This is a broiled open-face melt: a seasoned ground beef and Portobello patty on garlic-buttered sourdough toast, topped with pickle relish and melted cheddar. It comes together in 15 minutes, which makes it genuinely useful on a busy weeknight when you want something more satisfying than a plain burger but don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen.
Before you start
The two things that actually affect the result here are patty thickness and broiler distance. Keep the patties flat and even — about half an inch thick — so they cook through in roughly 5 minutes per side without drying out. Ground beef needs to reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), so if your patties are uneven, the thin edges will overcook before the thick center is safe. On broiler distance: position the rack so the patties sit about 4 inches from the heat element. Too close and the outside chars before the inside is done; too far and you lose the browning that makes these worth eating.
Ingredient notes
- Portobello mushrooms: Finely chopped is the right call here — large chunks won’t bind into the patty and will fall out during cooking. Scrape out the dark gills before chopping if you don’t want them to turn the meat grey.
- Sourdough bread: A medium-dense loaf works best. Very airy sourdough goes soggy fast under the patty juices. If your loaf is particularly open-crumbed, toast it a little longer than you think you need to.
- Pickle relish: Standard sweet relish is fine. Dill relish works if you prefer less sweetness against the beef.
- Garlic butter: Skip making it from scratch tonight — store-bought garlic butter spread does the job just as well and saves you a step.
If something goes sideways
- Patties falling apart on the tray: The mixture needs a firm mix so the breadcrumbs and egg-like proteins in the beef bind everything together. If yours are crumbling, the beef may be too lean or the mushrooms added too much moisture. Press the patties firmly and chill them for 5 minutes before cooking.
- Cheese not melting before the bread burns: Move the rack down one position so the bread is further from the element during the cheese-melting stage. The patty is already cooked at that point, so you just need gentle heat to melt the cheese, not direct blast.
- Too much juice pooling on the foil: The recipe card tells you to swap trays if needed — that’s good advice. Excess liquid steams the bread from below and makes it soft. A quick tilt of the foil to drain before plating also helps.
- Patties puffing up in the center: Press a small indent into the middle of each patty before cooking. Ground meat contracts as it heats and the center rises; the indent compensates for that and keeps the patty flat on the toast.
- Bread getting too dark before the patties finish: Toast the bread after the patties go under the broiler, not before. That way both finish at roughly the same time and nothing sits getting cold or soggy while you wait.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked patties keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store them separately from the bread — assembled melts go soggy overnight and aren’t worth reheating as-is. To reheat a patty, 2 minutes in a covered skillet over medium heat works better than the microwave, which tends to toughen ground beef. You can also freeze the cooked patties for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. If you’re prepping ahead for the week, mix and shape the raw patties, layer them between sheets of parchment, and freeze uncooked — they go straight from frozen to broiler with an extra 3–4 minutes added to each side.
Ground Beef and Portobello Sourdough Melt
Equipment
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (minced beef) - lean, about 450g; also called minced beef
2 large Portobello mushrooms - finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons breadcrumbs - about 35g
¼ teaspoon salt - adjust to taste
1 teaspoon thyme - fresh ; finely chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme- 6 slices sourdough bread
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper- 4 tablespoons pickle relish - about 60ml; roughly 2 teaspoons per melt
6 slices cheddar cheese - or any of your favorite cheese- 6 tablespoons garlic butter - about 85g
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler to high (about 500°F / 260°C). Position the oven rack so the baking sheet will sit approximately 4 inches (10cm) from the heating element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, chopped Portobello mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, pepper, and salt. Mix until just combined — avoid overworking the meat. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into flat patties about ½ inch (1.5cm) thick. Place on the foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).1 pound ground beef (minced beef), 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 2 large Portobello mushrooms, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- While your patties are cooking, toast your bread, then spread a small amount of garlic butter on each piece. If you don’t have garlic butter, you can rub some garlic on each piece of toast.6 slices sourdough bread, 6 tablespoons garlic butter
- Place each cooked patty on a piece of garlic-buttered toast. Top each with 2 teaspoons of pickle relish, then cover with a slice of cheddar cheese. If the baking sheet has excess juices, line a clean sheet with fresh foil. Transfer the assembled melts to the tray and return to the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is fully melted and just starting to bubble.4 tablespoons pickle relish, 6 slices cheddar cheese
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook these patties in a skillet instead of under the broiler?
Yes, a skillet works fine. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side, checking that the internal temperature hits 160°F (71°C). You won’t get quite the same surface texture as the broiler, but the result is still good — and you can melt the cheese by covering the pan with a lid for the last minute instead of using the broiler at all.
Do I need to squeeze moisture out of the mushrooms before mixing them in?
It helps, but it’s not essential if you’re cooking immediately. Portobello mushrooms release water as they heat, which can loosen the patty mixture. If you have 5 extra minutes, spread the chopped mushrooms on a paper towel and press gently before adding them to the beef — the patties will hold together more reliably.
Can I make these ahead and reheat the full assembled melt?
Not really — the sourdough absorbs moisture from the patty and relish and turns soft within an hour. Keep the components separate until you’re ready to eat. The patties reheat quickly, so assembly only takes a couple of minutes when you’re ready.
If you liked this one
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Savory Beef Sausage Rolls
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
