How To Cook Burgers In The Oven | Juicy Patties, No Grill

Bake burger patties at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, flip once, and cook ground beef to 160°F in the center for safe, juicy results.

Oven burgers are one of the easiest dinners you can make when the grill is out of reach, the weather is rough, or you just want less cleanup. You still get browned edges, a tender center, and that classic burger feel without standing over a pan.

The trick is simple: use a hot oven, shape patties evenly, and stop guessing doneness by color. Once you dial in the method, you can turn out burgers for one person or a full tray for a crowd with steady results.

This article walks you through the full process step by step, plus timing, temperature, common mistakes, and how to keep burgers juicy instead of dry.

How To Cook Burgers In The Oven For Juicy, Even Results

Oven heat wraps around the patties, so they cook more evenly than many people expect. You won’t get open-flame char, though you can get strong browning with a hot pan or sheet and a short broil at the end.

This method works well for weeknights because it scales cleanly. Four burgers take almost the same effort as eight, and the oven handles the batch while you prep buns, toppings, or a side dish.

What You Need Before You Start

Keep the setup simple. A rimmed baking sheet or oven-safe skillet, parchment or foil, and a spatula will do the job. A thermometer is the one tool that changes your results right away.

Ground beef with some fat cooks up better in the oven than extra-lean meat. An 80/20 blend gives a juicy patty with good flavor. If you use leaner beef, the method still works, though you’ll need tighter timing.

Best Oven Temperature For Burgers

425°F is the sweet spot for most home ovens. It’s hot enough to brown the outside and cook the center in a reasonable window, yet not so hot that the outside dries out before the middle catches up.

You can also bake at 400°F if your oven runs hot or your patties are thicker. Expect a bit more cook time. At 450°F, watch closely, since the top can darken fast.

How Thick The Patties Should Be

A patty around 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick works well in the oven. That thickness gives you enough time for browning while staying juicy inside. Thick patties can work too, though timing gets tighter and thermometer checks matter more.

Shape each patty to the same thickness so they finish together. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each one with your thumb. That small dip helps the patty cook flatter instead of puffing into a dome.

Step-By-Step Method For Oven Baked Burgers

1) Preheat The Oven And Pan

Heat the oven to 425°F. If you want stronger browning, place an empty sheet pan or oven-safe skillet in the oven while it heats. A hot surface gives the first side a head start.

Line a rimmed sheet with parchment or foil if you want easier cleanup. If you’re using a preheated metal pan, skip parchment and lightly oil the surface after you pull it out.

2) Shape And Season The Patties

Portion the beef into equal mounds. Six ounces per patty gives a hearty burger; four ounces works well for standard buns. Handle the meat gently. Pack it too hard and the texture turns tight.

Season the outside with salt and pepper right before baking. If you salt too early, the texture can shift and the patties may feel springy. You can add garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika if you like.

3) Bake, Flip Once, Then Check Temperature

Arrange patties with a little space between them. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, then flip. Return to the oven and bake another 6 to 10 minutes, based on thickness and your oven.

Start checking the center with a thermometer on the second half of cooking. Insert it into the thickest part from the side for a cleaner read. Ground beef burgers should reach 160°F in the middle. The USDA safe temperature chart lists 160°F for ground meats.

4) Add Cheese And Toast Buns

If you want cheeseburgers, add slices during the last 1 to 2 minutes of baking. You can also switch on the broiler for a short burst to melt cheese and darken the tops. Stay close to the oven during broiling since color shifts in a flash.

Toast buns while the burgers rest. A little butter on the cut sides and a few minutes in the oven brings the whole burger together.

5) Rest Briefly Before Serving

Let the patties rest for 3 to 5 minutes after they come out. That pause helps juices settle inside the meat instead of running onto the plate at the first bite.

Use the rest time to stack toppings and sauces so the burgers go from tray to table while they’re still hot.

Oven Burger Timing Table By Patty Thickness

Use this table as a starting point, then rely on a thermometer for the final call. Oven cycles, pan color, meat temperature from the fridge, and patty shape can shift timing.

Patty Thickness / Weight	Oven Setting	Approximate Bake Time To 160°F
1/2 inch / 4 oz	425°F	12–15 minutes (flip at 6–7)
1/2 inch / 6 oz	425°F	14–17 minutes (flip at 7–8)
5/8 inch / 4 oz	425°F	13–16 minutes (flip at 6–8)
5/8 inch / 6 oz	425°F	15–18 minutes (flip at 7–9)
3/4 inch / 6 oz	425°F	16–20 minutes (flip at 8–10)
3/4 inch / 8 oz	425°F	18–22 minutes (flip at 9–11)
1 inch / 8 oz+	400–425°F	20–26 minutes (flip at midpoint)

How To Keep Oven Burgers Juicy Instead Of Dry

Use The Right Fat Ratio

Fat carries flavor and moisture. An 80/20 blend is a solid place to start for oven burgers. Leaner blends can still taste good, though they lose moisture faster, so timing needs more attention.

