Mom’s Baked Butter Burgers | What’s Cookin’ Italian Style Cuisine

They’re easy to make and baked to perfection, topped with assorted vegetables, and we have several assembly topping suggestions, from melted provolone and marinara to loose sausage, peppers, and onion topping ideas below.

Back in the 1960s, the budget for food was tight; Mom always added a few other ingredients to make the beef go further, like bread crumbs.

These buttery-tasting burgers were always bursting with the flavor of garlic, onions, Merlot, sautéed mushrooms, and peppers, and occasionally in summer, when Dad had his garden she even added thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom of the pan.

Traditionally served on a hard roll, ciabatta rolls, garlic toast, or even in a grilled panini-style sandwich.

Some other favorites were Big Juicy Merlot Burgers, Garlic Parmesan Burgers, Chili Cheese Dog Topped Burgers, and her delicious Provolone Alfredo Burger.

She only used simple pantry ingredients, easy to make and perfectly seasoned, and of course, Italian-style butter burgers are still a favorite here.

Why You Will Love Baked Butter Burgers

• Here is exactly why you will love adding baked butter burgers to your dinner rotation:
• Unmatched Juiciness and Rich Flavor: Traditional burgers can easily dry out, but butter burgers: butter melts into the meat and stays moist.
• Totally Foolproof and Mess-Free: Grilling or stovetop searing can lead to uneven cooking, smoky kitchens, and grease splatters across your counters. I bake mine on parchment paper.
•  Baking your burgers provides a completely hands-off cooking method: you just shape the patties, set the timer, and let the oven do the work that makes time to make side dishes.
• Effortlessly Feeds a Crowd: When you are cooking for a family or hosting a gathering, flipping individual patties on a hot stove or grill means the chef is stuck working while everyone else eats. With the baked method, you can easily scale up to cook 8 to 12 burgers simultaneously on a single baking sheet or in a multi-slot pan. Every single burger finishes cooking at the exact same time. Plus, did I mention they make great sliders?
• Perfectly Melted Cheese Every Time: Achieving that restaurant-quality melty cheese that can be tricky on a grill. In the oven, you can simply turn off the heat, place a slice of your favorite cheese on top of each patty, and let the residual heat create a perfectly gooey, draped layer of cheese in just a minute or two.
• Ultimate Customization: Baked butter burgers serve as an incredibly versatile canvas. You can stick to the classic Wisconsin style on a toasted brioche bun with pickles and mustard, keep it low-carb and skip the bun, or dress them up with gourmet toppings like caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, or even any dipping sauce on top.

More Recipes to Try

Slow Cooker Guinness Corned Beef
Tuscan Grilled Steaks
Salisbury Steak Marsala
Grilled Steak in Chianti Butter

Other Topping Suggestions:

1. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni = pizza burger
2. Alfredo sauce and grated Parmesan = Alfredo burger
3. Sauteed mushrooms and a Splash of Marsala or Merlot wine = Marsala burger
4. Onions sautéed with mushrooms peppers, and sliced Italian sausage = Italian Sausage burgers
5.  Wisconsin Cheddar or American Cheese: Melts into a perfectly gooey layer that locks in the burger’s juices.
6. Thick-Cut Dill Pickles: Add a sharp, vinegary crunch that cuts right through the richness of the butter.
7. Sliced Raw Onions: Provide a crisp texture and a pungent bite to balance the savory beef
8. Yellow Mustard: Offers a classic, tangy contrast to the sweet fat of the meat and butter.
9. Toasted, Buttered Brioche Bun: Completes the signature experience by soaking up the extra juices without getting soggy.
10. Gourmet & Savory Enhancements:
11. Caramelized Onions: Bring out a deep, sweet, and jammy flavor that pairs beautifully with melted cheese.
12. Sautéed Mushrooms: Cooked in garlic and butter to amplify the burger’s rich, earthy undertones.
13. Crispy Applewood Smoked Bacon: Adds a smoky, salty crunch to elevate the texture.
14. Garlic Aioli: Delivers a creamy, savory punch that replaces standard mayonnaise.

