Upgrade your next burger night by adding everyone’s favorite ingredient: ranch! These easy Ranch Burgers are easy to make and super delicious!
I’ve made a pretty good dent in my quest to have a complete list of ranch recipes. In case you’ve missed them, here are some of my latest and greatest:
And now, these homemade Ranch Burgers! It’s funny because as delicious as they are, these burgers are SO simple to make. The ingredients are quite literally just ground beef, dry ranch seasoning and buns (plus whatever you like to top your burgers with.)
Making burgers should be easy and quite commonly becomes a little more complicated than it needs to be. Here are our top tips for the best burger patties! You can also try making burgers in the oven.
Tips for Juicy Burgers
ONE. Use good old ground beef with a 80/20 fat content. It will have flavor, be juicy and is fairly inexpensive. If you are grilling, some of the fat will drain off during the cooking process anyhow.
TWO. Toss, don’t blend the meat. Processing too much will create a tough burger. I break the ground beef into little pieces as I add it to the mixing bowl and then gently toss with pre-mixed spices (if I’m using them) before forming into a patty.
THREE. Toss and pack your ranch burger patty instead of kneading. Again, working the meat too much will create a tough burger. I can’t stress this enough.
FOUR. Make uniform patties using a burger press. After removing, score meat and put a small well in the center. This prevents your ranch hamburgers from shrinking up, becoming bloated in the center and looking like a UFO.
FIVE. Freeze patties for 30 minutes before putting on the grill. This will help the meat congeal and hold together through the cooking process.
SIX. Initially place ranch burgers over direct heat to sear the outside and create the flame grilled look, but then move them to indirect heat to continue cooking. Fire dries things out and you don’t want it to take all the moisture out of your burger.
SEVEN. Never, ever, press down on your burger patty with a spatula. This will do nothing but squeeze out those blessed juices (and flavor).
EIGHT. Let them rest before eating. This is an essential step for any piece of meat, but often overlooked for hamburgers.
It allows the juices to redistribute and absorb back into the meat fibers. Cutting in too soon will let them to escape to nothing but your plate or cutting board.
If you want to take your burgers to a new level, slather them with ranch dressing or even chipotle ranch! You can make it with healthy ranch, but let’s be honest, after you made a burger and likely topped it with cheese, do you really need a light salad dressing?
Ingredients
Delicious burgers don’t have to have a long ingredient list. This one is simple yet effective.
- Ground beef – I like to use a 80/20 fat content rather than use a really lean ground beef. It will have flavor, be juicy and is fairly inexpensive. If you are grilling, some of the fat will drain off during the cooking process anyhow.
- Dry ranch seasoning – You can use my recipe to make your own ranch dressing mix, or you can just as easily buy a packet of ranch seasoning from the grocery store.
- Hamburger buns – Use your favorite brand here. I like to leave mine on the grill grate for a minute of two to get that perfect toasted bun. And don’t forget the sesame seeds! A whole grain bun works too.
- Burger toppings – Let your imagination run wild here and use your favorite burger toppings. Don’t forget cheese; my favorites are American or cheddar cheese. Tomato slices, crispy bacon, red onion and lettuce are all classic options.
How to Make Easy Ranch Burgers
- Break up beef. In a large bowl, break up ground beef a little bit with your hands.
- Add ranch. Sprinkle ranch mix over ground beef. Toss beef seasoning and then form 4 burger patties about 1 inch thick.
- Let chill. Return to refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook. Grill or pan fry as desired. Cook to your desired temperature.
- Add toppings. Place patties on toasted hamburger buns and top with desired toppings.
Variations
- Chicken ranch burgers – You can substitute the ground beef for ground chicken if you’d like. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches what it needs to be.
- Ground turkey – You can also make turkey burgers. But same as above, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches a safe level for consumption. Any ground meat will work here.
- Flavor – To complement the ranch flavor and make this a more flavorful burger, you can add a dash or worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture. You can make some chipotle ranch burgers by adding some chipotle mayo as a topping as well.
- Cheese – Aside from adding a slice of cheese on top, turn these into cheesy ranch burgers by adding some freshly grated cheese to the patties. Combine ground beef with cheese and ranch at the same time.
Storage, Make Ahead and Freezing
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Make ahead: You can prep these burgers ahead of time and throw them on the gas grill at the last minute. It’s easier to form the patties, and then wait to cook them until you’re ready.
Freezing: You can store uncooked burgers in the freezer for up to three months as long as they are packaged correctly.
Sides for Gourmet Hamburgers
- Baked Potatoes in the Oven
- Warm German Potato Salad
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
- Ranch Party Mix
Juicy Ranch Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- 4 hamburger buns
- Burger toppings
Instructions
- In a large bowl, break up ground beef gently with your hands.
- Sprinkle dry ranch seasoning over ground beef. Toss beef seasoning and then form 4 hamburger patties about 1 inch thick.
- Return to refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Grill or pan fry as desired.
- Place on toasted hamburger buns and top with desired toppings.
- If you have tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was.
This was one of the best ways to season burgers! So tasty!
Love this recipe! These are delicious and so easy! Will definitely make again!
So easy to make and so much flavor. Added cheese because… you know.
These burgers were a hit for dinner! the ranch dry seasoning definitely added tons of flavor to the patty.
I love the addition of the ranch seasoning! My favorite flavor, great idea 🙂