Hamburger Patty (Extra Juicy)
This is my new go-to Hamburger Patty recipe, made with lean ground beef, cottage cheese, and a few simple favorings. The addition of cottage cheese keeps the beef burger patties juicy and holds them together while adding some extra protein. This recipe is egg-free and gluten-free.
My latest personal cooking challenge involved making ground beef burgers entirely from scratch. I wanted to create a high-protein, but not-too-greasy burger, without compromising on taste. These cottage cheese hamburger patties ticked the box alongside my yogurt burger buns, and a fresh pickle sauce – challenge complete and I found a new patty recipe that I hope you’ll love as much as I do.
Don’t miss some handy tips about ingredients and the method below the recipe.
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Hamburger Patty
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese full-fat
- 1/4 cup yellow onion finely diced, about 1/2 onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all burger patty ingredients until well combined using your hands or a large spoon.1 lb ground beef, 1/3 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup yellow onion, 1 garlic clove, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Divide the mixture into 4 equally-sized portions. Shape 4 hamburger patties by rolling them into a ball first and gently flatten them into 2 1/2 inch discs that are about 1/2 inch high. Gently press a dimple into the middle of the patty using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon to prevent it from getting too round when being cooked.
Pan-Fry Method
- To pan-fry the patties, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a frying pan or skillet. Add the burger patties and cook them on each side for 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).1 tbsp olive oil
BBQ Method
- To grill the burger patties, preheat the grill on medium-high heat. Brush the patties with olive oil on both sides. Place the patties on the grill and cook them on both sides for 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).1 tbsp olive oil
- Rest the ground beef patties for 5-10 minutes for the juices to distribute before assembling your burgers or serving them as a high-protein side.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beef – I use lean ground beef with 10% of fat. Ground chicken or turkey would work well too.
- Cottage cheese – Full-fat cottage cheese gives the patties a rich flavor and ensures the water content isn’t too high. I haven’t tried using lighter options.
- Garlic and onion – Minced fresh garlic and finely chopped onion add savory flavors to the patties. You can use 1/2 tsp of garlic and onion powder instead.
Key steps when making hamburger patties
1. Mix all ingredients well until you have a well-combined hamburger mixture. You can blend the cottage cheese before adding it in but I prefer having curd studded patties.
2. Shape the patties into 2 1/2 inch discs that are about 1/2 inch high. Pan-fry or grill them for 4 minutes on each side. You can add an indent before cooking to prevent them from bunching up but don’t press down on them while cooking or you’ll lose all the juices.
My top 5 burger patty tips
- Room temperature: Remove the ground beef from the fridge for at least 30 minutes before making the patties. This helps them cook more evenly.
- Finely chopped: For evenly flavored patties, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Indent: Press a shallow indent into the center of each patty before cooking. This prevents them from bulging in the middle as they cook.
- Let them rest: After cooking, let your burger patties rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- Meal prep: Double or triple your batch of patties and freeze the cooked ones for easy single-serve burgers or as a high-protein side later on.
