How to Cook Hamburgers in the Oven
on Oct 22, 2024, Updated Jan 06, 2025
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The easiest way to cook hamburgers in the oven, resulting in even, juicy patties every time. No stovetop splattering and easy cleanup!
There is nothing like a grilled burger, for sure, but sometimes that is not in the cards. Maybe it’s winter, maybe it’s raining, maybe you don’t have a grill, maybe you need to make a lot of burgers for a crowd and have them all ready at the same time. Hamburgers baked in the oven are the answer — juicy, sizzling, beefy, almost completely hands-off. And suddenly, you can have anywhere from 2 to 2 dozen burgers hot and ready to serve!
Cooking burgers in the oven is probably the easiest way to cook burgers of all time. No grease splattering all over the stovetop, no crusty pan to scrub (make sure you line your baking sheet!), and you can do other things while the burgers are in the oven. And no need to flip the patties! If you have a favorite burger recipe you can use this cooking method to cook your burgers in the oven.
Baked hamburgers go with everything that any burger goes with. Think french fries (sweet potato fries are awesome!), classic potato salad, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. And of course hamburger buns and all the toppings your heart desires!
Table of Contents
How to Cook Hamburgers in the Oven: The easiest way to bake hamburgers, resulting in even, juicy patties every time. No stovetop splattering and easy clean up!
Ingredients for Baked Hamburgers
- Ground beef – I prefer 85/15 or 90/10 for baked hamburgers, slightly leaner than the type of ground beef I use for grilling burgers.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper – To taste.
- Buns
- Toppings – Other than the basic burger toppings, see below for some other suggestions!
Variations
- You can season your oven-baked hamburgers simply with salt and black pepper, as written, or play with any burger seasonings. You can find plenty of premixed burger seasonings at the market, but you can also make your own.
- Think about blending in a mix of 1/2 teaspoon of each granulated garlic, dried onion flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika, plus 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to one pound of ground beef.
- You can use other meat instead of ground beef, such as ground pork or turkey. Use meat that is not too lean for the best, juiciest results.
How to Cook Hamburgers in the Oven
- Prep the oven, pan, and beef: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Blend the beef with the salt and pepper in a bowl using your hands.
- Form the burger patties: Divide the ground beef mixture into 4 equal amounts. Using a gentle touch, mold the meat into patties 1/2 inch thick.
- Make a depression: Form a depression in the center of each patty by using your thumb to press into the center of the burger, at least halfway into the burger. The depression should be about 1 inch in diameter.
Kitchen Smarts
See How to Make Hamburger Patties for more details on forming great burgers!
- Bake: For burgers done medium well, bake for 12 to 15 minutes (an internal temperature of 155 degrees F).
- Add cheese: If you want to make the burgers into cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese atop each burger for the last 1 minute of baking.
- Top and serve.
FAQs
While I usually use 80/20 when grilling burgers, when I’m baking them, I usually go for 85/15 or even 90/10. Fat does equal flavor, but the lean ground beef won’t exude as much grease. That means the burgers won’t simmer in their own fat, which makes clean-up even easier.
This is one of those times when American cheese is just a total classic and not to be snubbed. However, you can definitely use another thinly sliced hard cheese like provolone, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or cheddar cheese. Or, add some crumbled cheese like blue cheese or feta.
I like to bake burgers at 400 or 425 degrees so the outside gets nicely browned as the burger cooks. Lower oven temperatures will get you a fully cooked burger, but not one as appealingly caramelized on the outside.
Tips
- Line the pan with foil or parchment paper. For the easiest cleanup, cover the pan completely with aluminum foil, wrapping it over the edges, then lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the foil.
- Make sure there are at least 2 inches between the burgers so the air can circulate easily around them as they bake.
- You can use a wire cooling rack in the rimmed baking sheet. The wire rack will allow more fat to drip off, but will also create “grill” marks on the bottom of the burgers.
- Remember that burgers will continue to cook for a bit after they come out of the oven, especially if you leave them on the hot baking sheet. Take them out just as they are cooked through to your preference.
- You can toast hamburger buns in the oven if you like; just put them in the oven on a separate baking sheet, cut side up, for the last few minutes of baking time.
Kitchen Smarts
See How to Grill the Perfect Burger for more notes on how to cook the burgers exactly to your liking, whether that’s rare, medium-rare, medium, or medium-well.
Burger Toppings
Obviously, you can stick to the basics: ketchup, mustard, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and onions. But if you want to have a little fun with these burgers, let’s go!
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Pickled Onions
- Caramelized Onions
- Gluten-Free Crispy Fried Shallots
- Oven-Baked Bacon
- Sliced Avocado
Storage
Leftover burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or in a microwave.
What to Serve With Baked Burgers
More Burger Recipes
- Southwestern Vegan Black Bean Burgers
- Chipotle Barbecue Turkey Burgers
- Deviled Burgers
- Spanish-Style Lamb Burgers with Romesco Sauce
- Buffalo Turkey Burger Sliders
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Baked Hamburgers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Blend the beef with the salt and pepper in a bowl using your hands. Do not squish the meat as you mix it.
- Divide the ground beef into 4 equal amounts, 1/4 pound or 1/2 cup each. Using a gentle touch, mold the meat into 1/2-inch thick patties. Try not to overwork, compress, or squish the meat, which could cause your burgers to become dry or tough when cooked.
- Form a depression in the center of each patty by using your thumb to press into the center of the burger, at least halfway into the burger. The depression should be about 1-inch in diameter.
- For burgers done medium well, bake for 12 to 15 minutes (an internal temperature of 155 degrees F). If you want to make the burgers into cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese atop each burger for the last 1 minute of baking.
- Add your favorite topping on the burger and bun and serve.
Super easy to make and came out just as good if not better than when I’ve tried to make them on the grill. Delicious!
Great tips, thanks!