Instant Pot Hamburgers

These instant pot hamburgers are the perfect summer meal. Burger patties are cooked in the instant pot inside foil packets then topped with cheddar cheese, onions, lettuce and tomatoes. Homemade hamburgers are my ultimate favorite dinner but sometimes I just don’t feel like firing up the grill and that’s when my instant pot comes to the rescue. If you enjoyed this instant pot hamburger recipe, then you’ve got to try some of my other instant pot recipes like this easy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti. Finish off your cheeseburger meal with a slice of this Instant Pot Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake.

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An Explanation Of The Ingredients

• Ground Beef – Use 80/20 ground beef for this instant pot hamburger recipe.
• Hamburger Buns – Sesame seed buns work very well.
• Salt & Pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Granulated Garlic – Season the ground beef generously.
• Smoked Paprika – Gives the burgers a smokey taste.
• Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar is my favorite but any other cheese of your choice will work.
• Lettuce – Place the lettuce on the bottom bun.
• Onions – Red onions work well.
• Tomatoes – Garden fresh tomatoes are perfect but store bought works too.
• Ketchup – I can’t have a burger without ketchup.

Place the burger patties inside foil packets on the trivet.

How To Make Instant Pot Hamburgers

1. First, start by seasoning the ground beef with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and smoked paprika.
2. Shape the ground beef into equal sized patties. I shaped 1.5 lbs of ground beef into 4 patties.
3. Shape the ground beef into equal sized patties. Make an indentation at the center of each burger patty using your thumb. The center of the patties will rise up during the cooking process so this will help you achieve the best shape. I shaped 1.5 lbs of ground beef into 4 patties.
4. Add water to the instant pot. Check notes below for quantities.
5. Place the trivet inside the instant pot.
6. Place the burgers on top of the trivet. It’s fine to place them on top of each other if you need to.
7. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Once the burger patties have finished cooking, engage the quick release button. For slightly rare burgers, cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a quick release.
8. Remove the burgers from the instant pot and allow them to rest inside the packets for at least 5 minutes. You may broil the patties after removing them from the foil for 3-4 minutes for a crispy top.
9. Add cheese, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onions and any other topping of choice. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Use 1 cup of water for a 6 qt. instant pot, 1 1/2 cups for an 8 qt. and 2 cups for a 10 qt.
• The quantities used for the seasonings in this hamburger recipe are posted as a general guide. Season your burger patties according to taste.
• I used sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe but any cheese will work.
• Toast the buns for an extra crunch.