F (71C). Remove the ground beef patties from the heat and let them rest for at least 10 minutes.1 tbsp olive oil
- Meanwhile, make the pickle sauce. Simply combine all ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste with extra pickle juice for more acidity, salt, and pepper.1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup dill pickles, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp fresh dill, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- If you're using store-bought hamburger buns, toast them briefly in the pan, on the BBQ, or in the oven.
- To assemble the ground beef burgers, add a generous dollop of pickle sauce to the bottom half of the burger bun, followed by the spinach or lettuce if using, and tomato slices. Add the patty and more pickle sauce on top and finish the burger with the top half of the bun. Repeat the process for the remaining 3 burgers. Serve immediately!1 large tomato, 1 cup baby spinach
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beef – I use lean ground beef with 10% fat but you can use a higher fat mix as well or ground the meat yourself in a food processor or meat grinder.
- Cottage cheese – Full-fat plain cottage cheese is best for maximum flavor and to ensure that the patty doesn’t get too watery. You can replace the cottage cheese with 1 egg and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs if needed.
- Flavorings – I prefer fresh onion and garlic for maximum flavor but you can use 1/2 the amount of onion powder and/or garlic powder if needed due to its higher concentration of flavor.
- Yogurt – I use my Instant Pot Greek yogurt to make the pickle sauce but any thick, plain yogurt
- Pickles – Make sure the dill pickles are not too sweet to ensure a fresh and tangy burger sauce.
- Hamburger buns – I use my yogurt hamburger bun recipe for this high-protein burger but any soft store-bought buns including brioche buns will work. My pretzel buns or yeast-free dinner rolls make good burger buns as well.
Step-by-step tips to make juicy beef burgers
1. Make sure you thoroughly combine the patty mixture to ensure they hold together nicely when cooked.
2. Pan-fry or grill the burger patties but make sure not to squish them when cooking or you’ll lose all the juices.
3. When assembling the burger, be generous with the sauce as you don’t want it to be dry. Toast the buns lightly in the leftover cooking oil in the pan, on the BBQ, or in the oven.
4. Assemble it just before serving so the vegetables don’t get soggy.
5. Once rested, place the patty on top of the vegetables.
6. Add more sauce if desired and push the top half down lightly to secure the stack. Enjoy immediately!
My top 3 beef burger variations
- Size down: This recipe makes 4 full-size burgers or 8 sliders as delicious appetizers or kids’ burgers. My Greek lamb sliders are a great example of that.
- Get saucy: Add your favorite burger sauce and condiments such as ketchup or mustard. I love adding homemade Dijonnaise for example.
- Spice it up: The yogurt sauce can take some heat so feel free to add red chili flakes to the patty or your favorite hot sauce such as harissa paste on top of the cooked patties.
