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Classic Diner Burger

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It is no secret how much I love burgers. This Classic Diner Burger is the burger that started it all back when I was a child. A juicy…some would say greasy…cheeseburger slathered with thousand island dressing that runs down your arm. The kind of burger that comes wrapped in white paper with french fries and a chocolate shake!

A Classic Diner Burger is a bit of nostalgia that I hope never goes out of style | cookingwithcurls.com

Yes, I am old enough to remember Bob’s Big Boy. I loved eating there when I was growing up. Then in college, the Bob’s Big Boy in town was torn down to make room for a bookstore. It was okay though, I had the “Theresa Burger” at Marie Callenders. Theresa was the head cook when I started working there, and boy did she make an awesome burger!!

A fully loaded classic diner burger on a wood board with a side of fries and pickles..

Sadly, Theresa left for a better job. The cute little diners slowly disappeared and were replaced by large corporate chains, and barbecue bacon cheeseburgers kind of took over.

Fast forward 28 a few years, and now I can make my own! 🙂  Grass-fed ground beef, Homemade Hamburger Buns, and my very own Thousand Island Dressing bring back fond memories of when food was real and and not processed beyond recognition. No, I am not oblivious to the fact that the buns were “toasted” on the same grill that the burgers were cooked on. I never claimed that burgers are health food, just that they can be made with healthier ingredients! 😉

How to make a Classic Diner Burger

Form ground beef into patties. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until no pink remains.

Two raw ground beef patties in a skillet.

Place cheese slices on top of burgers and allow to melt.

Melted cheese-topped burger on a bun.

Spread thousand island dressing on bottom bun. Add the pickles and cheeseburger, then top with lettuce, tomato, and onion slices.

An open cheeseburger on a plate topped with lettuce, tomato, and onion slices.

Spread additional dressing on top bun, top burger and serve with fries and a chocolate shake.

A burger covered in melted cheese, thousand island dressing, lettuce, onion, and tomato with a side of fries.

I have been planning to post this burger for quite a while now. Then when I looked at the calendar and saw that today was Patriot Day, it just seemed perfect. What could be more American than a big ‘ol cheeseburger, some freedom fries, and chocolate shake?

More delicious burger recipes:

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Enjoy!!

A Classic Diner Burger is a bit of nostalgia that I hope never goes out of style | cookingwithcurls.com

Classic Diner Burger

A Classic Diner Burger is guaranteed to bring back fond memories of a bye gone era, and a way to share those memories with the next generation!
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 713kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Pounds grass-fed 85% ground beef
  • sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 4 Slices cheddar cheese
  • lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles
  • ½ cup Thousand Island dressing
  • 4 hamburger buns toasted

Instructions

  • Form ground beef into patties. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until no pink remains.
  • Place cheese slices on top of burgers and allow to melt.
  • Spread thousand island dressing on bottom bun. Add the pickles and cheeseburger, then top with lettuce, tomato, and onion slices.
  • Spread additional dressing on top bun, top burger and serve with fries and a chocolate shake.

Nutrition

Calories: 713kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 770mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 5.6mg

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17 Comments

  1. Lisa, this really looks like a restaurant photo! I am with you on this being the perfect kind of burger except the part about dressing running down your arm. I’m a freak about messes, so that part makes me cringe 😉 Pinned!

  2. Hello from Iowa 🙂 … your recipes look wonderful! How long does the thousand island dressing keep in the refrigerator ? Thanks… Are you an Iowan too 🙂 !
    marilyn ….!

  3. What a perfect looking burger – I am ready to dig in and take a big bite!

    Thank you for linking this to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. I am always glad that you share your great recipes!

  4. OMG!! When you were describing the burger, I thought to myself, “sounds like a Big Boy!!” My parents were obsessed with that place and we would go all the time on our drives to Door County. This looks so awesome!!!

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