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This burger recipe reminds me of my favorite California drive-thru style burgers. Without needing to drive to California.
I grew up with a mother who was born and bred in California and was a huge fan of their popular drive thru burger restaurants. I was raised in Wisconsin, so it wasn’t until I was an adult myself on a trip to the west coast that I experienced my first California fast food burger. From that time forward, I became a huge fan myself.
Given the fact that I live in Oregon, I had to find a way to make this type of delicious handburger at home. Tha tis how this copycat recipe was born.
Ingredients Needed
- Beef Ground Chuck, minimum 60% lean
- Hamburger Buns
- American Cheese
- Butter
- Oil
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- White vinegar
- Dill Pickle Chips, optional
- Tomato
- Onions
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make a California Drive Thru Style Burger
- Combine ketchup, mayonaise, vinegar, and relish.
- Stir to combine, then refrigerate until needed.
- Finely chop your onion and add into a frying pan with oil. Stir and saute for a few minutes.
- Cover them and allow them to cook slow for about 30 minutes until they are golden and soft. Watch your heat and don’t let them burn.
- Uncover them once they have started to brown and caramelize and cook for about 5 more minutes uncovered.
- Add in 1/2 C water and simmer until the water evaporates, set aside.
- Heat electric griddle and brush it lightly with vegetable oil.
- Place your buns split side down on the griddle and toast until golden brown.
- Form your hamburger patties. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to both sides.
- Cook for until your preferred doneness, about 3-5 minutes.
- Spread the uncooked side with mustard and flip.
- Top the cooked side with a slice of American cheese.
- Spread burger sauce on toated bun.
- Add lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty and caramelized onions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill the California style burger?
The burger will have a different flavor to it if you grill it. To get a buger that tastes more like a popular California drive thru burger, cook it on a griddle.
What kind of hamburger should I use?
For more delicious burgers try these:
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
California Style Drive Thru Burger Recipe
This delicious burger recipe is a California drive thru style burger you will love, topped with a delicoius burger suace and carmelized onions.
Prep:15 minutes
Cook:15 minutes
Total:30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and more for brushing griddle
- 2 large onions finely chopped
- salt
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp mustard
- 2 lbs. ground chuck 60%
- 4 hamburger buns
- dill pickles I left off
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce bun size pieces
- 4-8 slices tomato
- pepper
- 8 slices American cheese I used cheddar
Instructions
- Heat oil in pan and add onions.
- Cook onions covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes or until onions begin to turn golden brown and caramelize. Watch them so they don’t burn.
- Remove lid and cook for 5 more minutes and then add 1/2 C water. Allow water to evaporate.
- Set aside, onions can be made several days ahead of time and refrigerated.
- Mix together the mayo, ketchup, relish and vinegar in a bowl and set aside.
- Form meat into 8 patties about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat griddle and lightly brush with vegetable oil.
- Toast the buns on the griddle, split side down.
- After they are toasted golden brown spread the bottom bun with 1 Tbsp of the mayo mixture.
- Top with tomato and lettuce.
- Salt and pepper both sides of hamburger patties and cook on the griddle for 3-5 minutes.
- Spread top of patty with 1 1/2 tsps mustard and flip.
- Top patty with cheese and allow to cook until desired doneness.
- Add hamburger to bun and top with caramelized onion.
Tips & Notes:
If you use your grill, the burger will have a different flavor. If you want a more authentic California drive thru style burger, use a griddle.
The recipe calls for ground beef chuck (at least 60% lean) This is different than regular ground beef. If you can’t find beef chuck use a 70/30 or 80/20 ground hamburger.
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Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 8g Calories: 524kcal (26%) Carbohydrates: 16g (5%) Protein: 26g (52%) Fat: 38g (58%) Saturated Fat: 16g (100%) Cholesterol: 104mg (35%) Sodium: 645mg (28%) Potassium: 459mg (13%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 400IU (8%) Vitamin C: 4.6mg (6%) Calcium: 286mg (29%) Iron: 3.2mg (18%)
Debbie Caraballo says
I’ve heard of these, but have never been to an In n out…They look delicious! I love grilled onions on a burger, and the cooked mustard sounds very interesting. Definitely pinning this recipe. I would definitely use American cheese – it’s my favorite, and I’ll own up to it! LOL Thanks for a great recipe.
Leigh Anne says
Hope you give the recipe a try and enjoy it!
Jeanette @ Creating a Life says
I’m from Southern California (living in Colorado now) and I miss In-n-Out so much! We always look forward to our road trips ‘back home’ so we can hit the very first In-n-Out we come to in Utah. I’m totally going to try this recipe, thanks so much for sharing this!
Jeanette
Leigh Anne says
Jeanette – Let me know what you think after you try it!
Kim says
I’ve been making similar burgers for quite sometime. I don’t use the vinegar for the sauce and I use really lean ground sirloin. The sauce is delicious for dipping fries too.
Jen says
I am an American currently living in Germany. One of the things I miss about the U.S. is the delicious burgers! Sure, we have McDonalds and Burger King here, but I’m talking about really good, American-style burgers. I lived in Arizona for a few months and got hooked on In-N-Out. It’s been a while, so I can’t say for sure how this rivals In-N-Out for taste, but I do know that I ate a delicious burger tonight! They were a big hit with the neighbors as well, who also used to live in Arizona and miss good burgers. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Leigh Anne says
Love that you are enjoying them all the way over in Germany!! Thanks so much for letting me know.
Cidalia says
I live in Virginia and have always heard the hype of In-N-Out burger! I’ve always wanted to try one and now I can thanks to your recipe! I’m making them tomorrow for my family and I’m super excited!