Weight Watcher Patty Melts with Secret Sauce

The next time you’re craving some seriously hearty comfort food, melt the patty with the secret sauce! A thin ground beef patty is topped with caramelized onions, two types of melted cheese, and a tangy secret sauce.

A variation on the classic cheeseburger, the patty melt is a staple on the menu. Served on buttered rye bread instead of bread, the patty melt is pan-fried until golden brown and melty. It is charming, comfortable and delicious!

This patty melt starts with thin, long, ground beef patties. The thinner the better – you’ll want to leave room for plenty of caramelized onions, two types of cheese, and a tangy sauce on top. Rye bread is the classic bread choice, with plenty of butter on the edges.

And the “secret sauce”? Not so secret anymore – I’ve included the recipe below! You’ll be adding this tangy, thousand island sauce to everything.

Weight Watcher Patty Melts with Secret Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 4 sandwiches Calories: 694kcal Course: Main Course Cuisine: American

PATTY MELTS INGREDIENTS

Secret sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pickle juice
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Ground beef – I suggest using 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef. Higher fat ground beef makes this sandwich extra greasy and your patties will shrink significantly. Readers have also used ground turkey for a lighter variation.
Rye bread – This is the classic bread of choice for a patty melt, but Texas toast or white sandwich bread make good alternatives.
Cheeses – I used a combination of swiss cheese and cheddar cheese. You’re welcome to use all swiss or all cheddar if you prefer.
Worcestershire sauce – Can be substituted with soy sauce or steak sauce if needed for allergy reasons.
Onions – You’ll need two large onions for this recipe. If that seems like a lot – don’t worry. They cook down significantly during the caramelizing process.
Oil – I used olive oil, but any cooking oil you have on hand will work in this recipe.
Salt & pepper – Add flavor to your sandwiches.

SECRET SAUCE INGREDIENTS

Patty melts

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, thin sliced
12 ounces 85/15 ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
8 slices rye bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 swiss cheese slices
4 cheddar cheese slices

Mayonnaise – Necessary as the base of the sauce. Feel free to use your favorite brand – I prefer Duke’s mayonnaise.
Ketchup – Necessary as the base of the sauce. Feel free to use your favorite brand.
Dijon mustard – Can be substituted with yellow mustard.
Pickle juice – Any type of pickle juice works in this recipe. I usually use dill pickle juice, but a bread and butter pickle juice also works. It can also be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
Seasoning – Garlic powder and paprika are added for flavor.

Instructions

Secret Sauce

In a bowl, add mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix until smooth. Set aside.

Patty Melts

In a skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil. When warm, add onions to pan and cook until softened and deep golden brown, about 30 minutes or more. (If onions begin to dry out or look like they’re going to burn, add a splash of water to the pan and reduce the heat slightly.) Remove from heat and set aside.
In a bowl, add ground beef, salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Mix to combine and form into four thin, oblong patties (shape patties to match the shape of your bread). In a skillet over medium heat, add patties and cook until browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe excess grease from the pan.
Butter one side of each piece of bread. In a skillet over medium heat, layer your sandwiches as so: one slice of bread (buttered side down), one slice of swiss cheese, beef patty, caramelized onions, secret sauce, slice of cheddar cheese, and one slice of bread (buttered side up). Cook until golden brown on the bottom, flip, and cook until golden brown on the opposite side (this should take 1-2 minutes per side).

TIPS AND TRICKS

Caramelizing Your Onions – If you’ve never caramelized onions before, browning onions in a pan takes no more than a few minutes. This is done low and slow over the stove. For this recipe, it will take about 30 minutes or so to caramelize your onions. This is the longest part of the recipe but worth the effort.

Spread the Patties Thinly – Your beef patties will shrink a little while cooking due to the fat. To account for this, make your patties as thin as possible. Ideally, a little bigger than your breadcrumbs.

Notes

Secret sauce recipe will make more than enough to top four sandwiches, with leftover for dipping or enjoying again later. Store any leftover sauce in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Nutrition Patty Melts