The Patty Melt Recipe is a diner classic and always hits the spot! This melty, cheesy, meaty sandwich is perfect for an easy dinner the whole family will love!
When it comes to dinner, my family has a few favorite easy dinner recipes that are always in rotation. Crock pot pulled pork and crock pot chicken are usually at the top of the list, but I like to change things up too. With a house full of boys, serving up a meal that’s satifying and delicious is always the name of the game. This Patty Melt Recipe fits the bill perfectly. Meaty burgers with gooey Swiss cheese, sweet caramelized onion, and harty rye bread is a diner favorite we all love having at home. We love adding a little special sauce to our patty melts too!
PATTY MELT RECIPE
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I hope you are all having a fabulous summer so far! And I hope you’re enjoying long days outdoors, with plenty of sunshine and fresh air, and some easy, quick dinners so you’re slaving away in the kitchen every night.
My family has been having my southwest chicken skillet dinner on repeat because it comes together in just 15 minutes! I’ve also been consulting my list of healthy pool dinners for some make-ahead meals that we can carry with us anywhere. And today’s recipe for patty melt is also a pretty quick and easy one that’s great for a family dinner that’ll make you feel like you’re at a really good classic diner. Without the sassy waitresses and greasy smell.
What is a patty melt
- Patty melts are a type of sandwich made with a hamburger patty, swiss cheese, and bread. Sometime caramelized onions are added and typically rye bread is used.
- A patty melt is a cross between a grilled cheese and a hamburger that’s comfort food at its best!
So, the caramelized onions that go in these sandwiches do take a bit of time. You don’t really have to babysit them though, they just need to spend some quality time in the pan over medium-low heat to reduce down and get that savory-sweetness to them. I suppose you could skip them, but man, they really add some great flavor! I tend to make extra so I can add them to burgers and sandwiches for the next week!
Otherwise, you’re just cooking up some thin burger-type patties, assembling your sandwiches and cooking them up like a (very large and in charge) grilled cheese.
How to make a patty melt
- Caramelize onions in a skillet with butter.
- When onions are about halfway done, cook burger patties in another skillet until done to your liking. I recommend medium to medium-well doneness.
- When the onions and burgers are done, assemble to sandwiches for grilling.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice, butter side down in a hot skillet. Top bread with Swiss cheese, a burger patty, caramelized onions, and the other bread slice butter side up. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted.
Super easy and your whole family will be ready to devour these melty, cheesy, gooey, crunchy gorgeous sandwiches! They’re a classic for a reason after all!
You can also serve them with some delicious fry sauce for dipping, which is that pretty pink sauce in the pictures here. It’s a must-have if you make some oven fries to go with these patty melts! I’ve even been known to slather it on top of the burger patty before adding onions for patty melt sauce. And if you’re feeling extra sweet and special, you could make milkshakes to have for dessert after this. You’ll pretty much be mom of the year. ?
Enjoy the warm days and when you’re ready to eat, go diner-style with this easy patty melt recipe!
Can’t get enough of crazy good sandwiches?
- Cuban Sandwich Recipe
- Grilled Pesto Chicken Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Beer French Dip Sandwiches
- Crock Pot Meatball Sandwiches
- Fish Fillet Sandwich with Homemade Tartar Sauce
- More dinner recipes…
Tools used to make this Patty Melt Recipe
Large Skillet:Â This skillet is my go-to kitchen tool. It’s large circumference and high sides make it perfect for cooking anything from one pan meals to soups and sauces.
Mixing Bowl:Â These mixing bowls are perfect for mixing and serving. I love the varied sizes so I always have to right size bowl for all my mixing needs.
Spatula:Â One of my everyday kitchen tools, this spatula is sturdy and won’t scratch your skillet!
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
For the patties:
- 1.25 pounds lean ground beef
- 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the sandwiches:
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 8 slices rye bread (or bread of choice)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
To make the caramelized onions:
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the patties:
- When the onions are about halfway done, get started on the patties.
- Combine ground turkey, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture into 4 even parts and make large, thin patties (you want to try and get them about the size of your bread).
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the patties and cook 3-4 minutes, then turn over and cook another 3-4 minutes, until patties are just cooked through. (They’ll continue to cook off the heat and are also going back in the pan as part of the sandwiches.)
To make the sandwiches:
- Place a piece of Swiss cheese on a slice of bread. Top with one of the patties then a scoop of caramelized onions. Add another slice of Swiss cheese and then the top slice of bread. Repeat for the remaining sandwiches.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the sandwiches (work in batches if needed) and cook for 2-3 minutes, until well browned and the cheese is melted. Flip the sandwiches over and cook on the other side until well browned and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Penny says
I love your recipes! My tastebuds are similar to yours I think! I swear I have so many of your recipes printed or saved!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, experience and great recipes!
Real Housemoms JK says
Thanks so much Penny!