When I was growing up in California, the only In-n-Out Burger drive throughs were in LA. I was from the north so going to In-n-Out Burger was always a special occasion.

I remember while at university, my friends and I would all pile into a car with a case or two of beer and drive the five hours to LA to chow down on double doubles!

We'd purchase about ten double doubles each and bring them back with us for the five hour drive back home. If only I knew the copycat In-n-Out burger recipe back then!

I had a friend who didn't have a driving licence but he also didn't drink so he was our designated driver. Petrol was a lot less expensive back then.

Now the In-n-Out Burger chain is much larger with restaurants all over the West Coast, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. Whenever I go home it's one of the first place we stop.

So when I was there last year I purchased a few and took them back to my parent's house. I was determined to copy the recipe and came up with this copycat In-n-Out burger recipe.

Now I can have In-n-Out Double Doubles whenever I want and you can too.

This recipe is exact. I promise you, there is no difference between this and the real thing.

It's very important to use the best quality beef you can find. Use a good butcher and forget the supermarket. The lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion all need to be fresh from the fridge. American cheese is a must.

Here in the UK I use Walburton burger buns which are quite close to those used at In-n-Out.

Freshness is key as I showed last week with my Big Mac recipe. You also need to stack your double double exactly as shown.

This is one of the reasons it is so good. You bite into the burger... the bottom of your mouth gets the amazing flavour of the special sauce, pickles, tomato and lower burger and cheese.

The top of your mouth gets to enjoy the top bun, burger and cheese. Then your teeth meet right in the centre at the crisp cold onion. You won't want the experience to end.

Special sauce recipe

Mix 3 tablespoons mayonaise, 1 tablespoon catsup, 1 teaspoon finely chopped dill pickle, 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion, ½ teaspoon French’s yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. You will have enough for four sandwiches.

If you like this copycat In-n-Out burger recipe, you might like to try some of these too...

How to make and In-n-Out lettuce wrap burger
Louis' Lunch Burger
Juicy Lucy burger
Squeeze burger
Oklahoma onion burger

Recipe

How To Make A Homemade In-n-Out Double Double Burger

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 top and bottom burger bun
• 140g top quality minced beef (ask your butcher for a 60% meat 40% fat mix) This is very important
• 3 sliced of lettuce cut to the same size as the bun
• 1 tomato slice cut to the same size as the bun.
• 1 onion slice about the same size as the bun
• 4 - 5 dill pickle slices (At In-n-Out they use four but I couldn't find any big enough so I used five)
• 2 teaspoons French's yellow mustard
• 2 pieces of American cheese
• 1 tablespoon special sauce (recipe above)

Instructions

1. Divide the beef into two equal sized ball and then flatten with a spatula until they are about the same size as the bottom bun.
2. Season generously with salt and pepper and then fry over high heat for about two minutes.
3. Spread one teaspoon of the mustard on the rare side and then flip over.
4. Place a piece of cheese on top of each burger and cook for a further two minutes. Then flip one last time so that the cheese is on the grill for about 30 seconds. Remove and keep warm.
5. Working quickly, spread the special sauce over the bottom bun followed by the pickles, tomato and lettuce.
6. Now stack one of the burgers on top of the lettuce.
7. Top this burger with the sliced onion and then the other burger.
8. Place the top bun on the burger and enjoy with one or two cold lagers.

Let me take you to El Reno, Oklahoma, with nothing but a hot griddle, some beef, and a mountain of onions. If you’ve never had a Sid’s Oklahoma Onion Burger, you’re missing out on one of the best regional burgers in the U.S.—and it’s dead simple to make at home.

The idea is pure genius in its simplicity. A thin patty of seasoned ground beef, smashed onto a hot plate and cooked with a ridiculous amount of thinly sliced onions. The onions caramelise into the burger itself, fusing with the beef fat to form something that’s savoury, sweet, crispy around the edges, and totally addictive.

In this post, I’ll show you how to recreate this roadside diner legend at home, with step-by-step instructions, some historical flavour, and tips for taking it to the next level.

What Is an Oklahoma Onion Burger?

The Oklahoma Onion Burger was born during the Great Depression, when beef was expensive, and onions were cheap. Smart diners like Sid’s Diner in El Reno, Oklahoma which opened in 1989, realized the recipe works and wanted to offer the classic to its customers. You really can stretch a small amount of beef into a whole burger by smashing in a handful of onions.

