Patty Melt – Sandwich with Beef Patty and Fried Onions Recipe
A patty melt is something between a burger and a toasted sandwich – a beef patty, cheese and deeply browned onions tucked between slices of rye or sandwich bread. In American diners it’s a classic quick, filling lunch, often served with a pickle and fries. The flavor is similar to a burger, but thanks to the fried bread it’s more buttery and crispy.
A patty melt combines the best parts of a burger and a grilled cheese: juicy beef, lots of melted cheese and sweet, deeply browned onions, all in buttery, crispy bread. It’s simple diner food that feels indulgent and satisfying.
Chef's tips
Shape the patties slightly larger than the bread slices, as they shrink while cooking. Take your time with the onions – slow cooking brings out their sweetness and gives the sandwich much more flavor. Fry the sandwiches over medium, not high heat so the bread has time to crisp while the cheese melts.
How to serve
Serve cut in halves with pickles, fries or potato wedges. It also goes well with coleslaw or a simple green salad to balance the richness.
Ingredients
- ground beef - 400 g
- rye bread (or sandwich bread) - 6 slice
- yellow cheese (e.g. cheddar or gouda) - 6 slices
- onion (large) - 2 piece
- butter (for frying the onions and sandwiches) - 40 g
- vegetable oil (for frying the patties) - 1 tablespoon
- salt (for the meat and onions) - 0.75 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoon
- mustard (optional, for spreading on the bread) - 2 teaspoon
Preparation
- Peel the onions, cut them in half and slice into thin half-moons.
- In a large frying pan, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and golden. If they start to burn, reduce the heat and add 1–2 tablespoons of water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
- In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 3 portions and shape flat patties the size of the bread slices – they will shrink slightly during cooking.
- In a second pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the patties for 3–4 minutes on each side, until well browned on the outside and cooked through. Set aside on a plate to rest for 2–3 minutes.
- If you like, lightly spread the bread slices with mustard on the inner side.
- On each of 3 slices of bread, place a slice of cheese, then a beef patty, a portion of fried onions and another slice of cheese. Top with a second slice of bread.
- In the pan used for the onions (or a clean one), melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook for 3–4 minutes on one side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden and crispy.
- Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the second side is browned and the cheese inside is fully melted. If the bread browns too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Let the finished sandwiches rest for a minute, then cut them diagonally and serve immediately.
Storage
Patty melts taste best fresh, but if you have leftovers, cool them completely, wrap tightly and store in the fridge. Reheat in a pan over low heat or in the oven so the bread crisps up again and the cheese melts.
For me, a patty melt is pure diner nostalgia – the smell of toasted bread, onions and melted cheese is hard to beat. It’s a great way to turn basic ground beef and bread into something that feels like a treat.
