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My Juicy Lucy Burger recipe is easy to make in under 30 minutes! These cheese stuffed burgers are the juiciest burgers ever and so delicious. I'll show you how to make Juicy Lucy burgers in a pan on the stove or on the grill!
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The first time I tried a Juicy Lucy cheeseburger, I knew I had to come up with my own recipe for Juicy Lucy burgers to make at home. These decadent, cheese-stuffed burgers are crispy yet tender, perfect for pairing with baked potato wedges and my famous burger sauce. Print a copy of my Burger Temperature Guide, and let me show you how to make some amazing Juicy Lucy cheeseburgers!
Juicy Lucy Burger Ingredients Notes
- Ground Beef: You'll want to use 80/20 for this burger- "juicy" is in the name, after all! 80/20 ground beef binds together better and makes for a burger less likely to break while cooking.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A little worcestershire sauce adds tang that helps offset the richness of the beef and melted cheese.
- Burger Seasoning: A must-add for all burger recipes! Seriously, keep extra on hand; it totally transforms burgers and makes them so much more flavorful!
- Garlic: A few cloves of minced garlic melt into these burgers, making them almost like garlic toast in burger form.
- American cheese: The star of the show! I use sliced deli-style American cheese, not the plastic wrapped singles. They melt incredibly and have a perfectly rich, mild flavor. You can also use mild cheddar cheese.
- Hamburger buns: Use your favorite buns! I like to avoid buns with too much buttery flavor for Juicy Lucy burgers, as the patty itself is so rich.
- Optional Toppings:
- Tomato slices
- Lettuce
- Red onion
- Dill pickles
- Ketchup
- Mustard
How to Make Juicy Lucy Burgers
1: Slice Cheese
Stack all of the cheese slices and cut into 4 squares. Then arrange into 4 stacks with 6 slices each. Depending on how thick your cheese slices are, you may need fewer per stack.
2: Mix Meat
In a large bowl combine ground beef, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and burger seasoning until well combined.
3: Form Patties
Form into 8 thin patties, each slightly larger than a slice of cheese. With your thumb, form an indent in the center of the 4 patties.
4: Add Cheese
Place one small cheese stack in the center of a beef patty, then cover with another patty (without an indent) and tightly pinch the edges together to seal around the cheese. Repeat with the remaining cheese and beef patties. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
5: Cook Burgers
Spray your burgers with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Cook patties until well browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side, or cooked to your preference.
6: Rest and Serve!
Remove from the grill and rest for at least 3 minutes for the cheese to rest. Serve your patties on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Tips for Making Juicy Lucy Cheeseburgers
- Juicy Lucy burgers rely on cheese that melts easily and smoothly, so I recommend a nice, smooth cheese like American or mild cheddar. You can also use Swiss for a stuffed mushroom swiss burger!
- Once the patty is on the heat, don't move it! While a normal burger can be flipped around a bit, these ones can easily burst. Let them cook!
- Because the cheese needs to fully melt, you cannot cook these burgers rare or medium-rare. They will always be medium or more well done. Nobody wants to bite into cold, hard cheese in their stuffed burger!
- Toast those buns! Just pop them on the grill or griddle for a few minutes to get a good toast. It's worth it!
- These are the only burgers I don't recommend checking with a meat thermometer. Piercing the meat will leave openings to the insides for the cheese to leak out.
Isabel's Top Tip
Be gentle with these burgers! Because they're stuffed, too much poking and prodding can cause them to break and make a big mess. Cook them for a nice long time to ensure they're fully cooked and totally melted; these burgers cannot be medium-rare, and must be well-done.
Storing and Reheating Stuffed Burgers
Due to the cheese stuffing, juicy lucy burgers don't store well; it's difficult to get the cheese to melt without over-heating the rest of the burger. For that reason, these burgers are best enjoyed fresh off the grill!
If you do have leftovers, I recommend storing them in the fridge in an airtight container and reheating them in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes. Check with a knife or temperature probe to see if the cheese has melted before serving.
Juicy Lucy Burger Variations
- Pepper jack Popper Burger: Stuff the burger with pepper jack cheese, then layer it with sliced jalapeno poppers for a spicy pepper popper burger!
- Mushroom Swiss Stuffed Burger: Swap the cheese for your favorite melty Swiss (I like baby swiss) and top the burger with sauteed mushrooms and onions!
- Tomato Mozzarella Burger: Stuff the burger with mozzarella cheese, then top it with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato slices, fresh basil, and a healthy drizzle of balsamic reduction!
- Make them with quality Wagyu beef for a truly luxurious treat!
What to Serve with Juicy Lucy Burgers
- Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Air Fried Mushrooms
And of course, don't forget a vegetarian burger option, like my Portobello mushroom burgers!
FAQ
Any good, melty cheese will work great! I recommend using sliced cheese, not shredded, as it will hold its shape better. My favorites are American, Swiss, and mild Cheddar cheese. Aged cheeses will not melt well, and aren't recommended.
Absolutely! You can make these burgers with any sort of ground meat. Just make sure you work the ground meat well enough that it's not likely to break or shatter.
Absolutely! You can form the patties ahead of time, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and keep them very cold until it's time to get cooking.
Juicy Lucy Burger
Video
Equipment
- grill pan or Grill
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Ground beef - 80/20
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Burger seasoning
- 2 cloves Garlic - finely minced
- 6 slices American cheese
- 4 Hamburger buns
Instructions
- Stack all of the cheese slices and cut into 4 squares. Then arrange into 4 stacks with 6 slices each.6 slices American cheese
- In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and burger seasoning until well combined.1½ lbs Ground beef,1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce,1 Tablespoon Burger seasoning,2 cloves Garlic
- Form into 8 thin patties, each slightly larger than a slice of cheese. With your thumb, form an indent in the center of the 4 patties.
- Place one small cheese stack in the center of a beef patty, then cover with another patty (without an indent) and tightly pinch the edges together to seal around the cheese. Repeat with the remaining cheese and beef patties. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Spray your burgers with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Cook patties until well browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side, or cooked to your preference.
- Remove from the grill and rest for at least 3 minutes for the cheese to rest. Serve your patties on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!4 Hamburger buns
Notes
- Juicy Lucy burgers rely on cheese that melts easily and smoothly, so I recommend a nice, smooth cheese like American or mild cheddar. You can also use Swiss for a stuffed mushroom swiss burger!
- Once the patty is on the heat, don't move it! While a normal burger can be flipped around a bit, these ones can easily burst. Let them cook!
- Because the cheese needs to fully melt, you cannot cook these burgers rare or medium-rare. They will always be medium or more well done. Nobody wants to bite into cold, hard cheese in their stuffed burger!
- Toast those buns! Just pop them on the grill or griddle for a few minutes to get a good toast. It's worth it!
- These are the only burgers I don't recommend checking with a meat thermometer. Piercing the meat will leave openings to the insides for the cheese to leak out.
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