Patty Melts

Patty Melts

These patty melts are a delicious burger option with Swiss cheese melted over the patty, topped with caramelized onions and the best burger sauce on rye bread.

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Four patty melts cooking on an electric griddle with a blue and white striped towel in front.

What is a Patty Melt?

Simply put, a patty melt is a burger made with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions on rye bread. The bread is griddled and toasted once the sandwich is assembled, melting the cheese over the patty and the onions and turning it into one delicious meal. So simple, but so good!

Ingredients for patty melts on a cutting board - sliced onions, burger patties, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Onions on a Patty Melt

Patty melts are not complicated. Caramelizing the onions is the task that takes the longest to do, but it’s so worth it. You can learn all about how to caramelize onions here, but it’s really not hard. It just requires a little patience, but the best things in life are worth waiting for. 

Onions and burger patties cooking on an electric griddle.

Sauce for Patty Melts

You can put whatever condiments you like on your patty melts because you’re the one eating them. Mayonnaise is a common choice, along with ketchup, mustard, pickle relish – whatever you like. I personally like the Best Burger Sauce, which really is a combination of all of the above. You can find the recipe for the Best Burger Sauce here, but basically it is mayonnaise, half as much ketchup as mayo, half as much mustard as ketchup, a little pickle, a little pickle juice and a pinch of paprika. It’s delicious and is worth having extra of so you can dip your fries into it.

Assembling patty melts with rye bread slices, burger sauce, cooked burger patties and Swiss cheese.

Assembling Patty Melts

When assembling the patty melts, think about glue. Cheese is glue. You want to glue your sandwich together, so after buttering the outside of the bread, put some sauce on each slice of bread, then cheese, then burger patty, then onions, then more cheese (to glue the onions and the bread to the burger), then the top slice of bread. Then they are ready for the griddle (or skillet).

A patty melt on a white plate with fries next to a stein of beer and more patty melts on a board.

What to Serve with Patty Melts

It’s your dinner so you really can serve patty melts with anything you like, but fries would be delicious. Coleslaw would also be a good option. Or, maybe just a few pickles on the side would make you happy. You deserve to be happy. 

 

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Patty Melts

Nutrition Info Print Recipe
  • Prep Time: 10 m
  • Cook Time: 40 m
  • Total Time: 50 m
  • Servings:
    4
    people

Ingredients

  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 slices rye bread
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 4 tablespoons Best Burger Sauce or plain mayo
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and toss them in the butter. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size of the inside of the skillet. Place the parchment paper on top of the onions as they cook to partially trap the moisture. Cook over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to pick up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. When the onions have browned and caramelized, remove them from the pan and set aside.
  2. While the onions cook, season the ground beef with the Worcestershire sauce, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the meat into 4 portions and gently shape each portion into a patty about the same size as your bread.
  3. Heat a griddle (or large skillet) to medium-high heat. Cook the burger patties for about 5 minutes on each side and then transfer them to a plate.
  4. Assemble the patty melts by spreading some butter on one side of 8 slices of bread. Flip the slices over and spread some Best Burger Sauce on the bread slices. Top four of the slices of bread with a slice of the cheese and place a burger patty on top of the cheese. Top the patties with onions, the remaining slices of Swiss cheese and finish with the remaining bread slices, sauce side down.
  5. Wipe down the griddle or skillet and heat to medium low heat. Grill the patty melts for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
  6. Let the burgers rest for a few minutes before serving. Cut the patty melts in half and serve them hot and juicy. Be sure to grab some napkins too!
Enjoy,
If you made this recipe, please add your comments and ratings below.

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Comments (2)Post a Reply

  1. 5 stars
    Patty Melts are one of my favorite burgers and I make them often. I just tried your recipe and loved it too. Thanks so much for posting – but I only make 1 at a time cause there is only me to cook for.

    Reply

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