Description
These Patty Melts with Secret Sauce are a classic comfort food featuring juicy ground beef patties, caramelized onions, and layers of Swiss and cheddar cheese, all grilled to crispy perfection between slices of rye bread. Served with a tangy, flavorful secret sauce, this recipe is perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner that comes together in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Patty Melts
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 8 slices rye bread
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 tbsp butter, for grilling
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Secret Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Secret Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well until combined, then set the sauce aside to let flavors meld.
- Caramelize Onions: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes until they become golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Form and Season Patties: Divide the ground beef into four thin patties, making each slightly larger than a slice of bread to account for shrinkage during cooking. Season both sides of the patties generously with salt and black pepper.
- Cook Beef Patties: In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the patties for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until fully cooked and nicely browned. Remove the patties from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the Bread: Butter one side of each of the eight slices of rye bread. Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place four slices of bread, butter-side down, on the skillet.
- Assemble Patty Melts: On each bread slice in the skillet, layer one slice of Swiss cheese, one cooked beef patty, caramelized onions, and one slice of cheddar cheese. Top each with another slice of rye bread, butter-side up.
- Grill the Sandwiches: Cook the assembled sandwiches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted through.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and let them rest for 1 minute. Slice each sandwich in half and serve with the secret sauce on the side or drizzled on top for extra flavor.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can add a dash of smoked paprika to the beef patties before cooking.
- Ensure onions are cooked slowly for the best caramelization and sweetness.
- Use a heavy skillet or a panini press to get evenly crispy bread and melted cheese.
- Secret sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Leftover patty melts can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet for best results.
