This mouthwatering Classic Patty Melt combines perfectly grilled beef patties with sweet, melt-in-your-mouth caramelized onions, homemade Thousand Island dressing, and plenty of melted Swiss Cheese. The flavor is even better than the old diners and dives that your parents took you to.
As a kid, the patty melt was standard at the local diners Mom and Dad took us to. I remember the sweet smell of the onions and beef searing on the grill. This recipe will bring back all kinds of wonderful memories and good times. You are going to love every ounce of this sandwich.
You can prepare it with or without onions, but the true classic always comes with grilled onions. For even more fun diner nostalgia, serve with beer-battered onion rings, sweet potato fries, or chili cheese fries.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Mayonnaise: I love Duke’s mayo, but you can use your favorite.
- Pickle relish: I use sweet pickle relish in this recipe, but you can use dill pickle relish.
- Onion: Preferably a sweet yellow onion or a Vidalia onion
- Ground beef: Use ground beef with a bit of fat. Fat gives the patty flavor.
- Bread: Use bakery-quality sourdough bread, rye bread, or Texas toast
- Swiss Cheese: Thick slices of baby Swiss are the best, but it’s your sandwich. If you don’t like Swiss Cheese, try provolone, cheddar, or American Cheese.
How to Make a Patty Melt
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Whisk the ingredients for the patty melt sauce.
- Melt the butter in a skillet and cook the onions until golden brown.
- Mix the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper, then shape the mixture into patties.
- Cook the patties until browned and cooked through.
- Assemble the melts and grill the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown and toasted.
Preparation Tips for Success
- If you have a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, patty melts cook great in them.
- Stir the onions, but not too frequently. Every few minutes or so will do the trick, as you want the onions to soften and brown on the edges. The process can take 30-40 minutes.
- To save time, use your favorite bottled Thousand Island dressing.
- Preheat the pan before adding the hamburger patty and sear those juices in.
- The melts are best served right out of the pan or off the grill while the Cheese is melted, and the bread is warm, buttery, and toasty.
What to Serve with a Patty Melt
- Potatoes: fried potatoes, potatoes O’Brien, or air-fried potato wedges
- Slaw: creamy coleslaw or vinegar coleslaw
- Salad: Southern potato salad, dill pickle pasta salad, creamy pea salad, broccoli bacon salad.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Hamburger Stew
- Frito Pie
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Hamburger Soup
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Cowboy Beans
Patty Melt Recipe
One of our favorite sandwich recipes brings back old-world diner charm with grilled onions, Swiss Cheese, and a homemade Thousand Island dressing.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 859kcal
Ingredients
Patty Melt Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
Patty Melt
- 1 large onion cut in half and then sliced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 8 slices rye bread or sourdough
- 8 thick slices Swiss cheese
- Butter
- Pickles optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, grated onion, pickle relish, and paprika.
- Place 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Plate the onions and cover to keep warm. For more caramelization, cook longer.
- Mix the ground beef, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Divide into four equal portions and form patties. Preheat the skillet and cook over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through, flipping halfway through the cooking process.
- Spread a little more than 1 tablespoon of dressing on each slice of bread. Place a piece of Swiss Cheese on each slice of bread. Add browned onions and one beef patty to four of the slices. Top with the remaining slices to form four sandwiches.
- Butter the top of the bread, place it butter-side down in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook until golden brown. Butter the other side of the bread before flipping. Flip and brown the other side until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil while it browns.
Video
Notes
The melts are best served right out of the pan or off the grill while the cheese is melted and the bread is warm, buttery, and toasty.
Nutrition
Calories: 859kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1442mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 8mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Richard L
I’ve been looking for the best patty melt recipe. I think I have found it! Thank you, Beth
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome. Richard
Penelope
One of my favorite sandwich recipes that brings back old-world diner memories. Swiss Cheese and a homemade Thousand Island dressing are an amazing addition. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Penelope!
Catherine Kay
I haven’t had a patty melt in a long time. I really love them. Thanks for this recipe – can’t wait to try this!
Michelle
Just as good as the old diner down the street from my college dorm. Thanks so much for the recipe, Beth~
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Michelle!
Lisa
It’s been such a long time since I had made a patty melt. This was delicious and I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for the great recipe.
Ben H
Man, this is good. It’s just like the ones I used to order at our local sandwich shop. I’m definitely making this a regular dinner option for the fam.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! So glad that you liked it!
Erik D
Great bit of nostalgia with this recipe. The onions were my favorite part!
Paula
So excited to make the classic patty melt at home. An absolute favorite!
Charah
Wow, I’m so glad I found this recipe! Looks yummy and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Charah
Anjali B
This really did taste like my favorite diner’s patty melt but was so much more budget friendly!! I know I’ll be making this often!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it, Anjali!