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Lunch recipe · from the recipe book

Smash Burgers with Pickled Onion in Lettuce

Crisp-edged beef smash patties with a tangy burger sauce, quick-pickled red onion and juicy tomato, all wrapped in cool, crunchy romaine.

Smash Burgers with Pickled Onion in Lettuce

Ingredients

  • 1¼ lb560 gGround beef, 80% leandivided into 8 loose balls
  • 1 medium110 gRed onionvery thinly sliced into rings
  • 3 tbsp45 gApple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp4 gGranulated sugar
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ¾ tsp2 gBlack pepper
  • ¾ tsp2 gGarlic powder
  • 2 oz60 gPlain Greek yogurt, nonfat
  • 1 tbsp15 gYellow mustard
  • 1¾ tsp10 gTomato paste
  • ½ tsp1 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)
  • 2 medium240 gTomatoessliced into rounds
  • 5 cups chopped240 gRomaine lettucelarge leaves separated, washed and dried
  • ½ cup shredded60 gCheddar cheesethinly sliced

Steps

  1. Pickle the onion first: stir the cider vinegar, sugar and one quarter of the salt in a small bowl until dissolved, add the red onion, and let it stand at least 15 minutes while you work.
  2. Make the burger sauce: stir together the Greek yogurt, mustard, tomato paste and paprika; chill until serving.
  3. Prepare the toppings: slice the tomato and separate, wash and dry the romaine leaves, stacking 2 to 3 leaves per wrap.
  4. Mix the remaining three quarters of the salt with the black pepper and garlic powder to make the seasoning.
  5. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes; no oil is needed.
  6. Place 4 of the ground beef balls in the skillet, smash each flat and thin with a sturdy spatula, and sprinkle with half of the seasoning.
  7. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are deeply browned and crisp, flip, top 2 of the patties with half of the cheddar, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until the beef reaches 160°F (71°C).
  8. Stack each cheese-topped patty onto a plain patty and move to a plate; repeat with the remaining 4 beef balls, the remaining half of the seasoning and the remaining half of the cheddar.
  9. Spread the burger sauce on the romaine stacks, add a double patty, then the tomato and drained pickled onion, and fold the lettuce around to serve.

Contains: Milk.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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