Ranch Burgers

Upgrade your next burger night by adding everyone’s favorite ingredient: ranch! These easy Ranch Burgers are easy to make and super delicious!

ranch burger with text overlay for facebook


 

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.

close up of hand holding a ranch burger

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?

angled shot of burger and fries on a plate

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.
overhead shot of burger and fries

How to Make Easy Ranch Burgers

  1. Break up beef. In a large bowl, break up ground beef a little bit with your hands.
  2. Add ranch. Sprinkle ranch mix over ground beef. Toss beef seasoning and then form 4 burger patties about 1 inch thick.
  3. Let chill. Return to refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes before cooking.
  4. Cook. Grill or pan fry as desired. Cook to your desired temperature.
  5. Add toppings. Place patties on toasted hamburger buns and top with desired toppings.
collage of how to make ranch burgers

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.
ranch burger on a plate with fries

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.

collage of ranch burgers for pinterest

Sides for Gourmet Hamburgers

ranch burger on a plate with fries

Mixed Vegetables

Easy Vegetable Medley Recipe- this my go-to side dish recipe, super easy vegetable recipe that is perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters alike, tasty and easy to prepare!
animal style fries with salt, pepper and scallions

Copycat In-N-Out Burger Animal Style Fries

Now you can enjoy Copycat In-N-Out Burger Animal Style Fries at home! Using a simple fry sauce, crispy fries, American cheese and fried onions.
See The Recipe!
ranch burger with fries with text overlay for pinterest
ranch burger on a plate with fries

Juicy Ranch Burgers

4.75 from 56 votes
No time for boring burgers after you've tried this Ranch Burgers recipe! Only 3 ingredients, plus your favorite burger toppings!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 428 kcal, Carbohydrates: 26 g, Protein: 24 g, Fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 81 mg, Sodium: 853 mg, Potassium: 361 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 95 mg, Iron: 4 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 428
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gourmet hamburgers, ranch burger
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.75 from 56 votes (51 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    These burgers were a hit for dinner! the ranch dry seasoning definitely added tons of flavor to the patty.