Patty Melt

Name: Patty Melt
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Beef patty, thin; 250 g Onion, thinly sliced; 4 slice Swiss cheese; 4 slice Rye bread; 35 g Butter, softened; 10 g Olive oil; 3 g Salt; 1 g Black pepper, freshly ground

Patty Melt · ready in 50 min · 2 servings · 888 kcal per serving · easy · 8 ingredients

A classic American diner sandwich where a juicy beef patty meets sweet caramelized onion, molten Swiss cheese, and butter crisp rye bread.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 50 min
Serves: 2
kcal: 888
Difficulty: easy

American Main dishes High-protein (25 g+)

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 2 servings

2Beef patty, thin
250 gOnion, thinly sliced
4 sliceSwiss cheese
4 sliceRye bread
35 gButter, softened
10 gOlive oil
3 gSalt
1 gBlack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

stovetop, skillet, spatula, knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, pastry brush, instant read thermometer, serving plate

Instructions

Mise en place
Gather measured ingredients and set out a skillet, spatula, knife, board, mixing bowl, pastry brush, and instant read thermometer. · 5 min
What to look for: All ingredients are measured and tools are within reach.
Caramelize onion
Heat 20 g butter with olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add onion and half the salt, then cook until deep golden and sweet. · 25 min
What to look for: Onion is amber, soft, glossy, and jammy.
Sear beef
Season beef patties with remaining salt and black pepper. Raise heat to medium high and sear until browned and 71°C / 160°F inside. · 7 min
When it is done: Beef patties reach 71°C / 160°F in the center.
Build sandwiches
Spread remaining butter on 1 side of each rye slice. Place 2 slices buttered side down, then layer Swiss, beef, onion, Swiss, and rye. · 4 min
What to look for: Sandwiches are stacked evenly with buttered bread facing outward.
Griddle sandwiches
Cook sandwiches over medium heat, pressing gently with a spatula, until rye is crisp and cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes per side. · 8 min
What to look for: Bread is evenly browned and Swiss cheese is molten at the edges.
Serve hot
Serve sandwiches immediately, cutting each in half if desired, while the rye is crackling crisp and the Swiss cheese is molten. · 1 min
What to look for: Cheese stretches slightly and the bread stays crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	888
Protein	42 g
Carbohydrates	41 g
of which sugars	8 g
Fat	62 g
of which saturated	29 g
Fibre	6 g
Sodium	1130 mg

Nutri-ScoreD

Allergens

Contains: gluten, milk

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 3 days
Freezer: yes, up to 1 months
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium low heat until the center is hot, then uncover briefly to recrisp the rye.

Ingredient substitutions

Beef patty

Lean beef patty: Use the same weight and keep the patties thin for diner style browning.

Onion

Yellow onion: Yellow onion gives the most familiar sweet caramelized flavor.

Swiss cheese

Baby Swiss cheese: Melts similarly with a milder nutty flavor.

Rye bread

Marbled rye bread: Keeps the classic rye character with a slightly sweeter look and taste.

Butter

Olive oil: Use for the onion or griddle, though the sandwich will taste less buttery.

Olive oil

Butter: Works well for caramelizing onion but browns faster, so keep the heat gentle.