Diner-Style Patty Melt Recipe

Hoca · Oct 29, 2024

Patty Melt

You don’t have to go to a diner to enjoy a Patty Melt—whip them up at home yourself with this easy recipe! We’re bringin’ the rye bread, the sautéed onions, and the melty Swiss, but it’s the juicy, flavorful patties that will really knock your socks off. Order up!

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Why You’ll Love This Classic Patty Melt Recipe

Diner-Style at Home. Like Smash Burgers, patty melts are very much about technique. This recipe adapts the diner cooking method for home cooks. You’ll feel like you’re at your favorite greasy spoon (minus the slowly spinning carousel of desserts).
30-Minute Dinner. If you see “diner-style” and “this sounds complicated,” fear not! This patty melt recipe comes together in 30 minutes, from slicing the onions to sliding those beautiful toasty burgers onto plates. (This Tuna Melt Recipe is another easy diner fave to cook at home.)
The Total Package. I don’t know who had the audacity to take a ground beef patty and put it on rye bread instead of buns, skip all the toppings except piles of jammy onions and cheese, and toast the whole thing on the griddle as if it’s a grilled cheese sandwich, but it WORKS. Thank you, brilliant stranger.

How to Make a Patty Melt

The Ingredients

Lean Ground Beef. I used 90% lean.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. My little trick for making lean ground beef patties extra juicy.
Worcestershire Sauce. The umami bomb that packs a flavor punch.
Onion Powder. Adds oniony flavor to the patties without little bits of onion.
Butter. Key to the deliciousness of a classic patty melt.
Yellow Onion. Thin slices cook down soft and jammy.
Sturdy Rye Bread. Seeded rye bread is THE bread for a patty melt, but if you’re partial to a marble rye, I’m not going to stop you.
Cheese. Swiss is your classic option, but sharp white cheddar is also delish.

The Directions

Mix the Meat. Use your hands. Just go for it. Form 3 oval patties (basically, you want them to fit on a slice of bread shape-wise).
Cook the Patties. Melt half the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook only one side of the patties until browned. Transfer to a plate.

Start the Onions. Sauté the onions in the patty drippings with the remaining salt. Cook them until they’re tender and nicely browned.

Finish the Patties. Reduce the heat to medium and add the patties back to the skillet, with the uncooked side resting on top of the onions. Cook until the patties reach 135 degrees F and transfer to a (new) plate.

4 slices of bread on cutting board, with 2 topped with cheese

Build Your Patty Melts. Set out half the bread slices, add half the cheese, the patties, the onions, and then the remaining cheese and bread.

Toast Them Up. Wipe the skillet clean, return it to medium heat, and toast the sandwiches in the remaining butter until they’re golden brown and the cheese is melty.

Finish. Slice and ENJOY!

Patty melt halves stacked on cutting board

What to Serve with a Patty Melt

Fries. You can’t go wrong with Homemade Fries, but Sweet Potato Fries and Air Fryer Potato Wedges are also delish.
Chips. Air Fryer Potato Chips, or a handful of chips from a bag to keep it easy. For a healthier option, try these crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips.
Coleslaw. Tangy, crunchy slaw is an excellent balance to the richness of a patty melt. I love this Healthy Coleslaw, which is made with Greek yogurt.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don’t Overwork the Meat. When forming your patties, be careful not to overwork the meat, which will make the burgers tough. Mix just until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Grate Your Own Cheese. Skip the slices, skip the store-bought shreds and buy a block of cheese to shred yourself. It will be much meltier and gooey-er that way.
Keep Them Warm. To keep the sandwiches warm between batches, place the finished patty melts on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree F oven while you toast the remaining sandwiches.
Bonus Points: Caramelize the Onions. If you have time, you can caramelize the onions instead of quickly sautéing them. Cook the onions over low heat, stirring every 10 minutes at first and then every 5 minutes as the onions start to brown; add a splash of water if the onions start getting dry. Proper caramelization can take up to an hour, but it’s so worth it!

Two patty melt halves stacked on top of each other

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Patty Melt

With golden brown onions, toasty rye bread, and melty cheese, this patty melt recipe is a diner-style classic you can easily make at home!
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 3 sandwiches
Calories 713kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef I used 90% lean
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1 large yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
6 slices sturdy rye bread
1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese or sharp white cheddar, divided

Instructions

To keep the sandwiches warm between batches, preheat the oven to 200°F.
In a large bowl, place the beef, oil, Worcestershire, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper. With your hands, gently combine. Divide meat into thirds and shape into 3 oval patties that are each about 6 at their longest part and x 4 inches across the center.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Cook the patties in a single layer on the first side until they are well browned, about 5 minutes (no need to flip them in the pan). Transfer to large plate, browned-side up. If needed, cook the patties in batches so they do not touch while browning.
To the pan with the patty drippings, add the onions and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are turning golden brown, about 8 minutes.
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. With a spatula, carefully transfer the patties to the skillet and place them on top of the onions, keeping the browned-side up. Pour in any juices that have collected on the plate around the patties.
Let the patties cook, shaking the pan every few minutes to loosen up the onions, until onions are tender and the burgers are cooked through; they should register at least 135°F on an instant read thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes. Note the burgers temperature will continue to rise and do not overcook or the patty melts will be dry. Remove the patties and onions to a plate.
Assemble the sandwiches: Place ¼ cup of shredded cheese on each of 3 slices of the bread. Top with patties, onions, remaining cheese, and the remaining 3 slices of bread.
With paper towels, carefully wipe the skillet fairly clean. Melt ½ tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches on both sides until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side (if your skillet is very large, use all the butter and cook all 3 at once). Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining ½ tablespoon butter and remaining sandwich. Slice and serve immediately.

Notes

TO STORE: Assembled patty melts do not keep well, so if you know you’ll have leftovers, store the patties and onions in the refrigerator, then assemble patty melts when you plan on eating them. The patties can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container, while assembled patty melts will keep for 1-2 days.
TO REHEAT: To reheat the patties and onions, place them in a skillet over medium heat and cook each side of the patties until warmed through, then assemble your burgers and toast them as directed in the recipe. If your patty melts are already assembled, heat them in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. You can use the microwave in a pinch, but it’s harder to reheat a sandwich or burger evenly.

Nutrition

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Diner-Style Patty Melt Recipe

Hoca

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Patty Melt

Email Me the Recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Classic Patty Melt Recipe