These 5-Star Crowd-Pleaser Burgers Start With A Packet Of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

Burgers cooking away on a grill are one of summer's most iconic smells, and the feeling of biting into your first juicy burger of the season is absolutely unmatched. However, getting the perfect burger at home all starts with seasoning the meat right. Many people will stick to just salt and pepper on their burgers, which is simple yet effective. However, there is one convenient way to give your burgers some pizazz: ranch seasoning. 

Our ranch burger recipe brings together ground beef and ranch seasonings (no other salt and pepper needed, though you could add it if you'd like). Our recipe also uses ground beef, though other alternatives, like turkey burgers or chicken burgers (or even salmon burgers), could also benefit from this flavorful, one-ingredient upgrade. Once the patties are seasoned — remember to go lightly here, as burgers don't like to be over-handled — you can pop them on your grill, in a cast iron pan, or cook them however you see fit. The ranch seasoning will add the perfect amount of buttermilk tang and herbaceousness to elevate this patty, and you may not even know that there is ranch seasoning powder in it.

Our recipe calls for classic burger toppings, including melted provolone, red onion, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise — but you can always switch it up with whatever toppings you see fit. A tasty homemade garlic aioli would play off the oniony undertones of the dip and offer this summer sandwich a gourmet touch, while caramelized onions, melted Swiss (or butterkäse, a favorite of ours), and bacon would give this burger a tasty edge and introduce umami, sweet, and buttery flavors that would play well off the ones both in the meat and in the seasoning mix.

This seasoning upgrade isn't so dramatic that it changes the entire flavor of the burger, which means you can still pair it with its standard sides. French fries, macaroni or potato salad (perhaps seasoned with a little bit of the ranch packet), or a simple garden salad are all possible options to go alongside this ranch burger recipe.