Fried Egg Burger Recipe
This fried egg burger is exactly what I want from a handcrafted burger—a pan-seared beef patty topped with a fried egg, cheese, and toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 4 slices American cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 4 red leaf lettuce leaves
- Peeled red onion slices
- 8 tomato slices
- Sliced pickles
- 4 toasted hamburger buns
- burger sauce
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Form the ground beef into 4 equal-sized patties. Season them with salt and pepper.
- Add a few tablespoons of oil to a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Heat for 1 minute.
- Place the burgers onto the griddle or skillet and cook for 2 minutes untouched. Flip over, place on the cheese, and cook for an additional 1 minute to 90 seconds or until browned and cooked through. It’s ok to cook these in batches if there is no room. This is also when I toast the buns. I add them to the sides of the burgers and cook them in the rendered fat until toasty.
- Remove the burgers and set them to the side on a plate.
- Add in the butter a medium-sized non-stick pan and heat over medium heat until melted and slightly popping.
- Crack in the eggs and cook for 30 to 45 seconds per side for over-easy eggs. Add 30 to 45 seconds more for over-medium and 2 minutes per side for over-well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the burgers by adding lettuce to the bottom toasted buns and layering with tomatoes, onions, pickles, cheeseburger patty, fried egg, sauce, and top toasted bun.
Notes
When you want to fry an egg for a burger, the magic is in nailing the yolk consistency. For a runny, over-easy yolk, cook the egg for 45 seconds on one side, then 20 to 25 seconds on the other. A jammy, over-medium yolk, cook for 90 seconds per side. For a fully set, over-hard yolk, cook for 2 to 2 ½ minutes per side. Check out my guide on How to Perfectly Fry an Egg Every Time for even more tips on frying eggs.
Cook the burgers in batches: If your pan doesn’t fit all four patties comfortably, cook them in two batches instead.
No-flip fried egg method: If you’re worried about flipping the egg and breaking the yolk, I have a trick for you. Baste the egg with a spoonful of hot, melted butter and cover the pan with a lid during the last 20 to 30 seconds of cooking. This way, the steam will gently cook the top of the egg without flipping it.
For the juiciest burgers: Shape the patties gently and press your thumb into the center of each one to make a small dimple. This prevents tough or dense burgers from puffing up as they cook. Also, do not press on the patties while cooking, or else all of the flavorful juices will leak out.
Assemble your burger strategically: Start with lettuce on the bottom bun to prevent the bread from getting soggy. Then, layer on the tomato, onion, and pickles, followed by the cheeseburger patty, fried egg, burger sauce, and the top bun.
Make-Ahead: I sometimes form and season the burger patties up to 24 hours in advance to streamline the assembly process. The burger sauce and toppings can also be prepped ahead. Keep everything in separate containers in the fridge until it’s time to eat.
How to Store: Refrigerate any leftover burger patties for up to 3 days. Fried eggs are best served fresh but can be stored in a separate container for up to 2 days. Keep extra burger buns on hand and prepare fresh toppings as needed.
How to Reheat: Reheat the burger patties in a skillet over medium heat until warmed. If you're in a hurry, microwaving the patties in 20-second intervals also works. Leftover fried eggs are tricky to reheat without overcooking the yolk, but a quick 10-second zap in the microwave will warm them up.
Nutrition
Calories: 858kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 34gFat: 69gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 710mgPotassium: 609mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2335IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 339mgIron: 5mg