Don’t Overwork The Meat

Mixing and compressing the beef too much gives you a dense patty. Gently shape it, then stop. Think “formed,” not “packed.”

Don’t Press The Patties During Cooking

Pressing burgers squeezes out juice that won’t come back. In a pan, people often do this out of habit. In the oven, there’s no gain at all.

Use A Hot Surface For Better Browning

A preheated tray or skillet helps the outside set fast. That means better color and texture without stretching bake time so long that the center dries out.

Season At The Right Time

Salt the outside right before the patties go into the oven. That keeps the texture looser and gives a clean, savory crust.

Pan, Rack, Or Foil: Which Setup Works Best

Baking Sheet

This is the easiest route for most kitchens. It fits more patties and cleans up fast. Line it with foil if you want less scrubbing, then place a little oil on the foil so the patties release cleanly.

Wire Rack On A Sheet Pan

A rack lets hot air move around the patties and allows fat to drip down. The bottoms brown a bit better than flat-pan baking. You’ll still want to flip for even color.

Oven-Safe Skillet

A heavy skillet gives strong crust and holds heat well. If you preheat it first, work carefully since the handle and sides stay hot for a long time.

Common Mistakes That Ruin Oven Burgers

Guessing Doneness By Color

Color can fool you. A burger can look done outside and still be under the safe mark in the center. It can also stay pinkish and still be fully cooked, based on meat chemistry and oven conditions. A thermometer removes the guesswork.

Crowding The Pan

If patties are packed too close, steam builds and browning drops off. Leave space between burgers so heat can move around them.

Using Cold, Uneven Patties

If one patty is thick and another is thin, you’ll get mixed results on the same tray. Shape them evenly, then bake together.

Skipping Rest Time

Cutting into a burger right away sends juices onto the plate. A short rest keeps the bite fuller and less messy.

Toppings And Bun Pairings That Work Well With Oven Burgers

Oven burgers pair well with both crisp toppings and richer sauces. Since the cooking method is hands-off, use that oven time to build contrast in texture and flavor.

Good topping combos include sharp cheddar with onions and pickles, Swiss with sautéed mushrooms, pepper jack with jalapeños, or classic American cheese with lettuce, tomato, and burger sauce. Toasted buns hold up better than soft, untoasted buns once sauces hit the bread.

Second Table: Add-Ons And Timing Near The End

This table helps you finish the burgers and sides in sync without extra stress at the stove.

Add-On Or Task	When To Do It	Notes
Add cheese slices	Last 1–2 minutes	Cover loosely or broil briefly for faster melt
Toast buns	During burger rest	2–4 minutes cut-side up or lightly buttered
Broil for extra browning	Last 30–90 seconds	Watch closely to avoid burning
Warm cooked bacon	Last 2–3 minutes	Use same tray edge if space allows
Heat onions/peppers	Separate pan, same oven window	Roasted toppings match oven workflow

How To Store And Reheat Leftover Burgers

Storage

Cool leftovers, then refrigerate them in a sealed container. Store patties and toppings apart when you can, since wet toppings soften the burger and bun. If you made a batch for meal prep, wrap patties one by one so they reheat faster.

For food safety timing, check the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart for current refrigerator and freezer storage guidance.

Reheating

The oven works well for reheating too. Place patties on a tray, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 300°F until heated through. A skillet also works if you want a darker crust on the outside.

Microwaving is fine for speed, though the texture softens. If you use a microwave, short bursts with a brief pause between rounds help the patty heat more evenly.

How To Cook Burgers In The Oven For A Crowd

If you’re feeding a group, the oven method shines. Use two trays, rotate them halfway through, and switch rack positions when you flip. That evens out hot spots in most home ovens.

Keep finished patties warm on a clean tray tented loosely with foil while the last batch finishes. Set buns, toppings, and sauces assembly-line style so people can build their own burgers right away.

Final Notes Before You Bake

If you’ve struggled with dry burgers, the fix is often small: better fat ratio, even patty thickness, a hotter oven, and checking the center temperature instead of waiting for a certain color. Once those pieces are in place, oven burgers come out steady and satisfying.

Start with 425°F, flip once, and check the center early. After one batch, you’ll know how your oven behaves and can dial in the timing for your favorite patty size.