Copycat Five Guys Secret Menu Double Patty Melt Recipe

Most of us know Five Guys for its burgers, and others yet recognize the chain for its Cajun fries. Then there are those who revere Five Guys for a more "secret menu" item, the patty melt, which actually became so popular that Five Guys decided to make it not-so-secret and put it on the menu. Whether a patty melt is ultimately a burger or a sandwich is a distinction that we'll leave up to you, but either way, there's no denying that Five Guys has mastered the art of the cheesy, oniony, smashed goodness. Patterson Watkins is a self-proclaimed burger fan: The more loaded the better. "I do not shy away from over-the-top burgers, and a patty melt — that is a special burger. Almost like a grilled cheese and cheeseburger hybrid all gooey and griddled."

Watkins highlights the perfect nature of this Five Guys-inspired double patty melt, "This double-duty patty melt is doubly special. The seasoning is spot on, that little soft and savory sauteed onion center is magic, and the triple slices of American cheese is just slightly over the top melty-delish." And, like the OG version, this recipe makes good use of an inverted hamburger bun to make for the patty melt "toast," a clever hack from Five Guys that transfers effortlessly to a home chef's kitchen.

This recipe, like any good burger (or burger-adjacent) recipe, starts with ground beef. You'll also need salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to season the beef, along with olive oil to cook the patties. Other components of patty melt include sliced yellow onion, American cheese slices, and sesame seed buns, which get nice and toasty thanks to a healthy slathering of butter. Final ingredients include ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, sliced Roma tomatoes, and lettuce leaves for topping. 

Portion the ground beef into 4 even balls (approximately 6 ounces per).

Season the balls with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the balls, and sear for 2 minutes.

Using a spatula, press the balls into patties, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes or until deeply seared.

Flip the patties and continue to cook until seared on the other side and cooked through.

Remove the patties from the skillet and set aside on a clean plate. Keep the drippings in the pan.

Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes or until tender and brown.

While the onions are cooking, spread the softened butter over the split side of the buns.

Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside on the plate with the burgers. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and place two of the bun halves (I used the top buns), buttered side down, into the skillet.

Add a slice of American cheese and a burger patty to each of the buns.

Top the burger patties with sauteed onions.

Top the onions in this order; American cheese slice, burger patty, and American cheese slice.

Cap the stack with the remaining buns, buttered side up.

Toast for 2 to 4 minutes per side, occasionally pressing firmly with a spatula to compact the stack, and cook until toasty and melty.

Serve the patty melts with condiments (ketchup, mustard, and mayo), lettuce, and tomato on the side for further customization.

When enjoying a burger or patty melt from Five Guys, it's almost criminal not to get an order of Cajun fries on the side. And so, for the best and most accurate at-home Five Guys experience, Watkins highly recommends making fries an essential part of the meal. "This is a burger that absolutely needs fries," she says, noting that the "savory-zesty seasoning" of Five Guys' Cajun fries is particularly ideal for super-cheesy burgers like this one. "That seasoning almost cuts through the cheesy richness, or, at least, mixes it up a little bit for your palate," she explains. To achieve the most Five Guys-like fry experience at home, Watkins recommends looking for boardwalk-style fries in the frozen aisle at the grocery store. If you can't find them, you can opt for Checker's seasoned fries, also in the frozen aisle, which are quite similar to Five Guys' fries.

Of course, fries aren't the only worthwhile patty melt pairing. "My next recommendation is milkshakes," Watkins says. "Yes, that suggestion is probably a little indulgent (paired with that double-decker burger) but I stand by it." Five Guys offers quite a few shake flavors, including peanut butter, bananas, and even bacon, so opt for your favorite flavor for a little sweet treat to cut through all of the savory goodness. 

Anyone who has ever ordered a burger from Five Guys knows that half of the fun is loading your sandwich with all your favorite toppings, and boy are there quite a few to choose from. When serving her copycat Five Guys patty melt, Watkins kept things pretty simple topping-wise by including sliced tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, and pickles as options. But who says you have to stop there? 

Per Watkins, "The world is your oyster when it comes to customized toppings" on this patty melt. Her first suggestion is bacon, because everything is better with bacon, as well as some sort of spicy addition, like sliced jalapeños. You could also customize your condiments, opting for barbecue sauce instead of ketchup, or ranch dressing instead of mayo. Finally, not a fan of American cheese? Go with something like provolone, cheddar, or even Gruyère.

While Watkins does encourage customization with these patty melts, she does warn to not go too crazy with the toppings. "Because of the height and overall size of these patty melts, I wouldn't recommend including a lot of toppings," she says. "Avoid toppings like mushrooms, peppers, and spinach — stuff, that when sauteed, is either bulky or super slippery. You know, things that threaten the structural integrity of these burgers (or make them so large they don't fit in your mouth)."