Ranch Burgers are a simple way to turn regular hamburgers into something everyone gets excited about. The patties are packed with ranch seasoning and cheddar cheese, and then you finish them with a creamy, tangy secret sauce that tastes like a restaurant-style burger at home.
What makes these burgers so special is how easy they are to make with just a few ingredients, but they still feel extra. They are juicy, flavorful, and perfect for summer grilling, busy weeknights, or feeding friends and family.
If you love this recipe, also try Our Classic Burgers, Teriyaki Chicken Burgers, and Turkey Burgers.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Simple prep. Just mix, shape, and grill for an easy dinner or cookout option.
- Homemade sauce win. The creamy secret sauce gives a restaurant style finish without extra effort.
- Customizable toppings. Everyone can build their burger just the way they like it.
Ranch Burger Ingredients
- Ground Beef (1 pound): Forms the base of the burger and provides juicy texture and rich flavor. An 80 20 blend grills beautifully.
- Cheddar Cheese (1 cup): Melts into the patties for added moisture and cheesy goodness in every bite. Sharp cheddar adds more flavor.
- Ranch Mix (1 package or 3 tablespoons): Infuses the burgers with herby savory seasoning that makes them stand out from classic patties. Hidden Valley is a trusted option.
- Mayonnaise (¾ cup): Creates a creamy base for the secret sauce and adds richness.
- Ketchup (¼ cup): Brings sweetness and tang that balances the savory burger flavors.
- Relish (¼ cup): Adds crunch and a hint of pickle flavor that makes the sauce more interesting.
- Worcestershire Sauce (2 tablespoons): Deepens the sauce flavor with a slightly smoky savory note.
- Toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion slices, pickles, avocado, bacon): Adds freshness, texture, and customizable flavor so everyone can build their perfect burger.
How to Make Ranch Burgers
PATTIES. Put the raw ground beef in a bowl and mix in the ranch seasoning and cheddar cheese. Use your hands to form the ground beef into patties.
When forming your patties keep the thickness to about ¾ inches. Make a slight indentation with your thumb in the center to prevent the burger from bulging while they cook.
Note: Keep in mind that you can get at least 4 patties out of 1 lb of meat and that the patties will shrink a little bit when they cook.
GRILL. Grill the burgers to your liking. If you don’t have a grill, you can use other cooking methods (listed below).
SAUCE. While those patties are on the grill, mix all of the ingredients to make the secret sauce. A whisk works just fine for this.
Ways to Cook a Burger
Outdoor grill. (Our favorite method) Add the burger to a preheated grill (375-400°F). Cook on a grill grate over high direct heat and watch for fire flair ups.
- Medium-rare: Cook for 3 minutes flip and cook for 4 minutes more.
- Medium: Cook for 3 minutes flip and cook 5 minutes more.
- Medium well: Cook for 3 minutes flip and cook for 6 minutes more.
- Well done: Cook for 3 minutes flip and cook for 7 minutes more.
Pan fry. (Cast iron skillet works the best) Heat a little oil in the pan over high heat. When you put the burgers in, they should immediately sizzle. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes on each side.
George Foreman Grill. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
Broil in an oven. Turn the broiler to HIGH. Evenly space the patties onto a broiler pan. Broil for 4-6 minutes on each side.
Oven bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake on an ungreased sheet for 8-10 on each side.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To prevent burgers from falling apart, don’t overwork the meat when forming patties, and don’t flip too many times on the grill. Adding too many chopped ingredients like onions or peppers can also keep the meat from sticking together.
- Make a slight indentation with your thumb in the center of each patty to prevent the burger from bulging while it cooks.
- If secret sauce isn’t your style, you can always use BBQ Sauce, Fry Sauce, or plain old ketchup and mustard.
- Choose freshly ground meat when possible.
- Choosing ground beef with higher fat content, such as 80/20, will produce a juicy burger. Lean meats make a tough, drier burger.
