Cheesy Griddled Smashburger Quesadillas

# What You Need:

→ Smashburger Patties

01 - 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 blend

02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt

03 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Quesadillas

05 - 4 large flour tortillas, 8 to 10 inches each

06 - 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese

07 - 4 slices American cheese

08 - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

09 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

12 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

13 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Optional Garnishes

14 - Sliced pickles

15 - Chopped fresh cilantro

16 - Salsa

17 - Sour cream

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, gently combine ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder until just incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.

02 - Preheat a flat griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and coat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add sliced onions to one side and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

03 - Divide beef mixture into 8 equal portions and roll into loose balls. Place 4 balls on the hot griddle, spacing evenly. Immediately press each with a heavy spatula or burger press to form thin 4-inch patties.

04 - Cook patties undisturbed until edges are deeply browned and juices bubble to the surface, about 2 minutes. Season tops with salt and pepper.

05 - Flip patties and immediately top each with 1 slice cheddar and 1 slice American cheese. Cook until cheese melts and edges crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.

06 - Wipe griddle clean and reduce heat to medium. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with melted butter.

07 - Place a buttered tortilla on the griddle. Layer 2 cheesy patties side by side, sprinkle with cooked onions, drizzle with sauce, and top with a second tortilla. Cook the bottom until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes, pressing gently with spatula.

08 - Flip quesadilla and cook the other side until golden, approximately 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 1 minute.

09 - Slice quesadilla into wedges using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Repeat assembly and cooking process with remaining ingredients to make 2 large quesadillas total. Serve hot with pickles, cilantro, salsa, or sour cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

The smash technique creates those impossibly crispy edges on thin patties that stay juicy inside, something you don't get from regular burger methods.
It's a one-griddle dinner that feels fancy enough to impress but casual enough to make on a Tuesday night without stress.
You get that perfect textural contrast of melted cheese, crispy tortilla, caramelized beef, and sweet onions all at once.

02 -

Don't press the patties more than once—pressing them multiple times squeezes out moisture and prevents that crispy exterior from forming, so commit to one good smash and then leave them alone.
The order of cooking (onions, then beef, then quesadillas) isn't random; it prevents the griddle from steaming out and lets each component get proper color and flavor development.
If your tortilla tears when you flip the quesadilla, it's usually because the heat is too high or you're flipping too early before the bottom has set, so lower the heat slightly and give it those full 2 minutes.

03 -

If you don't have a burger press, the bottom of a heavy pan or skillet works perfectly for smashing the patties flat, giving you the same crispy results.
The sauce is optional, but those three ingredients mixed together add so much punch that it's worth the 30 seconds it takes to whisk them together—it cuts through the richness of the cheese and beef in the best way.
Leftover quesadillas do reheat in a skillet better than a microwave, but honestly these are so good fresh that you'll probably eat them immediately and won't have to worry about leftovers.