Juicy Lucy Burgers
Ground beef burgers, stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese, are the perfect compliment to a summertime celebration. These Juicy Lucy Burgers are a showstopper, whether you’re hosting folks for a barbecue or want to avoid the heat indoors.
2025 Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2015. The recipe has been updated to make a larger batch. The post include new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love these burgers!
I first learned of the Juicy Lucy years ago from my friend Doniree, who spent a large portion of her teenage years in the Twin Cities. I’ve been intrigued by them ever since… even though I have mixed feelings about the name.
As some of y’all know, we had a dog named Lucy for years. And I want to say that the name of these burgers bothers me because I don’t like thinking about my dog as I eat a burger.
She, however, really wanted a burger, and was unperturbed by its name. In fact, she sat at my feet as we wolfed down these burgers when I initially developed their recipe in 2015.
What is a Juicy Lucy Burger?
Simply put, these are cheese-stuffed burgers made with simple beef patties.
A classic Juicy Lucy burger is filled with American cheese because that is one of the meltiest cheese options. But some of the bars and restaurants offer you a cheese choice.
They originate from two separate establishments in South Minneapolis. The 5-8 Club and Matt’s Bar and Grill both claim to have invented this iconic burger. The Minneapolis Star Tribune goes into detail about the feud that has gone back to the 1950s over this beloved cheese-stuffed burger.
Why I love this recipe:
As someone who loves burgers, I absolutely love the idea of a good burger stuffed with molten cheese. After all, it’s like an inside-out cheeseburger.
The end result is a delectable and juicy burger, filled with molten melted cheese.
Here are some more things I love about this recipe:
- The making of them is simpler than you would think. It does not take a ton more time than a regular burger or cheeseburger. However, you need to be prepared to get your hands a little messy, and have all your ingredients ready to go so you can season the beef, divide it into equal portions and assemble each patty.
- You can cook it in the pan/grill of your choice. I tested cooking these burgers in a cast-iron skillet, as well as on our gas grill. You could easily cook ’em on a griddle or a grill pan, if you’d rather.
- Dress ’em up however you like with your favorite toppings, and swap out the cheddar to the cheese of your choice.
More burger recipes to try: Pan Fried Hamburgers | Classic Salmon Burgers | How to Grill Turkey Burgers | Hamburger Sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote | Baked BBQ Turkey Burgers
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Pepper mill
- Box grater
- Parchment paper or wax paper
- Jelly roll pan or baking sheet (to place the burgers on while they rest in the fridge)
- Gas or charcoal grill… a cast iron grill/griddle or cast iron skillet
- Tongs
- Metal spatula
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get from the grocery store:
- Ground beef — 85% lean beef is what you want here. You could go to the 80% lean, too, if you prefer a juicier burger. I do not recommend using leaner ground beef.
- Salt-Free Creole Seasoning — personally, we love Tony’s in our household, but we also make our own homemade Creole seasoning. Use your favorite brand. Just keep in mind that if there is added salt that you might not need to add the kosher salt listed below since they tend to be decently salty.
- Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is what I keep in my kitchen. Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand.
- Black pepper — freshly ground is going to give a delightful kick. Use what you’ve got on hand, though.
- Worcestershire sauce — this adds some delightful umami flavors. There is not a replacement or substitute for it.
- Sharp cheddar cheese — this is my go-to for burgers, simply because our family loves cheddar cheese. I initially recommend using a cheese slice and stacking it, but I like to shred the cheese and ball it up to add to the burger patties. You can use whatever kind of cheese you like, including American cheese slices (that you’ve divided so they more easily fit inside the burger patty), blue cheese or even pepper jack.
- Hamburger buns — use your favorite brand. I like to toast mine for some extra crunch and stability.
How to dress your burgers:
Customize your burgers however you see fit with these burger toppings.
Go classic. Things like lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, pickles, etc., never go out of style.
Add condiments or sauces. Ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise are classics for a reason. You could even add a schmear of Cajun Dipping Sauce for a fun twist.
Go bold. While the burgers are stuffed with cheese, you could add a slice of cheese on top to melt. Add caramelized onions and BBQ sauce for extra sweet-savory elements.
How to make Juicy Lucy Burgers
Add the ground beef to a large bowl.