- Keep the meat mixture cold until you’re ready to cook. The fat in the burger will keep it from cooking out, creating a flavorful and juicy burger. Keep in mind that the more fat there is, the more the burger will shrink.
- Toast the buns lightly to help hold the juicy burger and sauce.
- Let burgers rest a few minutes after grilling to keep them juicy.
- Patties can be formed ahead and stored covered in the fridge for up to one day before grilling.
Ranch Burger Recipe
Ingredients
Burger Patty
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 package Hidden Valley ranch mix or 3 tablespoons
Secret Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup relish
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Topping Ideas
- lettuce
- tomato
- onion slices
- pickles
- avocado
- bacon
Instructions
- Mix cheese and ranch into your hamburger meat and form into patties. Grill to your liking.
- Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well with a whisk.
- Top with this delicious sauce for a fantastic restaurant style burger.
Notes
- To prevent burgers from falling apart, don’t overwork the meat when forming patties, and don’t flip too many times on the grill. Adding too many chopped ingredients like onions or peppers can also keep the meat from sticking together.
- Make a slight indentation with your thumb in the center of each patty to prevent the burger from bulging while it cooks.
- If secret sauce isn’t your style, you can always use BBQ Sauce, Fry Sauce, or plain old ketchup and mustard.
- Choose freshly ground meat when possible.
- Choosing ground beef with higher fat content, such as 80/20, will produce a juicy burger. Lean meats make a tough, drier burger.
- Don’t over-mix the meat.
- Keep the meat mixture cold until you’re ready to cook. The fat in the burger will keep it from cooking out, creating a flavorful and juicy burger. Keep in mind that the more fat there is, the more the burger will shrink.
- Toast the buns lightly to help hold the juicy burger and sauce.
- Let burgers rest a few minutes after grilling to keep them juicy.
- Patties can be formed ahead and stored covered in the fridge for up to one day before grilling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Pre-make the patties and store them, uncooked, in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to separate the patties with freezer paper. Thaw in the fridge.
Leftover Ranch Burger recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or bake/broil in the oven.
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This recipe was first shared June, 2018.
My husband loved the change up from a regular grilled burger and the sauce was excellent!
The burgers were great, but I REALLY loved that secret sauce! We will be making often!
Our go-to for summer BBQs, these juicy ranch burgers are so good! The family loves them! They ask about the ‘secret sauce’ 😀
My ranch loving family went crazy for these!! I can’t believe how yummy they turned out. I will double the recipe next time to make more.
If you don’t like a bland burger like me this is a great recipe. This recipe is easy and your end product is a flavorful burger.
My family loves this recipe and I love that it’s so easy to put together. It’s in my meal rotation all year, not just summer!
I found your website looking for a ranch burger recipe. I don’t have any Hidden Valley packets but do have powdered ranch in a jar. Thank you so much for giving me a conversion to tbsp. I decided to check out some of your other links. I’ve come to the conclusion that I found a nice little jem here.
That secret sauce made an already great burger simply devine. My new favourite.
Great burger with the added “secret sauce”, it makes the burger come Alive with Flavor!!!
wonderful, wonderful, flavorful burger. should have made a dozen more. will do that memorial day for sure
Love this recipe soooo much!!!!!
Definitely a burger for my grandson Noah! His go to on everything including pizza is Ranch dressing.
A hamburger couldn’t be any better than this one!!!!
I love burgers but this recipe has turned up the flavor!! Putting flovors like ranch makes the burger so much better. Secret sauce is an added bonus.
The only way to have a good burger is right off the grill.
Thanks for sharing your burger sauce recipe
You’re welcome!!
Man oh man! This is making my mouth water! I’m in the mood for a fat & juicy burger. Off to the store I go to get my fixings! Can’t wait to try this!
These are easy peezy and really good!
Simply a knockout for any bbq get together!
A definite win win when you host a neighborhood cookout.
Delicious again and again. Forgot to rate the first time 😋
I have made this. Absolutely delicious 😋
These sound good! I can’t wait to try. I love that you can make the patties and freeze for a quick meal!
