Classic beef burgers with oven fries
A proper cheat night: beef patties with melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickle in a toasted bun, oven fries on the side. Not built to be lean, and that's the point once in a while.
Notable for: vitamin C, iron, antioxidants
Ingredients
- 700 gprime beef mince
- 4burger buns
- 60 greduced-fat grated tasty cheese, sliced or grated
- 0.5iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 200 gtomatoes, sliced
- 100 gbrown onions, sliced
- 60 gsliced dill pickles
- 60 mltomato sauce
- 800 gwashed potatoes, cut into fries
- 0 mlolive oil
Method
Heat the oven to 220C, then cut the potato into fries, toss them with half the oil, and spread them on a tray in a single layer.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.
Shape the mince into 4 patties, season them well, and press them flat in the centre so they cook evenly.
Fry the patties in the remaining oil over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes a side, adding the cheese for the last minute to melt.
Split the buns and lightly toast them, cut-side down, in the same pan.
Build the burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, tomato sauce and mayo.
Serve with the fries.
Press the patties flat before they hit the pan
A thick, dome-shaped patty cooks unevenly and shrinks into a ball. Flattening it well beyond how you want the finished burger to look is what keeps it flat once it's seared.
Storage
Best eaten fresh.
Cooked patties keep two days in the fridge and reheat in a pan, but assemble the burger itself just before eating.
Cost per serving is indicative, based on New Zealand supermarket prices as at September 2026. Batch prices your own week against your own store on the day. Nutrition figures, including calories, are estimates rather than label readings, so always check the packet if you have an allergy. "Notable for" reflects well-established qualities of the ingredients used, not a lab measurement of this exact dish.