Name: Caramelized Onion Burger
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 small onion; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 tablespoon molasses; Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 1 pound ground beef 80%; 4 slices cheese; 8 slices crispy bacon; 4 hamburger rolls

Jump to Recipe

These caramelized onion burgers are what you make when you want something better than a basic burger. The onions cook down low and slow until they’re soft and golden, and that flavor carries through every bite.

Caramelized onion burger on a black plate with fries. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

You end up with a juicy burger piled high with sweet onions and melted cheese on a toasted bun. It’s simple food, but it feels like a step up without doing anything complicated.

Quick Look at This Recipe

🍽️ Recipe Name: Caramelized Onion Burgers
⏰ Ready In:45
⏳ Prep Time: 15 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes (mostly hands-off)
👥 Serves: 4
🥕Main Ingredients: Onions, ground beef, bacon, cheese, buns
🍳 Special Equipment: Cast iron skillet or grill
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Rich, sweet onions take a basic burger and turn it into something that feels like a restaurant meal

Save BCC as a Google Trusted Source

What You Need

Onions: Use any onion you have on hand.
Olive oil: Just a little to coat the pan.
Butter: Butter adds a rich flavor.
Molasses: The secret to the best caramelized onions. It adds a bold, dark or light brown sugar flavor, yet produces a silkier dish than using brown sugar.
Salt and Pepper: Season the onions and the burger.
Beef: Choose 80% ground beef for the best results.
Bacon: Any bacon you like just adds another layer of flavor.
Cheese: You can use any cheese you like. Some great suggestions are mild or sharp cheddar, Swiss cheese, Gouda, Gruyère or Havarti.
Hamburger Bun: Your favorite store-bought or homemade Hamburger Buns. We love brioche buns.

How to Make a Burger with Caramelized Onions

Onions and butter in cast iron skillet. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Slice the onions into even thicknesses. Add butter and oil to a cast-iron skillet.

Onions seasoned with salt and pepper. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat.

Pouring molasses into softened onions in the pan. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Once the onions soften, pour molasses on them and stir them up. They take time, but the flavor makes it worth it. For the complete recipe for caramelized onions, see our tutorial.

Add salt and pepper to the ground beef. Shape burger patties. If you like fat burgers, use your thumb to make an indentation in the middle of one side of the patty so it doesn’t puff up too much.

You can also make smash burgers.

Heat the grill or a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the burgers on the grill grates or in the skillet. Cook the burgers to your desired doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to get to the target temperature. See the chart below for doneness temps. Note: The FDA advises cooking beef to 160-165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness.

Beef cooking chart infographic. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Top with cheese and let it melt.

Toast the buns if desired. Let the burgers rest on a plate for about 5 minutes to redistribute the juices.

Place the burger on the bottom bun. Top the cheeseburger with bacon and caramelized onions and the top bun.

Caramelized onion burger in a basket with red and white checked paper. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover onions in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then warm them in a pot with a bit of water or microwave for a minute or two.

If you make extra burgers, the best way to reheat them is to microwave them for 1 minute, then transfer them to the air fryer and air-fry at 375°F until crisp again. NOTE: Cook them to rare so they don’t get overdone when reheating.