Yes, it’s a great make ahead meal!
This sounds like a great idea for our next family barbeque. I haven’t tried mixing in the flavor. We always try to do it wth toppings.
Found this just in time for a game-changing Mothers Day burger. It was so flavorful and juicy – the flavors really complimented each other. Everyone raved about each aspect and can’t wait to have these again! Thank you so much!!
I made this recipe for my family & they absolutely LOVED it!
I love my BBQ burgers and this one hits the spot! Super simple to make and really yummy to eat!
We tried the Ranch burger and now my family won’t eat burgers any other way!!! Big hit at our house 🙂
Don’t put that cheese in the patty. It just melts and sticks to the grill and catches on fire !!
Oh dear, I haven’t had that happen before. But, I suppose you could put the cheese on top if you have had trouble with it being in the patty.
The hamburger recipe with ranch is awesome and the secret sauce was perfect for my hubby. Thank you so very much for sharing the great recipe with me. Loved it. I am hoping to try a few more of your yummy looking recipes in the weeks to come. Thank you oh so much. Sincerely NJDJ
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed the ranch burgers. They are our favorite. Hope you enjoy some of the other recipes too!
It’s unfortunate that your emails- links have so many pop ups I can never see your entire post. I look for a recipe and have to FIGHT at least 5 pop ups and never can see entire recipe.
This has caused me to delete your emails.
Even just typing a note to you brought up another 5. Really frustrating. Thought you should know.
Thanks for the feedback.
Made them tonight in my cast iron pan. My hubby is quite picky. Lol. They were awesome! He loved them, and the sauce! Will definitely make these again!!!
So happy to hear that! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Oh, yummmm! These burgers turned out juicy and delish. Our new go-to summer BBQ recipe.
Our new favorite burgers!! Super juicy and delicious!
So glad you enjoyed them!!
I look forward to your delicious recipes. Can’t wait to try all of these.
Thank you so much!! That means a lot!
This sounds so delicious but am concerned about all the sodium, why is that so high? I have to be careful of my sodium intake…
Thank you, Bernadine
You could definitely substitute with some low-sodium ingredients to lower the sodium (ex: no salt added ketchup, reduced sodium relish, etc.) 🙂
How have I never thought to flavor a burger with ranch mix? I guess that’s why you have the recipe site and I don’t. Thanks for sharing all your delicious discoveries.
I love everything that you put into this burger! It was so juicy and full of flavor. I really will never buy pre-made patties again. Can’t wait to make these again all summer long!
The sauce takes these burgers to a whole new level!! It adds great flavor & was simple to make!
Thanks a lot for sharing this ranch burger recipe! It’s really helpful~
Summertime brings some of our most favorite food. Hamburgers….with a special sauce!
I love the sauce on these burgers!! They add so much flavor. I can’t imagine eating one without it!
Very delicious burger however they fell apart while cooking. Would appreciate tips on how to maintain the burger shape.
Glad you liked the taste. I am not sure about the falling apart issue. I haven’t had them do that on me. Maybe press a spatula down on the patty as it fry’s up. Is your heat high enough?
I Love this recipe site. I have made several.. I come here every time I need a GOOD , or different birthday .cookouts , holidays!! Theres not one food you can’t find here in a great exciting recipe!! Keep up the great yummy work!!
Awe, thank you so much for saying that!! I am glad you like what you try!
OBVIOUSLY, use gloves if you don’t want to use your bare HANds.
I just wanted to say how wonderful & easy your recipes are!!! Not to mention delicious! !! I love your site! As a mom of twins that are 2yrs old & picky eaters they also have loved your food as well…..yummy, yummy! We tried your ranch burgers tonight & they were amazing! !! Thank you so much for sharing these great recipes!
We made this tonight. It was a huge hit. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I wish I had one right now!
xox
This looks delicious! Pinned!
These hamburgers look simple enough for my skill level, and yet very delicious!
These all look so good!
My mouth is just watering!! Come to mama!