Cast Iron Skillet Burgers {video}

Cast iron burgers are juicy and flavorful, and easy to make on your stovetop in a cast-iron skillet. Made with ground beef and simple pantry seasonings, these are perfect if you don’t have an outdoor grill or if it’s too cold outside to grill!

For a lot of us, grilling is the preferred cooking method in summer. Grilling is quick and easy, and doesn’t require heating up the kitchen to get dinner on the table!

And surprisingly, grilling is a very versatile cooking method. My dad has told me several times that he could cook a cake on a grill and I actually believe him, lol!

One of the most common things to grill is burgers. Nothing says summer supper quite like a burger along with an ear of corn on the cob and sliced fresh tomatoes.

But what if you don’t have a grill? You can always use a grill pan inside, but one of the best cooking methods for burgers is in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop.

Burgers cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop are juicy and flavorful! We use just a few simple seasonings to highlight the flavor of the beef. You can serve them up on buns with all the classics. Or to keep the carbs down, serve them wrapped in lettuce leaves, as a burger salad, or on low carb or keto buns.

Why Choose a Cast Iron Skillet for Burgers?

Cast iron skillets are renowned for their heat retention and even cooking surface, making them ideal for searing burgers to perfection. The high heat capability ensures a delectable crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy. 

Plus, this cooking method allows for year-round burger enjoyment, regardless of the weather!

Ingredients

• 80% lean ground beef – Go for grass-fed if possible. We want a higher fat content here for the juiciest burgers. I like to use 80/20, but 85/15 also works well.
• Onion – A little bit of grated onion adds a ton of savory flavor and keeps the burgers moist. Grate it on the small side of a box grater so you don’t end up with visible pieces of onion in your burgers.
• Worcestershire sauce – This savory sauce adds umami depth and goes really well with beef.
• Coconut aminos – Or soy sauce or tamari sauce. Adding a splash of soy or tamari sauce to burgers was a trick I learned from my dad. It seasons the beef and adds complexity to enhance beef’s rich flavor.
• Montreal steak seasoning – This spice blend typically contains a mixture of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground coriander, red pepper flakes, and dill seed. It’s bold, savory, and a great way to kick up the flavor of burgers!
• Cheese, buns, mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, and onion slices – All of these items are optional; you can serve the burgers any way you like!

How to Cook Burgers in a Cast Iron Skillet on the Stovetop – Juicy & Moist!

1. Mix and shape. Use your hands to combine the beef, grated onion, Worcestershire, coconut aminos, and Montreal steak seasoning in a large bowl. Shape the meat into 4 patties.
2. Cook. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. Once hot, add the patties and turn the heat down slightly to medium to medium-high. Cook the burgers for 4 minutes on each side, flipping once. Pro Tip: Don’t press down hard on the burgers as they cook because this will squeeze out their juices! If you’re looking for smash burgers, here’s the recipe.
3. Add cheese (optional). Once the burgers are cooked, place 1 slice of cheese on each burger. Turn off the heat, drape a piece of foil on top of the burgers, and let the cheese melt.
4. Serve. Enjoy any way you like! This is what I do: split the buns in half and top each with mayo, ketchup, mustard, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 white onion slice, and a cheeseburger.

Storage

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Other Cooking Methods If You Don’t Have a Stovetop

How to Cook Burgers in the Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. (Or use a cast iron skillet!)
2. Mix the ground beef with any seasonings you’re using.
3. Shape the meat into patties and place the patties on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until the burgers reach an internal temperature of 160F. I usually bake burgers for around 15 to 18 minutes at 400F.

How to Grill Burgers

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high to high.
2. Mix the ground beef with any seasonings you’re using.
3. Shape the meat into patties.
4. Place the patties on the grill and cook (uncovered) until the burgers reach your desired level of doneness (medium doneness takes about 4 to 5 minutes per side). The burgers should reach an internal temperature of 160F.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Burger Recipes to Try

• Pizza Burgers
• Mushroom Swiss Burgers
• Spanakopita Turkey Burgers with Easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
• Salmon Burgers with Ginger Mayo

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 17, 2019 and updated on May 21, 2025.