Today, Sid’s still makes them the old-school way—fresh ground beef, thin-sliced onions, no frills. You’ll get it with a soft white bun, maybe American cheese, and mustard. That’s it. No lettuce, no tomato. No need. It’s all about that crispy beef-onion combo.

Ingredients

The Oklahoma onion burger requires few ingredients. This burger is as simple as they come but when you try it, you will fall in love with the flavor.

• Ground beef
• 1 fresh hamburger bun
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 6.5oz (180g) good quality ground beef
• 1 white onion - sliced paper thin
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dill pickle slices
• French's yellow mustard

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by step photos

Check out these photos to see just how easy it is to make the classic Oklahoma onion burger.

1. Step 1: Over a low heat, melt the butter in a pan and toast the burger buns (bottom side). 1-2 minutes until toasted. Set aside

2. Step 2: Place one beef ball into the pan and smash to a thick burger patty.

3. Step 3: Lay your sliced onions onto your patty and add salt and pepper.

4. Step 4: Flip your burger and press the patty into the onion.

5. Step 5: Add your cheese slice.

6. Step 6: Place a burger dome on-top of your burger to melt the cheese.

7. Step 7: Place your cooked patty on to your bottom burger bun and top with mustard and pickles.

8. Step 8: In the same pan, return a handful of onions and over a low heat top with the top burger bun and steam under a dome or pan lid for about a minute to steam.

9. Step 9: Dig in to this! Crispy charred onions on the bottom, caramelized to perfection all with a juicy burger patty and soft steamed bun. It might be simple but the Oklahoma onion burger just plain gets it!

What Makes It So Good?

It’s the onion-to-beef fusion. The onions don’t just sit on top—they become part of the burger itself. As they caramelise, they sweeten and soften, while the beef crisps around them. It’s crispy, juicy, sweet, salty, and a little smoky from the sear.

When you take that first bite, the combo of melted cheese, beefy flavour, and savoury onions is something special. It’s everything a smash burger should be—fast, messy, and totally unforgettable.

Tips for the Best Onion Burger

Don’t overload with toppings – Let the beef and onions shine. This burger doesn’t need lettuce, tomato, or fancy sauces.with a similar recipe that fits a different diet.

Use the right beef – 70/30 mince gives the best flavor and a good sear. You could use less fatty meat if you want but I recommend the 70/30 meat to fat ratio.

Slice the onions thin – Thicker onions won’t caramelise quickly enough and can overpower the burger.

Smash it hard – This isn’t a thick pub burger. You want max surface area contact for the crust.

Variations

Once you’ve nailed the classic, here are a few fun spins to experiment with:

Double or triple it up – Stack two or three smashed patties for extra indulgence. I did this on my other blog here.

Spicy version – Add sliced jalapeños or hot sauce before serving.

BBQ twist – Mix a bit of BBQ sauce with mustard for a sweet-smoky edge.

Equipment

You’ll need a flat griddle or heavy-bottomed frying pan. Cast iron is ideal. And if you want to do it like the pros, get yourself a metal spatula and a burger press or another spatula for smashing.

Storage

You can do all the preparation for the Oklahoma onion burger a few days ahead of cooking. So if you want to get things ready for your next burger night, go ahead and prepare ahead.

I recommend storing all the ingredients separately in airtight containers.

Final Thoughts

If you love burgers—and let’s face it, who doesn’t?—the Oklahoma Onion Burger needs to be on your list. It’s a masterclass in doing more with less. Just beef, onions, salt, and heat. That’s the magic.

I make these at home when I want something fast, satisfying, and full of flavor. Once you try them, I guarantee you’ll be hooked. You don’t need a grill, just a hot pan and a bit of elbow grease.

So grab some onions, get your smash on, and bring a bit of Oklahoma to your own kitchen.

FAQ

Recipe

How To Make The Oklahoma Onion Burger From Sid's Diner

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

The Oklahoma onion burger might be simple but it's burger perfection. Give this one a try soon. You'll be happy you did.

