Bacon Cheddar Ranch Burgers (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy beef patties topped with crispy bacon, melted cheddar, and creamy ranch on toasted buns.
# What You'll Need:
→ Patties
01 - 1½ lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - ½ tsp garlic powder
→ Toppings
05 - 8 slices bacon
06 - 4 slices cheddar cheese
07 - ½ cup ranch dressing
08 - ½ cup crispy fried onions
09 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
10 - 1 large tomato, sliced
11 - 4 burger buns, split and toasted
→ Optional Add-Ons
12 - Sliced pickles
13 - Sliced red onion
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - In a bowl, gently combine ground beef, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Form into 4 equal patties, pressing a slight dimple in the center of each.
03 - Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
04 - Grill or pan-sear the burger patties for 3–4 minutes per side, until desired doneness. In the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheddar; cover to melt.
05 - Toast burger buns until golden.
06 - Spread ranch dressing on the bottom half of each bun. Layer with lettuce, a beef patty, crispy bacon, tomato slices, fried onions, and any optional add-ons. Top with the other half of the bun.
07 - Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The bacon creates this incredible salty crunch that keeps you hunting for every last crumb
- That ranch and cheddar combination hits some primal satisfaction button you didnt know you had
- Everything comes together in thirty minutes, making weeknight indulgence totally doable
02 -
- That thumbprint in the center of each patty prevents them from turning into hockey pucks, lesson learned after years of domed burgers
- Letting the cheese melt under a lid in the final minute creates that perfect drape over the meat instead of just sitting on top
03 -
- The 80/20 beef blend is worth every extra penny, lean burgers just dont deliver that same juice explosion
- Let the patties rest for a couple minutes after cooking if you can, they hold onto their juices better that way