Butter Burgers Tips

1. High heat is key: Bake at a high temperature (400°F to 425°F / 200°C to 220°C) for a shorter time (about 10–15 minutes). This cooks the burger quickly to keep it juicy while giving the outside a slight crust.
2. The broiler finish: Because ovens do not sear like a grill, turn on your oven’s broiler for the last 2 minutes of cooking. This gives the top of the patties a beautiful, browned, restaurant-style color.
3. Residual heat for cheese: Never bake the cheese the entire time. Turn off the oven, place your cheese slices on the patties, and let the trapped residual heat melt the cheese perfectly in under 60 seconds.
4. Keep the patties in the refrigerator right up until the moment they go into the oven. This ensures the butter melts inside the meat during baking rather than immediately pooling onto the tray.
5. Use a gridded cast-iron skillet for grill marks

Pin for later: Mom’s Butter Burgers

Easy Side Dishes

Serving sides were either Dad’s Homemade Home Fries or Seasoned Italian French Fries.

We also loved mom’s pasta salad or potato salad another winner in our home.

Potato sides were the favorite with any meat here is a roundup of recipes click here.

baked butter burgers, 1960s thin baked Italian burgers, burgers baked with peppers and onions, skillet butter burgers, how to make butter burgers

hamburgers, how to make butter burgers, mom’s recipes, 1960s ground beef recipes, thin baked burger recipes

Italian, American

Yield: 6

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Mom’s Baked Butter Burgers

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

These are Mom’s version of baked butter burgers mom made back in the 1960s. They’re very flavorful and thin and the variations are endless!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground chuck or sirloin. Shape all the beef into round 1/2 inch burgers on wax paper, then smash with the palm of your hand ( make them any size you like to fit in a large baking pan.
• 2 tablespoons butter, grated
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil or cooking oil spray for the pan
• 3 cloves garlic, cleaned and left whole garlic
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 2 bell peppers, sliced into rings or hot peppers
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano chees,e grated
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian fresh parsley
• Optional additions: sliced onions, sauteed Merlot wine mushrooms, pepperoni slices, bacon, or another vegetable you may like to add to the pan. If using potatoes they need to be thinly sliced and added to the bottom of the pan with the burgers on top when baking to ensure they cook (or you can preboil them first before adding potatoes)
• Topping suggestions:
• Condiments of choice, warmed marinara sauce, thick-sliced provolone cheese, tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, pickles, Italian olives, Italian roasted red peppers or hot peppers, roasted eggplant slices or fried zucchini slices, thick-sliced mozzarella cheese, buttered and toasted garlic ciabatta rolls with dried oregano and Pecorino cheese on top or in grilled panini bread with cheese.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Prepare a baking pan, such as a gridded cast-iron frying pan (works great) or a 13 x 9 pan for making a large number of burgers
3. Add the oil to the pan and place the pan in the oven to let the butter melt.
4. In a large bow,l mix the ground beef, grated butter, breadcrumbs, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, egg, and granulated garlic powder.
5. Place the smashed thin burgers in the pan, top with whole garlic cloves, peppers, and onions if desired, then bake in the butter mixture.
6. Note: if adding vegetables, place the vegetables on top of the burgers.
7. Cook your burgers anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes, flipping once (using an instant-read thermometer for internal temperature for doneness).
8. The chart will show rare to well-done burger times and temperatures.
9. Note: If you like well-done vegetables, remove the burgers and continue cooking the vegetables.
10. When burgers are cooked to your liking, remove the vegetables and set them aside for those who like them on their burgers.
11. Note: Place the burgers on paper towels to remove the grease if you prefer.
12. Assemble the burgers with whatever toppings you prefer and the many suggestions below for toppings.

Notes

Other Topping Suggestions:

1. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni = pizza burger
2. Alfredo sauce and grated Parmesan = Alfredo burger
3. Sauteed mushrooms and a Splash of Marsala or Merlot wine = Marsala burger
4. Onions sauteed with mushrooms ,peppers, and sliced Italian sausage = Italian Sausage burgers

Tips

1. use an instant-read thermometer
2. burger cook fast, however, if you like them, well-done then cook them longer (refer to our cooking chart)
3. if adding potatoes place them on the bottom of the skillet and slice super thin or boil ahead of time so they’re precooked
4. thick slice any vegetables and if they aren’t cooked when the burgers are done, remove burgers and continue cooking them 
5. these can be grilled outdoors in a cast iron skillet or on the stovetop with the same ingredients

Nutrition Facts

Sodium (milligrams)

256.33

Cholesterol (grams)

100.74

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2013/05/moms-baked-italian-style-hamburger.html

These are all copyright-protected images and content. Do not reprint/reuse this recipe or its images without my written permission.

Pin for later Mom’s Butter Burgers

More Recipes We Love

Cube Steaks

Sloppy Joe’s Italian Style

Italian Porcupine Meatballs

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2023.