Season with the Creole seasoning, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Use your hands or a rubber spatula to gently toss the meat together until it has been combined with the seasonings.
Divide the beef into six equal parts. Then halve those parts and roll them in your hands and flatten them into patties. Repeat until there are 12 patties.
Please note that you want double the amount of patties as the number of final burgers.
In the middles of half of the patties, place an ounce of shredded cheddar.
Use your hands to place an empty patty on top of a burger patty with cheese in the middle.
Gently seal the edges and make sure there are no holes.
Repeat until there are six stuffed burgers.
Let the burgers rest for at least 15 minutes in the fridge to redistribute their juices.
Cook on the grill or in a nonstick pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, then flip, cooking for the same amount of time.
When the burgers are browned on both sides and/or have char marks from the grill, remove, and let rest beneath aluminum foil for 5 minutes.
Please note, since these burgers are filled with cheesy goodness, it will be hard to take their internal temperature, and it will also be challenging to cook them to a perfect medium.
Serve on a toasted bun with tomato, lettuce, red onion and any condiments you desire. Enjoy warm.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Burgers are ALWAYS a great idea for entertaining, especially in the warm months.
In fact, I photographed these Juicy Lucy burgers as we hosted my cousins for dinner one Sunday night.
If I were making these to share, here are some things I would try to do:
- Assemble the patties in advance! Since they need to chill in the fridge before you throw them onto the grill, you can make these well before guests arrive.
- Make a toppings bar for everyone to be able to dress their burgers with their favorites. Include classic burger toppings, like lettuce, tomato and red onion and more unique ones, like sliced avocado or guacamole, caramelized onions, etc.
- Serve it with your favorite beverages. I rarely drink these days, but a beer paired with a juicy burger at home is hard to beat.
Quick tips and tricks for the best stuffed burgers:
- Let the meat rest. You don’t want these to fall apart on the grill or griddle, so give them a little time in the fridge before cooking. You can make them early and keep them cold in the fridge, too!
- Use your favorite cheese! Sharp cheddar cheese is our family’s favorite, but yours might like Swiss, provolone, pepper jack, etc. Feel free to swap that up!
What to serve alongside these burgers…
There are so many excellent side dishes for burgers.
Here are a few of ours:
- Sriracha Baked Beans
- No Mayo Potato Salad
- Honey Mustard Coleslaw
- Ramen Noodle and Clementine Salad
- Pulled Pork Coleslaw Eggrolls
Y’all ready to make some of this goodness for you and yours? Scroll on down to learn how simple it is to make these at home!
Juicy Lucy Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 85% lean ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Salt-Free Creole Seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 hamburger buns toasted
Burger Toppings
- Lettuce
- Tomato slices
- Red onion slices
- Pickles
- Condiments (like ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise)
Equipment
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Instructions
- Add the ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Season with the Creole seasoning, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
- Use your hands or a rubber spatula to gently toss the meat together until it has been combined with the seasonings.
- Divide the beef into six equal parts. Then halve those parts and roll them in your hands and flatten them into patties. Repeat until there are 12 patties. Please note that you want double the amount of patties as the number of final burgers.
- In the middles of half of the patties, place an ounce of shredded cheddar.
- Use your hands to place an empty patty on top of a patty with cheese in the middle. Gently seal the edges and make sure there are no holes. Repeat until there are six stuffed burgers.
- Let the burgers rest for at least 15 minutes in the fridge to redistribute their juices.
- Cook on the grill or in a nonstick pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, then flip, cooking for the same amount of time.
- When the burgers are browned on the outsides (or have char marks from the grill), remove, and let rest beneath aluminum foil for 5 minutes.
- Serve on a toasted bun with tomato, lettuce, red onion and any condiments you desire. Enjoy warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Juicy Lucy’s were my first experience with stuffed burgers! Once you try them, it’s hard to go back. I’m always trying new ideas for stuffing burgers.
I love that Juicy Lucy’s were your first stuffed burgers. And you’re so right — they’re so darn good. And like you, I’m always trying new things for stuffing burgers because they’re delicious!
Oh mi gosh, I’ve been craving a burger and this doesn’t help that craving!!
Whoa! These are totally epic. In my prego state I’d probably also top these with more cheese 😀 nomnomnom
Hi, how do I print this interesting recipe? Thanks.