Looking for an easy way to make a juicy burger any time? Learn How to Freeze Hamburger Patties! Follow these simple steps for making your own frozen patties at home. Freeze them either cooked or raw!
❤️ Why you will love this post
- Easy: All you have to do is make the hamburgers and freeze them. It’s so simple!
- Quick: This will take about 10 minutes for raw patties and a little longer if you’re cooking them.
- Raw or cooked: Yes, you can freeze either cooked or uncooked patties! They both taste great, the main difference is the cooking times. For raw burgers, there is no cooking before freezing but they take longer to cook when you’re heating them for dinner. For cooked burgers, you have to cook and cool them before freezing but they’re really quick to reheat from frozen.
- Simple ingredients: Ground meat, egg, onion, flaxseed meal or breadcrumbs, seasoning, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. There’s really not much to this recipe and I used pantry staple ingredients that I always have on hand.
- Healthy: This recipe is really good for you, and had minimal processing compared to burgers from the grocery store. I used ground flaxseed instead of breadcrumbs for an extra boost of nutrition.
- Meal prep: This recipe is so handy for meal prep! I can make 16 burgers in about 20 minutes (I always double the recipe).
- Can make a lot: Yes, double, triple, or quadruple this recipe to feed a crowd! This makes grilling a breeze when you have company over.
🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground meat: There are a few options here. I like to use 50/50 ground beef and ground pork, however, you can also use 100% of either meat. I prefer slightly fatties ground beef over lean beef because it makes the burger juicier. Other meats that work well are ground turkey for turkey burgers, ground chicken, and ground lamb.
- Onion: I blended 1/2 an onion and added it to the mixture. It makes the burgers so juicy and flavorful.
- Flaxseed meal: This is an excellent binder, and ground flaxseeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids as well. You can substitute this ingredient for bread crumbs (gluten-free or regular).
- Ketchup: I made my homemade ketchup recipe. It’s really quick, much healthier than store-bought, and the rest can go on the burgers when you serve them! BBQ sauce can be substituted. For Whole30 or paleo, make sure your ketchup (or bbq sauce) is compliant. There are great options available online (e.g. Primal Kitchen).
- Worcestershire sauce: This key ingredient adds such a delicious flavor to the beef patties. For Whole30 or paleo, use coconut aminos instead.
- Seasoning: I kept it simple with some sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano.
- Egg: Finally, the egg keeps the burger moist and binds it together.
🥣 How to make burger patties
1. Begin by blending the onion. I used a hand blender but you could also use a regular blender or food processor.
2. Next, 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.
3. Split the mixture into 8 portions 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.
🧊 The Best Way To Freeze Hamburger Patties
Freezing raw patties
The best way I’ve found to freeze hamburgers is 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.
1. Prepare the parchment paper: Cut the paper into squares that are the size of your patties.
2. Line the container: Place two squares of parchment paper in the bottom of the container.
3. Add the meat: Place a burger patty on top of each square.
4. Cover it with another square of paper: Top each burger patty with another piece of parchment paper, and repeat!
5. Seal: Seal the container with the lid and place it in the freezer.
6. Move the burgers to a freezer bag (optional): 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. Make sure you squeeze out all of the air to help prevent freezer burn.
7. Freeze: Freeze the raw patties for up to 3 months.
How to cook and freeze burger patties
1. Another option is to cook the hamburger patties before freezing them. You can either cook them in the oven, on the stove, grill them, or pop them in the air fryer.
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 175°C/350°F, and then cook the patties for 8 minutes, flip them, and cook them for another 4-6 minutes until cooked through.
- Oven-baked: Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Bake for 15 minutes (medium) or 20 minutes (well done).
- 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.
- Grilled: 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 8-9 minutes, until cooked through.
2. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For fully cooked burgers, it should be at 71°C/160°F. Medium is 63°C/145°F, a medium-rare burger is 57°C/135°F, and rare is 52°C/125°F.
