Epic French Onion Stuffed Burger Recipe

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French Onion Stuffed Burgers turn your basic grilled cheeseburger into something totally epic. Inspired by the classic French Onion Soup au Gratin, stuff those caramelized onions inside a beef hamburger and pile all the gooey cheese on top. Then toss them on the grill for the most amazing stuffed burger recipe ever.

French Onion Stuffed Burgers Recipe Image with title

Originally published on May 11, 2017

There are so many food holidays out there. Each day has one, if not more ingredients, dishes, or cuisines that are honored and celebrated. Everything from liver and onions to peanut butter gets its day in the spotlight (though let’s be real, I am more likely to join in celebrating the latter).

And then let’s talk about the months. Oatmeal Month. Noodle Month. Cookie Month. Yes, there’s even a Gazpacho Aficionados Month.

Personally, I think it’s all a bit too much.

But there is one month I can get behind – Burger Month.

Yes, you guys, perfectly coinciding with the unofficial kickoff to grilling season, May is National Hamburger Month.

Now, where’s the beef?!?!

Burger Month calls for an epic burger, and these French Onion Stuffed Burgers au Gratin fit the bill! When thinking about a knock-your-socks-off burger, I went back to a tried and true comfort food – French Onion Soup.

Soup as we kick off summer? Yes, because when you take the elements of this classic soup – caramelized onions, beefy broth, and melty cheese – and stuff it inside and on top of beef, it’s an absolute winning formula.

French Onion Stuffed Hamburger with Gruyere cheese and caramelized onion aioli on a brioche bun

French Onion Burger with Cheese

Big, juicy beef hamburgers stuffed with caramelized onions and gooey cheese on top are a winning combination. Toss these on the grill for a seriously epic recipe for your summer barbecue.

I mean, French Onion Stuffed Meatloaf and French Onion Stuffed Meatballs have been total hits. Bringing this savory deliciousness to a hamburger seemed the obvious next step.

For the caramelized onions

  • Olive oil
  • Onions
  • Salt and pepper
  • Thyme – fresh or dried
  • Beef broth
  • Red wine – or additional beef broth

For the French onion spread

  • Mayonnaise
  • Plain Greek yogurt
  • Some of the caramelized onions
  • Dijon mustard
  • Parsley – fresh or dried
  • Salt and pepper

For the burgers

  • Lean ground beef
  • Parsley – fresh or dried
  • Salt and pepper
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Burger buns – brioche buns are nice, or you can make homemade Gluten Free Hamburger Buns
  • Bibb or butter lettuce

Directions

  1. Caramelize onions in a pan, seasoning with salt, pepper, and thyme, then add beef broth and wine.
  2. Simmer until reduced and set aside.
  3. Mice together the ingredients for the French onion spread and refrigerate.
  4. Mix the beef with the parsley, salt, and pepper.
  5. Separate into four equal pieces and flatten into thin patties.
  6. Place about a tablespoon of the onions in the center of each patty and press the meat around to seal.
  7. Stuff the caramelized onions inside some basic beef burgers.
  8. Grill the burgers over medium-high heat and finish with adding a few more onions and Gruyere cheese on top during the last few minutes of cooking.
  9. Toast the rolls and smear with French onion spread.
  10. Place the burgers on the rolls with lettuce.

If that’s not a burger of insane proportions, I don’t know what is!

Inside of a grilled French Onion Burger stuffed with caramelized onions and topped with Gruyere cheese

Brianne’s recipe tips

  • Take your time caramelizing the onions to ensure they don’t burn.
  • You can use any kind of dry red wine, such as a merlot, cabernet sauvignon, or pinot noir. I do not recommend red cooking wine.
  • If you do not cook with wine, additional beef broth can be used.
  • If you have extra French onion spread, it’s great on sandwiches or as a dip for veggies or chips.
  • You can use basic burger buns, but Brioche rolls add a delicious buttery touch.
  • For gluten free stuffed burgers, just use gluten free rolls. They are also great to eat as lettuce wraps or just with a knife and fork for a keto-friendly option.

Side dishes

French Onion Stuffed Cheeseburger au Gratin on a blue plate

More burger recipes

French Onion Stuffed Burgers
5 from 2 votes

French Onion Stuffed Burgers au Gratin

Epic beef burgers stuffed with caramelized onions and topped with more onions and plenty of cheese. 
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

For the onions

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large onions halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 Tablespoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup red wine or additional beef broth

For the French onion spread

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons of the onion mixture
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley or 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
  • pinch salt and pepper to taste

For the burgers

  • 1 1/3 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 oz gruyere cheese shredded, divided
  • 4 brioche buns or gluten free buns, if needed, sliced open
  • Bibb or butter lettuce

Instructions

For the onions:

  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium, add onions, salt & pepper, cook 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently or until caramelized.
  • Add thyme, sauté for minute or two, then add the wine and beef broth.
  • Reduce until very little liquid remains.
  • Set aside to cool.

For the French onion spread:

  • In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

For the burgers:

  • In a bowl, combine the beef, parsley, pepper, and salt, and gently combine with your hands.
  • Divide the meat mixture into four equal pieces.
  • Take one piece of the meat mixture and flatten into a very thin patty. Place about a tablespoon of the onions in the center of the patty and wrap the meat around the onions to form a burger, sealing as best you can. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of meat.
  • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side to desired doneness. For the last couple minutes of grilling, divide the remaining onion mixture on top of the burgers and top each with a quarter of the Gruyere cheese.
  • Lightly toast the buns on the grill. Place one burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with lettuce and French onion spread. 

Notes

Recipe nutrition based on serving burgers on brioche buns.
Nutrition Facts
French Onion Stuffed Burgers au Gratin
Amount Per Serving (1 burger)
Calories 868 Calories from Fat 450
% Daily Value*
Fat 50g77%
Saturated Fat 21g105%
Cholesterol 275mg92%
Sodium 1620mg68%
Potassium 674mg19%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 53g106%
Vitamin A 1115IU22%
Vitamin C 8.3mg10%
Calcium 386mg39%
Iron 4.9mg27%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Enjoy!

11 Comments
  1. Wow, this is one great burger! I have totally fallen in love with it – I’m a bit of a burger fan, but well, who ain’t? Great recipe, I need to try it.

  2. I love burgers but I have not tried a handful of varieties. Good to know that there are so many variants of burger for the burger lovers. Onion burger is something I am thinking of trying since long, but not the beef.

    Well, the recipe is a bit complicated for me.So, I will pass it on to my wife.

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