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This Frozen Hamburger Patty Recipe is a game-changer for anyone who loves a good burger but doesn’t always have the time for a from-scratch meal. It combines the convenience of frozen patties with the unbeatable taste of homemade, allowing you to enjoy a delicious, juicy burger any night of the week. Plus, the flexibility to switch up ingredients means you can cater to any dietary preferences or cravings with ease.

Stacked frozen hamburger patties on parchment paper.

This frozen hamburger recipe is your go-to for quick, delicious burgers that are perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re craving a tasty burger on a busy weeknight or looking to impress guests at your next barbecue, this recipe delivers. Using simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, you’ll be able to whip up your own hamburger patties that are flavorful, moist, and ready to cook in 5 different ways straight from the freezer. Plus, I’ve included my personal tips for guaranteeing your beef burgers come out perfectly every time, based on my own trial and error in the kitchen.

โค๏ธ Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy meal: Perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you’re short on time.
  • Versatile: Works great with beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or turkey burgers.
  • Delicious: Packed with flavors that rival your favorite fast food, but healthier. The perfect burger!
  • Customizable: Easy to add your favorite spices or toppings to this frozen hamburger patty recipe for a personalized touch.

๐Ÿ—๏ธ Key Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Ground beef: Feel free to substitute with ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or pork for a different flavor profile. A 50/50 mix of beef and pork is especially juicy for this.
  • Ground flaxseed or breadcrumbs: You can use either, depending on what you have on hand or your nutritional preferences.
  • Onion: Blended onion adds amazing moisture and flavor to the patties. If you’re not a fan, you can reduce the amount or substitute with onion powder for a milder taste.
  • Egg: Works as a binder to keep the patties from falling apart.
  • Ketchup: Homemade ketchup or store-bought works fine, or you can swap it out for BBQ sauce or tomato paste for a different flavor.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: Coconut aminos are a great alternative for paleo or Whole30 burgers.
  • Garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper: Free to adjust according to your taste or add other spices you like.

๐Ÿฅฃ How to Make Frozen Hamburger Patties

  1. Blend the onion using a hand blender, regular blender, or food processor until it’s finely chopped or pureed.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the ground beef, blended onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Squeezing the mixture together works best for integrating all the flavors.
Hamburger ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  1. Form the patties by dividing the mixture into 8 equal parts. Use about 1/2 cup of meat mixture for each burger, shaping them with your hands or an egg ring to get a consistent size and shape. Weighing each patty with a kitchen scale before shaping can ensure they cook evenly.
  2. Indent the patties: Press a small indentation in the center of each patty before freezing; this helps them cook evenly without puffing up in the middle.
  1. Freeze the patties properly by layering them between squares of parchment paper. one on top of the other, in a freezer-safe airtight container, ensuring they don’t touch. Seal the container and freeze.
  1. Once solid, you can transfer the patties to a freezer bag to save space, freezing them for up to 3 months.
A close-up of a frozen hamburger patty beside a glass container.

๐Ÿ” 5 Ways to Cook Frozen Burgers

  1. Grill: For that classic, char-grilled flavor, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the frozen hamburgers directly on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Check for an internal temperature of 160°F with a meat thermometer to ensure they’re fully cooked.
Reheating a burger on the grill.
  1. Stove: Using a skillet or frying pan, heat a bit of oil over medium-high heat before adding your frozen patties. Cook for about 5 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes or until they reach the desired doneness. This method gives you a nice, crispy exterior.
  2. Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Place frozen burger patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through. This method is a great way to cook multiple patties at once without a lot of fuss. Check this post for more details: Perfect Frozen Burgers in the Oven.
  1. Air Fryer: For a quick and easy option, place frozen patties in the air fryer basket. Cook at 190°C/375°F, for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The air fryer is an easy way to make the burgers crispy outside and juicy inside. Check this post for more details: Air Fryer Frozen Burgers.
  2. Instant Pot: Add a cup of water to the instant pot, place the trivet, and arrange the patties on top without overlapping. Seal the lid, cook on high pressure for 6 minutes for medium doneness, then quick release the pressure. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for busy days!

๐Ÿช„ Recipe Notes & Tips

  • Don’t skimp on the mixing: Even though you don’t want to overmix, make sure the ingredients are well integrated for the best flavor distribution.
  • Thickness matters: Aim for patties that are about ¾ inch thick. This is the sweet spot for cooking them through evenly without drying out.
  • Freezing technique: Laying the patties flat while freezing helps them retain a good shape and thaws more uniformly.
  • Season before cooking: For an extra flavor boost, sprinkle a little more salt and pepper on the patties just before cooking, even if they’re going straight from the freezer to the grill or pan. Check out our post 21 Ways to Season Frozen Burgers for more ideas.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธ How to Serve This Recipe

โ“ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook frozen hamburger patties without thawing them first?

