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Oven-baking is the easiest way to cook hamburgers. Simply press the seasoned ground beef into the pan, then bake it for about 15 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Once the meat is cooked, you can add some cheese, cut it into squares, and serve! It's so much easier than pan-frying.
Ground beef is so convenient, versatile, and affordable. I almost always have a package or two of vacuum-sealed ground beef in the fridge (or in the freezer), so I use it quite often when cooking for my family.
My go-to recipes used to be juicy bunless burgers and cheese-stuffed meatballs. But lately, I've been gravitating towards cooking burgers in the oven instead. It's just so easy - way easier than frying them in a pan or even grilling them.
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- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Expert tip
- Frequently asked questions
- Variations
- Serving suggestions
- Storing leftovers
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Ingredients
Baking burgers in the oven requires a fairly short list of ingredients that you probably have on hand. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's a general overview of what you'll need:
- Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef (85/15). Leaner than that doesn't work in this recipe. I've tried using a 90/10 mix, and it turned out extremely dry.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use, or the burgers could end up too salty.
- Spices: I use onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
- Sliced cheddar: I like to use sharp cheddar or even extra sharp for the best flavor. Other cheeses that work well are provolone and Swiss cheese.
Instructions
It's so easy to cook burgers in the oven! There's no need to form the meat into patties or to keep an eye on the burgers as they fry or grill. And just as important - no grease splatters to clean up!
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Your first step is to combine the ground beef with the spices.
- Now, gently press the mixture into a glass square 8-inch pan. There's no need to grease the pan.
- Bake the meat until cooked through. This should take about 15 minutes in a 400°F oven. Carefully drain.
- Top the cooked meat with the cheese slices, as shown in the image below. Return the pan to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, about 2 more minutes.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into four squares and serve.
Expert tip
When mixing the spices into the beef, you want to spread the spices evenly into the beef mixture, but you don't want to overwork the mixture.
It's a fine balance, for sure. But a gentle touch will help ensure that the burgers come out light rather than dense.
Frequently asked questions
Are baked hamburgers good?
They are. The only issue is that the meat does tend to come out a bit drier compared to frying or grilling since some juices are lost while baking. So they are not as good as, say, broiled burgers.
Still, these burgers are delicious, and my family requests them often. I would say their main advantage is that they are very easy to make.
How long does it take to cook hamburgers at 400 degrees?
It should take about 15 minutes. The best way to ensure they're done is to use an instant-read thermometer.
I aim for an internal temperature of 155°F since I then return them to the oven to melt the cheese, at which point they should reach 160°F.
Do you need to flip burgers in the oven?
No, there's no need to flip. I simply season the meat, press it into the pan, and bake until the meat is done.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- You can experiment with different spices. A pinch of thyme is good, and I also like to add a pinch of cumin.
- You can use different cheeses too - whatever you like as long as it's a relatively melty cheese. I like to use Swiss cheese, gruyere, and sometimes brie.
Serving suggestions
What to serve with baked hamburgers? Anything you would serve with regular burgers! I especially like to serve them with any of the following:
- Jicama fries
- Grilled broccolini
- Pickled red onions
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. You can reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power.
I actually love them best cold, straight out of the fridge! I make myself a lunch plate of these burgers, Dijon mustard, fresh-cut veggies, and quick pickles. It's one of my favorite lunches.
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Recipe Card
4.98 from 1125 votes
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Oven-Baked Hamburgers
It's so easy to bake hamburgers in the oven! There's no need to form the patties or keep an eye on them. Let the oven do all the work for you!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Resting time5 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 slices sharp cheddar
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili.
Gently press the beef mixture into an ungreased glass square 8-inch pan.
Bake until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees F.
See AlsoRecipes for a Chic Sunday BrunchIf there's a lot of cooking liquid in the pan, you can drain some. I like to keep it and allow some of it to get absorbed back into the burgers as they rest.
Top the cooked meat with the cheese slices, as shown in the video below. Return the pan to the oven and bake just until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the burgers to rest and set for 5 minutes. Cut into four squares and serve.
Video
Notes
You can experiment with different spices. A pinch of thyme is good, and I also like to add a pinch of cumin.
Please don't go below a lean-to-fat ratio of 85/15. Any leaner than that and the meat will turn out extremely dry.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. You can reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power.
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 354kcal | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 531mg
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Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Cynthia
hi! can this be cooked successfully with similar results in a large foil pan to accomodate larger groups?
how thick should the meat be on the pan, since it may be hard to judge quantity per pan. Cooking about 10 lbs of meat so thinking 3 large foil pans ~11x13" ?Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Cynthia,
I only tested this recipe in a square 8 or 9-inch pan. But my educated guess is 2-2.5 pounds of ground beef for each 11X13 pan. So, you will need 4-5 pans.
I would go with four pans and test with a thermometer for doneness - you might need to bake them slightly longer.Reply
Heidi
This is my new go-to hamburger recipe! I had 2 pounds of ground beef and 1 pound of ground turkey, so I tripled the recipe and spices. Sooooo delicious and sooo easy!!! Thank you for this recipe!!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Heidi! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Reply
Snail
Hi! Wondering if the recipe can be doubled and still cooked in an 8x8? Or maybe something bigger would be better? Thank you!
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi,
The recipe can be doubled and cooked in a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
Lija
Thank you so much for this recipe. I suffer from chronic back pain and it is so hard to fry ground beef on the stove, and I don't like the texture of beef when cooked in the Instant Pot.
My husband will be happy that we're going to have cheeseburgers again, because of your quick and easy recipe. Thanks!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I hope you like this recipe, Lija! I make it often for my family.
Reply