Patty Melt
Ingredients
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- 24 ounces onion – thinly sliced (~5 medium onions)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter – divided, softened for spreading
- 8 slices rye bread
- 16 ounces ground beef (80/20)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper – freshly ground
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
Instructions
1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and jammy, 20–25 minutes; adjust heat to prevent scorching. Transfer onions to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
2. Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and press into thin patties slightly larger than the bread slices. Season both sides of the patties with the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and the black pepper.
3. Return the skillet (or a griddle) to medium-high heat. Cook the patties until well browned and just cooked through, 2–3 minutes per side (4–6 minutes total), or to an internal temperature of 155–160°F. Transfer to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
4. Spread the remaining 4 tablespoons softened butter evenly on one side of each slice of rye bread. Place 4 slices, buttered-side down, on a board. Top each with 1 slice Swiss cheese, a quarter of the caramelized onions, one patty, and another slice Swiss cheese. Close with remaining bread, buttered-side up.
5. Cook the sandwiches in the skillet over medium heat, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is deeply golden and the cheese is melted, 3–4 minutes per side; lower the heat as needed to prevent burning. Cut in half and serve hot.
A patty melt is a diner-born sandwich that marries a seared beef patty with a tangle of sweet caramelized onions and melty Swiss cheese between buttery-griddled rye. The result is crisp-edged bread, gooey cheese, and rich, beefy juices that soak lightly into the crumb. It’s comforting, savory, and satisfyingly messy—the kind of sandwich that feels both nostalgic and indulgent.
Its origins trace to mid-20th-century American lunch counters, where flat-top griddles made quick work of burgers and sandwiches. The patty melt likely emerged as a hybrid of a hamburger and a grilled cheese, gaining traction in diners and chains during the 1950s and 1960s. Over time it became a staple of American diner culture, with regional riffs but a consistent core of rye, onions, beef, and Swiss.