3. Cool: Next, allow the burgers to completely cool to room temperature. This prevents the temperature of the freezer from rising which could lead to the growth of bacteria in other foods stored in the freezer. The easiest way to do this is by placing them in a single layer on parchment paper or a baking sheet on the counter.
4. Freeze: When the homemade hamburgers have cooled, place patties in a freezer-safe bag (I use a gallon size freezer bag) or container. It’s a good idea to put a square of parchment paper or freezer paper between each pattie to help keep them separated. This makes it easier to take them out to cook later. You can wrap patties in aluminum foil instead, as cooked burgers don’t stack as much to the aluminum.
5. Freeze the burgers for up to 3 months.
🍔 How to cook frozen burgers
For all the details on cooking frozen burgers, check out my Air Fryer Frozen Burgers post, and also How to Cook Frozen Burgers in the oven. Load your hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, sautéed onions, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup, and top your burger with a slice of cheese for an amazing dinner!
✨ How to season frozen hamburger patties
Adding extra seasoning to a frozen burger patty is a great way to customize it to your liking. Here are a few good seasoning ideas:
- Taco Seasoning: Either store-bought or homemade, taco seasoning adds some spice, flavor, and a little heat to your burger.
- BBQ Sauce: Smoky and sweet, bbq sauce tastes great slathered on a frozen patty before cooking!
- Cheese: Classic cheddar or funky blue cheese, what’s your favorite? Cheese adds a delicious depth of flavor and a little extra umami.
Check out this post on 21 Easy Ways To Season Frozen Hamburger Patties for more tips and tricks!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This will cut down on cooking time when you’re ready to eat the burgers and is a great way to store leftovers.
A few tips to prevent freezer burn are: Refrigerate it before freezing, use the food up within 3 months, wrap it well with parchment paper or freezer paper, store it in an airtight container, and if you’re using a freezer bag, make sure you squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag before storing it in the freezer.
I like to keep my hamburger recipes really simple so that anyone can enjoy them, but I also customize my own burger before cooking it for dinner. I like to add chili powder or chili flakes, cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, or garam masala for something a little different. For best results, spray a little oil onto the frozen burger before adding additional seasoning so that it sticks well to the meat.
🍽️ What Can I Serve With Hamburgers?
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Curly Fries
- Pickled Beet Salad
- Sugar-Free Ketchup
- Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce
- Homemade Garlic Mayo
- Spicy Mayo
- Healthy Ranch Dressing
- Spicy Green Salsa
- Hot Sauce
😋 More recipes you will love
- How to Freeze Homemade Meatballs
- 30+ Air Fryer Beef Recipes
- 60 Whole30 Ground Beef Recipes
- Air Fryer Steak Bites
- How to make Sloppy Joes from Scratch!
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📖 Recipe
How to Freeze Hamburger Patties
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.
- 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.
- 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
- The best way I've found to freeze hamburgers is by using freezer-safe storage containers with parchment paper, freezer paper, or wax paper. I find that 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 and freeze 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.
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 175°C/350°F, and then cook the patties for 8 minutes, flip them, and cook them for another 4-6 minutes until cooked through.
- Oven-baked: Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Bake for 15 minutes (medium) or 20 minutes (well done).
- 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.
- Grilled: 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 8-9 minutes, until cooked through.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For fully cooked burgers, it should be at 71°C/160°F. Medium is 63°C/145°F, a medium-rare burger is 57°C/135°F, and rare is 52°C/125°F.
- Next, allow the burgers to completely cool to room temperature. The easiest way to do this is by placing them in a single layer on parchment paper or a baking sheet on the counter.
- When the homemade hamburgers have cooled, place patties in a freezer-safe container (I use a gallon size freezer bag or a pyrex container). It's a good idea to put a square of parchment paper or freezer paper between each pattie helps to keep them separated, and makes it easier to take them out to cook later. You can wrap patties in aluminum foil instead.
- Freeze the burgers for up to 3 months.
Notes
- 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!
- 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.