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Ingredients

• 1 fresh hamburger bun
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 6.5oz (180g) good quality ground beef
• 1 white onion - sliced paper thin
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dill pickle slices
• French's yellow mustard

Instructions

1. Heat a frying pan or skillet over a medium heat and add the butter. As it melts, place the two bun halves, sliced side down and toast them until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Turn up your heat and get that skillet smoking hot. The add the beef patty and smash it right down into the pan. Let it char for at least 5 minutes. When you have a gook char on the under side, season the patty with salt and pepper to taste and top it with a mound of thinly sliced onion.
3. Carefully get your spatula right under the burger. You don't want to lose any of that delicious crust. Flip the burger so that the unions are right down on the heat and then press it down some more with a spatula or burger press.
4. Season this side with salt and pepper to taste too and then top with a slice of Cheddar burger cheese. Place a burger dome or lid over the burger and continue cooking until the meat is cooked through to your liking.
5. When the meat is cooked through, the cheese is nicely melted and your onions are beautifully caramelised, use your spatula to transfer the burger to the bottom bun. To make this extra delicious, leave some of the onions in the pan and place the top bun on them. Cover with your burger dome or lid for about a minute to steam.
6. Meanwhile, top the cheesy burger patty with mustard and pickle slices.
7. When your burger bun has steamed and is really soft and warm, pick it up with your spatula and transfer it to the top of the burger.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 998Total Fat: 71gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 34gCholesterol: 225mgSodium: 990mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 56g

Louis’ Lunch in New Haven Connecticut is about as unique of a burger restaurant as you are going to find. Their claim to fame is that they made the first ever hamburger sandwich. From their website, the story goes… [Read more...]

If you’re looking for the best cheeseburger recipe in America, you might just find it at Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta Georgia.

As burgers go, it is quite basic but what it lacks in toppings it makes up for in quality. I visited Holman & Finch Public House a few months ago and was very impressed.

I’d like to say I got to eat one whole burger to myself but that wasn’t the case. My wife Caroline and I split it with two relatives from Toombs County Georgia. We got the last burger of the evening.

At Holeman & Finch they only make 24 burgers every day and those burgers are usually ordered well in advance of them being served at 10.00 pm. They don't make many but theirs is the best cheeseburger recipe I have found in some time so you could understand why they want it to remain special.

If you go on a Sunday, however they are served all day.

The secret to the spectacular flavour is in the grass fed chuck and brisket ground meat combo and also the freshly made burger buns.

I decided to recreate this masterpiece and home and now you can too. I promise you, this recipe is as close to the real thing as you’re going to get. In fact, I think my recipe is the best cheeseburger recipe going! Thanks Holeman and Finch!

If you are in the US, use Kraft American cheese slices just like they do at the restaurant. Here in the UK where Kraft slices are quite difficult to find, I used Deli Cheddar slices that worked spectacularly well.

I’ll be sharing my homemade burger bun recipe in my upcoming ebook “American Burger” but for now just try to find the freshest buns you can find. Yes, that is a freshly baked burger bun you see in that photo and it does make all the difference.

I used a combo of 50% chuck and 50% brisket. There was a 80% meat to 20% fat ratio and it tasted gorgeous. You could grind your own but I asked my butcher to do it which was a lot easier.

If you like this recipe, you might like to try some of these too...

Big Mac
5 Guys Burger
Whopper with cheese
In-n-Out Double Double burger
Lettuce wrap burger

Recipe

Holeman And Finch Cheeseburger CopyCat Recipe

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 freshly made hamburger bun
• 2 x ¼ pound (113g) burger patties
• Salt and pepper
• Butter for toasting the bun
• 1 half handful of shredded red onion
• 2 Kraft American Cheese slices or the cheese of you choice
• Ketchup, French’s mustard, mayonnaise and dill pickle slices

Instructions

1. Place a frying pan over high heat.
2. Butter your bun halves lightly and toast in the pan. Set aside.
3. Flatten your burger patties with a flat spatula until they are just slightly larger than the bun.
4. Season generously with salt and pepper and place in the pan.
5. Fry for four minutes until the patties are starting to cook through, then flip over.
6. Cover one of the patties with the shredded red onion and then top each with a slice of cheese.
7. Allow the cheese to melt and your burger will be ready. I do like mine a bit pink in the centre but feel free to cook for longer if you prefer.
8. Cover the bottom bun with mayonnaise to taste and then top first with the patty with the onion and cheese and then the other.
9. Place the top bun on the burger and serve with ketchup, mustard and pickles.

I hope you enjoy making and eating the best cheeseburger recipe around. If you do try it, be sure to leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.