If you want to up your burger game, this burger recipe is at the top of my list. Culver’s Butter Burgers have so much flavor, but you won’t believe the secret to making this burger. Some people think they put butter in the meat. Let me help you out in recreating this fantastic butter burger recipe, this copycat recipe is super easy to make at home.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
If you have never been to a Culver’s and there is one in your area, you must go – it’s that simple. Freshly made burgers and more – did I mention the fried cheese curds and their frozen custard? They are delicious.
I haven’t ordered anything on their menu that I have disliked. You can’t beat food when it’s made fresh. Scroll down to see my video on how to make Culver’s Butter Burgers.
What is a Butter Burger?
This fast food chain is known for its signature butter burgers, delicious custard, and crinkle-cut fries. Some people think they put butter in the meat to make the burger taste good. While that would make a hamburger patty taste great, that isn’t quite how they make their burger recipe.
The key is a hot grill and fresh, never-frozen meat seared quickly. Where does the butter come in? You spread a little butter on the buns and toast them. This makes the toasted buns delicious!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make a Culvers Butter Burger:
- Butter
- Hamburger Buns
- Ground beef – Ground chuck makes the best beef patties
- American Cheese
- Onions
- Dill pickles
- Tomato
- Salt & Pepper
How to Make a Butter Burger
Making a butter burger is easy! Here are the recipe steps:
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and swirl it around.
- Place hamburger buns in the melted butter, toast them for a minute, and remove them from the skillet.
- Divide the beef into four equal portions and form 4 patties. Place the patties in the skillet.
- Use a spatula to press down on the patties. Then, take a sizeable aluminum-wrapped soup and press down each meat patty in the skillet. (see the how-to video below)
- Cook the patties for 2 minutes.
- Flip them over and do the same pressing for the other side.
- Season the patties with salt and pepper.
- For cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese to each patty.
- Cook the patties for 1 minute.
- Remove the butterburger patties from the skillet and place them on the bottom bun.
- Add desired burger toppings. Great options include crisp lettuce, a slice of ripe tomato, pickles, sweet red onion, bacon, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. Make it a deluxe with all of them.
- Place the top bun on top. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
The key to this burger recipe is in the bun. Put the butter in a skillet and place the hamburger buns face down to let the butter soak into the buns!
I also have a secret I use to help sear the flavors into the meat. I take a meat patty. Then I smash it out on the grill (you can use a skillet).
Then I take a large soup can I have wrapped with aluminum foil to help smash the burger patty down onto the grill. A quick sear on both sides and you are done.
Just check out my video to see how to smash burgers:
What to Serve with Butter Burgers
Serve these juicy burgers with fries, onion rings, or coleslaw.
Love a great burger? Try these copycat burger recipes!
- Backyard Burger
- Pizza Burgers
- Stuffed Burger
- Smashburger Buffalo Blue Cheese Burger
- Swiss Mushroom Burger
- 21 Club Burgers
- Burger King Cheeseburger
- Steak and Shake Burger
- Whopper
- McDonald’s Hamburgers
- McDonald’s Big Macs
- Homemade White Castle
- Krystal Burgers
Be sure to look at more of my famous restaurant copycat recipes and the best burger recipes here on CopyKat.
Did you make and love this recipe? Give your review below! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram.
Culvers Butter Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices American cheese
- 4 slices onion
- 8 to 12 dill pickle slices
- 8 tomato slices
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Place butter in the skillet and swirl it around.
- Place hamburger buns cut-side down in the melted butter. Allow the buns to toast for about 60 seconds. Remove buns from skillet.
- Form 4 beef patties and place them in the skillet.
- Take your spatula and press down on the hamburger patties. Take a large soup can that has been wrapped in aluminum foil and press each meat patty down on to the skillet.
- In about 2 minutes, the burger patty will have cooked on one side. Flip it over and do the same for the other side.
- In about 60 seconds the other side will be cooked.
- Season patties with salt and pepper.
- If you want to make cheeseburgers, add cheese when you flip the burger over to the other side.
- Remove burger patties and place them on the buns.
- Add onion, pickles, tomato, or any desired toppings to your burger and enjoy.
