Loaded Smash Burger Bowls (Printable)
Smash burger flavors in a bowl with crispy potatoes, fresh toppings, and creamy special sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crispy Smashed Potatoes
01 - 1 ½ lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Smash Burger Beef
06 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend preferred)
07 - 1 tsp salt
08 - ½ tsp black pepper
09 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
→ Special Sauce
10 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
11 - 2 tbsp ketchup
12 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
13 - 2 tsp pickled relish
14 - 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
15 - ½ tsp garlic powder
16 - ½ tsp onion powder
17 - Pinch of paprika
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
19 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
20 - 1 large tomato, diced
21 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
22 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
23 - Dill pickle slices (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the baby potatoes and cook for 12–15 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well and let cool slightly.
03 - Arrange the boiled potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Using a flat spatula or the bottom of a glass, gently press each potato to flatten it into a smashed disk.
04 - Drizzle the smashed potatoes with olive oil and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Roast for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy on the edges.
05 - While the potatoes roast, season the ground beef with salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl. Gently form into 4 equal, loosely packed balls without overworking the meat.
06 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, place the beef balls onto the hot surface and smash firmly with a spatula to flatten into thin patties. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickled relish, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Divide the crispy smashed potatoes among 4 serving bowls. Layer each with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sliced red onion, dill pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese. Crumble or lay the cooked burger patties over the top and drizzle generously with special sauce.
09 - Serve immediately while hot and enjoy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get every single flavor of a smash burger without needing a grill or a bun, which makes weeknight cooking so much easier.
- The special sauce is the kind of thing you will start putting on everything from fries to sandwiches once you taste it.
- Crispy smashed potatoes are basically nature is perfect vehicle for carrying cheese and sauce into your mouth.
- It comes together in under an hour and feeds four people who will all think you spent way longer than you did.
02 -
- Do not skip the flipping step on the potatoes because the bottom gets soggy if you leave them on one side the whole time.
- Your skillet needs to be genuinely hot before the beef hits it or you will never get that caramelized crust that makes smash burgers worth eating.
- The sauce tastes even better if you make it first and let it sit in the fridge while you cook everything else.
- Assemble the bowls right before serving because the lettuce wilts fast under hot potatoes and beef.
03 -
- Let the boiled potatoes dry out for five minutes before smashing because excess steam is the enemy of crispiness.
- Press the burger patties thin enough that they look almost too flat because they will shrink and thicken as they cook.