Juicy Lucy (Cheese Stuffed Burgers)
These easy Juicy Lucy cheese stuffed burgers are packed with melty American cheese, simple seasonings, and big diner-style flavor on a budget!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 702kcal
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Medium Skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs ground beef 80/20 or 85/15, $6.36*
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce $0.02
- 1 tsp salt $0.04
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.06
- 1 tsp garlic powder $0.08
- 6 slices American cheese quartered, (6 quarters per burger) $0.62**
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil $0.04
- 4 hamburger buns $0.73
- 12 pickle slices $0.62
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients.
- In a large bowl combine the ground beef with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Divide the ground beef mixture into 8 equal portions; they should be about 3 oz. each. Form into balls.
- Place parchment paper or plastic wrap over each ball of beef and flatten out with bottom of heavy skillet to form 8 thin patties.***
- Lay 4 slices of American cheese in a fan shape in the center of one patty, leaving a bit of space around the edges. Top with a second patty and pinch the edges to seal, making sure the cheese stays inside.
- Heat oil in a medium iron skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot and shimmering, place patties in the skillet, taking care not to move for 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side****.
- Transfer the burgers to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. While they rest, toast your buns in the same skillet.
- Serve the juicy lucy burgers with dill pickle slices and your favorite toppings and sauces. Enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
*Use ground beef with 15-20% fat (like 80/20 or 85/15), for juicy burgers that seal well around the cheese. Leaner meats like chicken or turkey can dry out and potentially split during cooking, causing the cheese to leak. They need a little extra care to stay juicy, so if you want to use poultry, try our chicken burgers or turkey burgers instead. Those recipes include added mix-ins to help keep the meat tender and moist!
**If American cheese isn’t your thing, you can swap in slices of cheddar instead. Just note the cook time may vary, and the cheese may not melt as well as American cheese. Also don't add extra cheese, tempting as it is, because overstuffed patties are more likely to split and leak!
***I use an iron skillet to flatten out my burgers but feel free to use a burger press if you have one.
****If you prefer your burger more well done, cook it for an extra 1-2 minutes per side. Ground beef should reach 160°F once cooked, but because the center is filled with cheese, the temperature can be tricky to check. Look for burgers that are deeply browned, firm around the edges, and no longer pink at the seams.
Grill directions: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the stuffed patties on the grill and cook for 3–5 minutes per side, or until the burgers are browned with grill marks and the cheese is melted in the center. Don’t press down on the patties as they cook, or the cheese may leak out. Transfer the stuffed burgers to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Toast the buns on the grill and serve with pickles and your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1juicy lucy | Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 49g | Sodium: 1473mg | Fiber: 1g