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Classic Patty Melt

Classic patty melt with golden-grilled rye bread, juicy ground beef patties, and deeply caramelized onions plus melted Swiss cheese. Built in a skillet and grilled until the bread crust is toasted and the cheese oozes from the edges.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramelized onions
  • 2 onions Thinly sliced.
  • 1.5 tbsp butter Use 1.5 tablespoons for the onions, divided.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 tsp salt A pinch, to help the onions release moisture.
Beef patties
  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20) Form into 4 thin oval patties.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Season the beef; adjust to taste.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper Season the beef; adjust to taste.
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Sandwich
  • 8 rye or marble rye bread Use 8 slices.
  • 8 Swiss cheese (or American) Use 8 slices.
  • 1.5 tbsp butter Use remaining butter to butter the bread slices.
  • 1 Thousand Island dressing (optional) Optional for serving.
Assembling extras
  • 1 caramelized onions Use the cooked onions from the first section.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Melt 1.5 tablespoons butter with olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, then add thinly sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until deeply caramelized, then set aside.
Make the beef patties
  1. Season the ground beef with salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce, then form into 4 thin oval patties matching the bread shape. Keep patties ready for skillet cooking.
Cook the patties
  1. Cook the patties in the same skillet over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through, then set aside.
Assemble the patty melts
  1. Butter one side of each bread slice, then build sandwiches with unbuttered side down. Layer Swiss cheese, patty, caramelized onions, and more cheese, then top with the remaining bread slices unbuttered side up.
Grill until golden and melty
  1. Grill the sandwiches on medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden and the cheese is fully melted.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice the onions thin and stir often so they caramelize evenly instead of browning too fast; if they start to darken early, lower the heat slightly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until the bread is crisp and the cheese softens. Freezing isn’t ideal because rye bread texture and cheese melt can change. For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef and swap some or all of the cheese for reduced-fat Swiss, keeping the same grilling time to maintain browning.