Luke’s Diner Cheeseburgers
Topped with a tangy, creamy burger sauce and fresh fixings on a whole wheat bun, these diner cheeseburgers are inspired by Gilmore Girls and Luke’s Diner. Makes 6 cheeseburgers.
Why you will love these Luke’s diner burgers
So it’s been two weeks since the Gilmore Girls revival premiere on Netflix. We made a huge deal of it. We had Luke’s Diner cheeseburgers for dinner with fries (with a salt & pepper dip!).
I did a bit of internet research about what makes really good diner cheeseburgers, but I didn’t really find one specific answer. So I decided to go with what I like best. Classic burger sauce and loads of caramelized onions. You could add other toppings if you want, but I went with cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.
The recipe makes enough burger sauce for at least 8 burgers, but I only made 6 patties so you’ll probably have extra sauce. That’s not a bad thing though, right? We used some of the extra on our fries, and it was great. You could even make double the amount of burgers and still be ok. It’s up to you.
If you like this recipe, you have to try these grilled bison burgers and these spiced lamb burgers. Also, this recipe for easy, baked hamburgers is one of my most popular recipes.
Searching for more sandwich recipes? BBQ pork banh mi sandwich / ultimate turkey club sandwich / sausage and peppers sandwich / chipotle chicken avocado melt
Ingredients & substitutions
- Ground chuck – Ground chuck is probably the perfect meat choice for burgers, it has the perfect amount of fat content – the patties form well and you will get a nice juicy, diner burger. If you aren’t using ground chuck it’s best to use a ground beef that is 80/20, the leaner versions of ground beef tend to leave you with a dry burger.
- Dairy free cheese slices – You should use your favorite dairy free or plant based cheese slices. Take a look at my guide to dairy free cheese if you are having a hard time deciding.
- Burger toppings – We topped these classic burgers with caramelized onions, tomatoes, pickles
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make these diner burgers at home
Make the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside. You can also make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge you are ready to make the burgers.
Form the patties. Combine burger ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Gently mix until ingredients have been well incorporated. Be careful not to over mix, this will make the burgers tough.
Cook the burgers. Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium high. Cook the burgers for 3-5 minutes per side. When there is 1 minute remaining on the second side, top each burger with a dairy free cheese slice, allowing it to melt before removing the burgers from the skillet.
Assemble. Starting with the bottom bun, spread a layer of burger sauce followed by pickle, tomato, and the burger pattie. Finish the burger off with caramelized onions and additional burger sauce, and of course, the top bun.
More great burger recipes: meatball burgers / 15 perfect burger recipes / banh mi turkey burgers / baked hamburgers / spicy chicken sliders / hoisin burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup dill pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck 8020
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Dairy free cheddar slices
- 1 large sweet onion caramelized
- 2 roma tomatoes sliced
- Pickle slices
- 6 whole wheat hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, mix together burger ingredients until incorporated. Form into 6 1/4-pound patties, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.
- Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Cook patties for 3 – 5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Melt cheese onto burgers with about 1 minute before fully cooked.
- To assemble, top each bottom bun with burger sauce, pickle, tomato, lettuce, a burger, onions and additional burger sauce.
I was searching Pinterest recently to find a good burger recipe to make for my oldest son’s birthday. I found this recipe, and thought it looked really good for a more traditional-type burger, since that’s what he wanted. These were amazing! And that sauce is incredible! It’s a great sauce to dip fries in as well. We don’t eat burgers very often, but I was in heaven last night! We added bacon to our burgers, and we also had them on homemade buns. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
I love dipping fries in the sauce, too! It’s amazing. I’m totally adding bacon to my burger next time. That sounds so good that I think I’m adding these to the menu for this week. Thanks for the idea 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the recipe!