Here, you can find the way to cook a buger from the swiss cheese, mushrooms and the perfect tempature. Below you can find out when its down and know when to server it to friends, neighbors and family without questions.
Listen to the skillet when the mushrooms go in. First comes a hiss, then a quiet bubbling as the slices give up their water. When you hear a sizzle again, pull one over with a spoon. That bronze underside is what you want on your burger. A little butter catches in the gills, a slice of Swiss softens over the beef, and a swipe of Dijon mayo brings some bite to the toasted bun.
This mushroom Swiss burger recipe makes four quarter-pound burgers in one skillet. The mushrooms cook first, the buns take a quick turn in the buttery pan, and the beef goes in last. Give yourself about forty minutes and keep a clean plate by the stove for the first pair of patties.
4 burgers · 10 minutes prep · 30 minutes cooking
The burger, from the bottom bun up
- Toasted sesame bun. The cut face should feel crisp under a fingertip. The outside stays soft enough to give gently when you bite down.
- Dijon mayo. Two teaspoons of mustard in three tablespoons of mayonnaise give four burgers a little tang. Spread it to the rim so the last bite gets some too.
- Seared beef and Swiss. A thin slice of cheese should reach the edge of the patty. Its softened surface gives the mushrooms something to settle into.
- Butter-finished creminis. Spoon them over the cheese, including the little browned pieces at the bottom of the bowl. Those bits taste especially good along the outside edge.
At the grocery store
Start with the bun size
A standard sesame bun about four inches across suits a quarter-pound burger. Pick one with a low dome and an even crumb. A tall bakery roll looks generous, but you can end up eating two mouthfuls of bread before you reach the mushrooms. If the buns you have are thick, pinch a little bread out of the top half. The shallow hollow helps contain the topping.
Choose the beef and cheese together
One pound of 80/20 ground beef divides neatly into four patties. That fat gives the meat room to develop a crust while it cooks through. Keep the package cold, and handle the beef just enough to hold a patty together. Thin deli-cut Swiss is handy here. One slice per burger melts in the time it takes to finish the second side. If your cheese comes in a thick block, cut thin strips and lay them side by side across the meat.
Use the mushroom stems, too
Choose eight ounces of firm creminis, sometimes labeled baby bellas. Wipe off dirt or give them a brief rinse, then dry them well. Trim the dry tips and slice down through caps and stems about a quarter inch thick. Cut very large caps in half first. A piece small enough to fit on a fork is also small enough to stay in the burger when you take a bite.
Three things to watch at the stove
1. The mushrooms change sound
Warm a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Tip in the mushrooms and spread them across the bottom. Leave them alone for the first two minutes. Starting in oil lets you save the butter for the end, when it can coat the browned surfaces without spending the whole cooking time over high heat.
Turn a few slices. As more water seeps out, the pan may look crowded and the mushrooms may go gray. Keep cooking with the lid off and stir occasionally. Once the puddles disappear, listen for that sharper sizzle. Give the slices time against the pan between stirs. Most batches take another six to eight minutes after the first turn, but a wide pan on a strong burner can get there sooner.
When several slices have deep golden faces, lower the heat and toss in a tablespoon of unsalted butter and a pinch of the measured salt. Scrape up the browned flecks with a wooden spoon. Transfer everything to a bowl while the butter still smells sweet. Leave the light film of fat in the skillet for the bread.
2. The buns pick up a little color
Set the buns cut-side down in the skillet over medium heat, working in batches so each half lies flat. Lift one after thirty seconds. You want a ring of gold around the edge and a dry surface in the middle. A sweet roll can darken quickly, so check it again before a full minute passes. Rest the toasted halves cut-side up. If you stack them, steam softens the very surface you just toasted.
3. The patties release from the pan
Before shaping the patties, measure the salt and pepper into a saucer. Set out a clean spatula for serving. You can season each batch without reaching into the salt cellar with fingers that have touched raw meat.
Divide the cold beef into four equal portions and gently flatten each to roughly four inches across and half an inch thick. Smooth any deep cracks around the rim with your fingertips. A shallow thumbprint in the center helps the top stay level enough for the cheese. If you shape the patties before cooking the mushrooms, return them to the refrigerator until the pan is ready.
Wipe dark crumbs from the skillet, bring it back to medium-high heat, and season both sides of the first two patties with their share of the remaining salt and pepper. Lay them in with space between them. After about three minutes, slide a thin spatula under a corner. A well-browned patty usually lifts cleanly. If it catches, give it a little longer. Keep the spatula underneath for the flip and resist the urge to press down afterward.
Cook the second side for about two minutes, lay Swiss on each burger, and cover briefly. Check each patty with an instant-read thermometer, inserting the probe horizontally from the side until the tip reaches the center. Ground beef needs to reach 160°F. If the cheese melts first, keep cooking and check again. Move the finished pair to a clean plate, then season and cook the second pair the same way. Safe minimum cooking temperatures.
Assemble while the cheese is still soft
Line up the four bottom buns and spread each with a thin layer of Dijon mayo. Set a patty on each one. Divide the mushrooms in their bowl into four loose piles before you start spooning. That small step keeps the last person from getting a bare burger. If liquid has collected, lift the mushrooms out with a slotted spoon. Set each top bun in place and give it just enough pressure to settle the cap.