Luke
I decided to look up copycat recipes for Culvers and came across this one. The fist thing I noticed is the Culvers in our area uses Red Onion which makes a big difference in the taste of the burger. I may check out a few other sites and see what comes up. I do agree it makes more sense to butter the buns and not the meat 🙂
Maris
About to try it out ——- but hunny, please stop scratching up that pan with all those metal utensils 😫.
Dave
Great!
Cheryll
Culver’s is awesome! The Butter Burgers are to died for. We like the fish and shrimp too!
Krista
Had to put my two cents in. …simply blathering butter on a bun does NOT make a butter burger. A generous helping of real butter as the burgers fry…using a spatula to flip the butter onto the burger as well
Stephanie
I totally appreciate your thoughts on this. I don’t believe this is how they prepare their burger.
Jessica
Culver’s most definitely does NOT add butter to the beef patty while it cooks. It’s called a butter burger because they butter the inside of the top bun before toasting it. Culver’s cooks their burger on their flat top exactly as the author of this recipe described.
Meggan
Culver’s does not fry their burgers in butter. The author is correct. Have you even been to Culver’s???
Kim
Krista, They cook the burgers in butter and also put it on the top bun, before serving.
Tony
Great recipe. I know these comments are two years old. Hope someone will read this one. One of the commentors said they don’t have a Culver’s in Texas. I have to say if you enjoy a What a Burger when you get a chance have a Culver’s they taste the same.
Sherrye Woodworth
I now live in Texas and have had whataburgers and they definitely do NOT taste the same. Butter burgers have much more flavor, at least in the Michigan restaurants I’ve been to. Maybe the Texas Culver’s (none close to me) don’t have the same quality.
Stephanie
Thank you for letting me know that the Culver’s in Texas taste different. I have had both, but there was a gap in time. Thank you for checking out the copycat recipe.
Stephanie
I don’t know of Sherrye meant that Culver’s in Texas taste different in Texas than they do in Michigan. Whataburger does not taste like Culvers at all to me.
I prefer Culvers over Whataburger, I love the char on their burgers, and I am partial to the fries there.
Justin
I hope others see my reply, i live in texas, dallas specifically, we have culvers and what-a-burger here, and if you think they taste the same then your have brain has sensory issues or you have dead taste buds. I dont eat at what-a-burger because i dont like their burgers and culvers is my favorite burger place, they dont even remotely come close to tasting the same. Some major confusion going on here if you think that…
Raye
Best diet root beer & onion rings
Diana
Now if we could only get Culver’s prime rib sandwich recipe, my hubby would be ever so happy!!! We drive from Cleveland, Ohio to Columbus for it!!
Nice job on the recipes! Seems like you have fun with it.
Josh Wright
I work at the Columbus store, very happy y’all enjoy it!
Denis
This damn is so good and i ‘ll make it tonight
Wyla Thomas
Looks so tasty!
Sean
Culver’s is the best
Kay
I have passed by a local Culver’s at least a million times. Thought it was just another fast food joint. You had me at “butter”. I will be visit soon. Thanks for the tip on buttering the bun on both sides and squishing and grilling the meat. Trying your copycat recipe soon. New to your site, and really love it. and your comments. Keep them coming…please!
Teresa
Do you have the recipe for their custard and concrete mixers? My husband and I love Culver’s!
Thank you so much for all the recipes you share!!
Hugs, Teresa
Stephanie
I am sorry I don’t have these recipes at this time. Thanks for checking out this recipe.
MarieJoy
Do you have the Culver’s Custard recipe?
Hafsa
These burgers looks delicious I am going to try this soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Tambra Nicole
This place sounds great! It doesn’t look like they’ve made their way to my part of Texas yet. When they do come my way I’ll be sure to stop in.
Thanks!
Tambra
Stephanie
You must go when they do. They are one of my favorite fast food restaurants to go to. Everything is made fresh, and made to order.
elenka
This needed a recipe?? (Culver’s burger?)
Stephanie
I had requests for it!
GeriGreene
Oh be nice ! This is a great recipe site. Some of us appreciate all the recipes.
Shirl Meckley
I would love to have your recipe for Chicken and Dumplins? I have never ever made good ones. And EASY. Thanks
Shirley