Copycat Burger Recipes You Need To Try

Sometimes there's nothing that can hit the spot quite like a greasy, cheesy, fast food burger. It may not be good for your diet, but it sure feels good for the soul. There's a reason they call it a guilty pleasure, though you shouldn't feel too guilty if it's only an occasional treat. But here's a little secret: as much as it may seem sometimes, fast food burgers are not made with magical, flavorful unicorn dust. And as it turns out, it's actually easier than you think to recreate some of your favorites right at home — no fancy ingredients or equipment needed. 

Mashed has already done the hard work for you. We've developed and taste-tested the ultimate copycat recipes for classic burgers from all your fast food favorites. Whether you're a loyal McDonald's lover, team Burger King, or all in favor of Five Guys, we've got a recipe for you. Next time a burger craving takes hold, don't bother with making a trip to the drive-thru. You just have to get from the couch to the kitchen.

Whether you want to admit it or not, we've all chosen a side in the great rivalry of fast food burger giants. And if you are proudly on team Burger King, then you've probably had your fair share of flame-broiled Whoppers. This is clearly one of the most well-known fast food items out there, and it's one of the oldest of the pack too, making its debut a solid decade before the Big Mac. 

Our copycat Whopper recipe proves that this fast food icon is also one of the most simple burgers to assemble, using your basic yet beloved burger ingredients along with ketchup and mayo. No secret fancy sauce needed!

When hitting up the McDonald's drive-thru for a burger, there's a solid chance that, if you're not going all-in on a Big Mac, you're grabbing a Quarter Pounder. True to its name, this burger consists of a quarter of a pound of fresh meat, supposedly cooked to order, and dressed with ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions. But for such a no-frills burger, it's actually loaded with calories. More than 500 to be specific, along with 25 grams of fat, and a whole lot of sodium and cholesterol. 

Don't fret though, as the good news is you can create a slightly leaner version at home. Our copycat Quarter Pounder with cheese recipe has nearly 100 fewer calories, with just as much flavor.

Perhaps the most iconic fast food burger that comes to many minds is McDonald's Big Mac. It's not McDonald's first burger, but since it was invented in 1967 it's become more than just a drive-thru favorite (via Business Insider). The Big Mac is arguably a cultural phenomenon. 

Making it at home with our copycat Big Mac recipe is actually pretty simple — you've probably already got the ingredients memorized from the commercials, which were revived on TV screens everywhere in the late 2000s (via The New York Times). We'll refresh your memory anyway. This make-at-home beauty includes two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.

When you really want to go all out with a truly hearty, no-joke kind of burger, you can't go wrong with a Wendy's Baconator. This meat lover's dream is a cult favorite at Wendy's, and for good reason. In fact, 25 million alone were sold in just the first two months after Wendy's launched the Baconator in 2007. 

And honestly, it's not hard to see why this burger is so beloved — it's got more bacon on it than anything else. That's also what makes it so easy to put together a delicious version right at home, thanks also to our copycat Baconator recipe. Just prepare for the onslaught of meat. Each burger is double stacked with a half-pound of beef and four full-sized strips of bacon.

There are strong opinions about the California classic that is In-N-Out. And these days, those opinions stretch all over the western part of the country (the chain has expanded as far as Texas) with millions of Americans going wild for any and all things "animal style." There are many reasons why In-N-Out Burgers are so delicious, but at the end of the day, what sets them apart is their lip-smacking, slightly sweet and tangy burger sauce (which is just as delectable when slathered over the fries, we might add). We figured out how to recreate it for our copycat In-N-Out burger recipe, and we think you'll go wild for this homemade version, too.

We know West Coasters love their In-N-Out. But if you're an East Coaster in your heart, you've probably got strong feelings about an equally beloved regional burger chain, New York-based Shake Shack. It's the epitome of the East vs. West debate, at least when it comes to burgers.

If you ask us, there's only one real way to settle it. Make both versions at home, and dig in until you've got your mind made up. Good thing we've got the perfect copycat Shackburger recipe for you — complete with specific instructions to create that signature smashed burger patty, and, of course, the ingredients for the essential secret sauce.

For the most low-key fast food burger you can get your hands on, look no further than a McDonald's hamburger. It's the humble little burger that essentially started a fast food revolution more than 60 years ago, and helped create one of the largest companies in the world, at least according to CNN. 

The template for this burger couldn't be more simple — a thin beef patty, pickles, onion, ketchup, mustard, and a sesame seed bun. That's it! In fact, our copycat McDonald's hamburger recipe is probably one of the easiest copycat fast food burgers you can make at home. You might even feel like making fries with that.

While the In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack debate rages on from opposite coasts, burger lovers all over the country in between know they're always in for a winning burger at Five Guys. What started out as a family-run business out of Washington, D.C. has grown to hundreds of locations reaching every single state except Alaska. 

Five Guys' burgers are next-level fresh and delicious because the company goes to great lengths to make sure of it. This also means that making them at home requires some very specific steps to get your beef just right. Thankfully, our copycat Five Guys burger recipe walks you through the whole flip and smash technique, so you'll be in burger heaven in no time.

Can you think of a meal that leaves you feeling happier than a good burger and fries? We sure can't. That's probably what McDonald's was thinking when they rolled out the original Happy Meal in 1979, consisting of a hamburger or cheeseburger, fries, cookies, a soft drink, and a toy, of course (via Time). The Happy Meal has evolved over the years since then, but a burger and fries remain on the kids menu at Mickey D's to this day. 

Bring some of that happiness home with our recipe for a copycat McDonald's Happy Meal hamburger, assembled exactly like they do under the Golden Arches, and served up with a small side of fries. It takes just 15 minutes to whip up, plus however long it takes you to find one of your old toys.

The hard truth is that sometimes a single fast food burger just doesn't cut it. You need more meat than that. Unless, of course, you order a Steakhouse King from Burger King. This burger is the real deal if you're looking for a meal that will fill you up before you can even get to the fries. It's loaded up with two huge beef patties, plus bacon, fried onions, barbecue sauce, and a secret kicker — liquid smoke. 

It's super easy to make at home with our copycat Burger King Steakhouse King recipe. The liquid smoke and fried onions are easy to find ready-made at the store, and assembly is simple. The only hard part might be digesting this behemoth, so be sure to clear your schedule after mealtime.

If you love the modern wonder that is fast food burgers as much as we do, then you owe a great deal of your happiness to White Castle. Established in 1921, it's the oldest fast food establishment in the U.S. and has been cooking up its small slider burgers in its own special way for many decades now. 

Specifically, White Castle's burgers stand out from the crowd because of their small size and their unique preparation method. Unfortunately, most of us won't find a White Castle location nearby, but you can still get a taste for these signature steamed sliders with our recipe for five-Ingredient copycat White Castle hamburgers. They're easy to make and pretty darn difficult to stop eating.