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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.