Yes, you can cook them straight from the freezer, but adjust the cooking time to ensure they’re fully cooked through.

Can I refreeze cooked burgers?

It’s safe to refreeze cooked burgers as long as they were cooled quickly after cooking and stored properly. However, for the best quality, it’s better to avoid refreezing.

Two frozen hamburger patties in a glass dish.

๐Ÿ˜‹ More Burger Recipes You Will Love

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๐Ÿ“– Recipe

Frozen raw hamburger patty on parchment paper.

Frozen Hamburger Patty Recipe

Bethany Galloway
This Frozen Hamburger Patty Recipe is a game-changer for anyone who loves a good burger but doesn't always have the time for a from-scratch meal. It combines the convenience of frozen patties with the unbeatable taste of homemade, allowing you to enjoy a delicious, juicy burger any night of the week. Plus, the flexibility to switch up ingredients means you can cater to any dietary preferences or cravings with ease.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Freezer Friendly Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 patties
Calories 254 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g 1.7-2lbs 80/20 ground beef (see note 1)
  • 34 g 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (or breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 medium onion blended
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup see note 2
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Make the burger patties

  • Begin by blending the onion. I used a hand blender but you could also use a regular blender or food processor.
    1/2 medium onion
  • In a large bowl add all of the ingredients and mix them well together. I find that using my hands and squeezing it all together is the best way to mix it.
    750 g 1.7-2lbs 80/20 ground beef (see note 1), 34 g 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (or breadcrumbs), 1 egg, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 medium onion
  • Split the mixture into 8 and form the beef burgers. I used an egg ring to get a good shape but you can easily just use your hands as well. Each burger uses about 1/2 a cup of raw meat mixture which is 4 oz. You could also use a kitchen scale to weigh each burger before shaping them.

How to freeze raw patties

  • Freeze hamburgers by using freezer-safe storage containers with parchment paper, freezer paper, or wax paper. Raw meat sticks too much to aluminum so I'd avoid that.
  • Cut the paper into squares that are just a little bigger than the size of your patties.
  • Place two squares of parchment paper in the bottom of the container (or however many will fit without overcrowding).
  • Place a burger patty on top of each square, making sure the patties don't touch each other.
  • Top each burger patty with another piece of parchment paper, and repeat!
  • Seal the container with the lid and place it in the freezer.
  • After they're frozen, you can either keep them in this container or move the frozen burgers into freezer bags to save a little space.
  • Freeze the raw patties for up to 3 months.

How to cook frozen burger patties

  • After making the burger patties, you can either cook them in the oven, on the stove, grill them, or pop them in the air fryer.
  • Grill: This will depend on how hot your grill is, but ideally, it would be between 230-260°C/450-500°F. Grill the burgers for around 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are cooked through.
  • Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 190°C/375°F, and then cook the patties for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
  • Oven-baked: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Stovetop: Place a medium-large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, cook the burger for about 5 minutes on each side.
  • Instant Pot: Add a cup of water to the instant pot, place the trivet, and arrange the patties on top without overlapping. Seal the lid, cook on high pressure for 6 minutes for medium doneness, then quick release the pressure.
  • After the burgers have cooked, check the internal temperature woth a meat thermometer. It should reach 160°F. Let them rest for 5 minutes and dig in!

Notes

  1. Ground beef: You can substitute ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or pork. My favorite is a 50/50 mix of ground beef and pork. SO juicy!
  2. Ketchup: I made my Homemade Sugar-Free Ketchup (paleo/keto) for this recipe but store-bought will also work. You can also use BBQ sauce instead if desired. For Whole30, use a Whole30-compliant ketchup or tomato paste.
  3. Freezing technique: Laying the patties flat while freezing helps them retain a good shape and thaws more uniformly.
  4. Season before cooking: For an extra flavor boost, sprinkle a little more salt and pepper on the patties just before cooking, even if they’re going straight from the freezer to the grill or pan. Check out my post 21 Ways to Season Frozen Burgers for more ideas.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 28gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 412mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g
Keyword air fryer, easy, frozen burgers, grilling, hamburgers, meal prep, quick, summer
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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