For a family eating at the kitchen counter, serve the first two burgers as soon as they are ready. To bring four to the table together, loosely tent the first pair of cooked patties on their clean plate while the others finish. Keep the buns and sauce separate until assembly. A tight foil wrap traps steam, and an assembled burger loses its toasted edges while it waits.
If your skillet has other ideas
The mushrooms are pale and the pan is wet
Push a spoon through the center. If liquid rushes into the track, let it bubble away uncovered. Adding butter now will give you a buttery puddle. If the mushrooms sit several layers deep in a small skillet, move half to a bowl and brown each portion separately. Reunite them for the butter finish. Buying sliced mushrooms saves preparation time, but their thickness can vary, so judge them by color and sound.
The second batch is browning too fast
Cast iron holds heat between batches. If the first patty in the second pair smells scorched before the underside has had time to brown evenly, lower the heat a notch. A teaspoon of dark fat and crumbs left from the first batch can also give the next burgers a bitter edge. Carefully spoon out excess fat into a heatproof container, leaving a light coating in the skillet.
The cheese hangs over the edge and sticks
Fold a big square of Swiss at the corners so it fits the patty. When you lift the burger, slide the spatula underneath the browned meat from the side with the least overhang. A little crisp skirt of cheese is delicious. Scrape it up with the burger so it gets to the bun.
What to serve with a mushroom Swiss burger
These burgers have plenty of richness, so something crisp or tart earns its space on the plate. Try cold dill pickle spears or thin cucumber slices tossed with vinegar and a pinch of sugar. For a hot side, put the potatoes in the oven before you start the mushrooms. The roasted garlic in our green beans and potato wedges works well alongside the Swiss.
For a different plate, spoon warm braised red cabbage with apple cider vinegar beside each burger. The sharp apple vinegar cuts through the buttery mushrooms. Serve the cabbage in a small bowl if you want to keep the purple juices away from the bun.
Mushroom Swiss burger recipe questions
Can I use white mushrooms or a portobello?
White button mushrooms work well at the same weight. Brown them until the cut faces have some color before adding the butter. For a portobello, trim the tough stem and cut the cap into short strips. The dark gills are edible. Leaving them in gives the topping a deeper color, while scraping them out with a spoon makes for a lighter-looking pile.
How do I make dinner for two?
Use half a pound of beef, four ounces of mushrooms, two buns, and two slices of Swiss. Halve the sauce and seasonings, too. The patties still weigh four ounces each, so their cooking time stays about the same. Dinner comes together sooner because both burgers fit in one batch. Start with a medium skillet if that helps keep the smaller amount of butter from spreading too thin.
Can I grill the beef?
Yes. Brown the mushrooms in a skillet as directed and keep them close to the grill in a covered bowl. Sear the patties over direct medium-high heat, then flip once the underside releases. If the fat flares up, move them to a cooler part of the grate. Add the Swiss near the end and close the lid briefly to melt it. Check each center for 160°F. Toast the buns over the cooler area, where you can lift them to check their color.
What can I prepare before people arrive?
Mix the Dijon mayo, cover it, and refrigerate it. Slice the mushrooms and put them in their own container. Shape the patties and refrigerate them covered on the lowest shelf, away from the toppings. Keep the salt handy to add just before searing. When people arrive, all the chopping is done and you can stay at the stove long enough to catch the mushrooms at their best.
Tomorrow’s lunch
Pack leftover patties and mushrooms in separate shallow containers. Refrigerate within two hours, or within one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or colder and use the cooked leftovers within three to four days. Store the buns separately so they stay dry. FoodSafety.gov’s leftover storage guide.
To reheat, put a patty and a teaspoon of water in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cover, warm gently, and check that the center reaches 165°F. Warm the mushrooms through to the same temperature and toast a fresh bun. If you only have one patty and two lunch boxes, chop the reheated beef and mushrooms and divide them over two baked potatoes. A dab of the Dijon mayo tastes just as good on the split potato.
Mushroom Swiss Burger Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Stir the mayonnaise and Dijon together. Divide the cold beef into four 4-ounce patties, about 4 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Refrigerate while you cook the mushrooms.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Spread out the mushrooms. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir occasionally for another 6–8 minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the edges brown. Lower the heat, add the butter and a pinch of the salt, toss, and transfer to a bowl.
- Over medium heat, toast the buns cut-side down in the same skillet for 30–60 seconds per batch. Set them cut-side up on a plate and wipe any dark crumbs from the skillet.
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Season both sides of two patties with half the remaining salt and pepper. Sear without pressing for about 3 minutes. Flip, cook 2 minutes, then add one cheese slice per patty. Cover briefly and continue cooking until each center reaches 160°F, checking with a thermometer inserted from the side. Move to a clean plate. Repeat with the other two patties and remaining seasoning and cheese.
- Spread Dijon mayo on each bottom bun. Add a cheeseburger and a quarter of the mushrooms. Finish with the top buns and serve hot.
Notes
One last spoonful
When you make this mushroom Swiss burger recipe, take a spoon to the mushroom bowl before you carry the plates out. The little caramelized pieces settle at the bottom with just enough butter to hold them together. Tuck them under the top buns where they’ll land in someone’s first bite.
