Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Should we or should we not add burgers to thelist of things not to talk about in polite company— in addition to religion and politics? Becauseburger choice is very personal, and just think about the number of times you’ve innocentlywaded into a pool of steaming hot water over talk of the best burger place:In N Out orShake Shack? Or what about Five Guys?(The answer is Shake Shack btw).
People getfired up about their burgers, and Iget it. A perfectly pink-middled, well-built cheeseburger is more exciting to me than most things.And even though I’m team Shake Shack, Iamfascinated by how beloved In N Out is on the west coast. Afew years ago, on a trip to California, I went to In N Outand ordered a Double Double burger and I have to say, Igot the hype. Everything was fresh, full of flavor, and reeked of quality.
Homemade In N Out Burger Recipe with Lighter Secret Spread
In full-on summer grilling mode, I was inspired to make a homemade In N Out burger, with 2 ultra-thin patties–each patty weighing only 1/8th pound,rather than 1 slightly thicker ¼-pound patty. If you’ve ever eaten at a fast food place, you know how thin those patties are. Having 2 to stack, even though the portion of meat stays the same overall, gives you asense that you’re eating more. And that’s just plain fun.
I seasoned the patties with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and grilled them on my Staub Cast Iron 12-inch Steam Grill—which is a large grill pan I can set on my stovetop, and the great thing is, after I get those perfect grill marks on my burgers, I can put the cheese on top of the patties, cover the pan with with the lid, and let the cheese melt. It’s the best indoor grill pan.
Since the patties are so thin, they only require a quick sear on both sides.Once done, I top them with the In N Out traditions: cheddar cheese, finely chopped sautéed onions, shredded lettuce, tomato, and homemade “spread.”
My remake is 450 calories—220 calories lighter than the classic Double Double at In N Out, which clocks in at 670 calories!
Shred the Cheese
Cheese is the struggle, isn’t it? In order to cover 2 patties, I decided to shred my cheese rather than using 2 slices, since each slice of cheese typically weighs around an ounce and canrun you between80 and 100 calories. Shredding the cheesemyself allowed me to top each patty with about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese—which is plenty for suchthinpatties, especially knowing there are
ALighterSecret Sauce, aka “Spread”
The famous “spread” that you find smeared on In N Out burgers tastes a whole lot like Thousand Island dressing. To achievethat same sweet and tangy pickled flavor with a creamy consistency, you need 3 main ingredients: mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. Somerecipes will call forwhite vinegar, too, (Food Network’s fabulous adaptation of In N Out’s famous burger does), but I used nonfat Greek yogurt in place ofhalf of the mayo (toreducecalories), and the natural tang it provides is enough to skip the vinegar altogether. That slightly tart note of yogurt is so appreciated in this spread because it balances the sweetness of the ketchup and relish.
Eat It Protein Style!
If you want to lighten it even more, feel free to ditch the bun and eat the burger “protein-style”–an option at In N Out–and wrap the burger in crisp lettuce. Your bunless burger will clock in at345 calories, sauce and all!
Enjoy!
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote
Homemade In N Out Burger Recipe with Lighter Secret Spread
In full-on summer grilling mode, I was inspired to make a homemade In N Out burger, with 2 ultra-thin patties--each patty weighing only 1/8th pound,rather than 1 slightly thicker ¼-pound patty.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy burger recipe, healthy in and out burger, homemade in n out burger recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 455kcal
Author: Andie Mitchell
Ingredients
Secret Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
Burgers:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 thin slices Cheddar cheese about 4 ounces
- 4 hamburger buns split and toasted
- 4 slices tomato
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, ketchup, and relish. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Season the ground beef with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands. Be careful not to overwork the meat. Form the beef into 8 very thin, evenly sized patties. Let stand while you make the onions.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water to the skillet if the onions begin to burn. Transfer the onion to a bowl.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add 4 of the patties and cook until well browned on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Flip and top each patty with 1 slice of cheese and let cook until the cheese is melted, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the patties to a plate and cook the remaining 4 patties, 3 minutes per side.
Spread the sauce on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Top 4 of the bun halves with 1 cheese covered patty. Divide the onions among the patties. Place another patty on top of the onions and top with sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Cover with the top halves of the buns.
Notes
Burger with Bun (no sauce): Calories 424, Fat 19g, Carb 29g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g, Protein 35g
Burger with Sauce and No Bun: Calories 345, Fat 20g, Carb 10g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g, Protein 33g
"Spread" recipe adapted from Food Network
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g
