How to Make Copycat Five Guys Burger and Fries

To know them is to love them.

By
Vanessa Greaves
Vanessa Greaves
Vanessa Greaves

Vanessa Greaves is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes with nearly two decades of experience helping home cooks gain confidence in the kitchen. A self-taught cook who grew up reading cookbooks for fun, Vanessa lives and breathes the challenges faced by busy everyday cooks to get dinner on the table.

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Published on May 19, 2021

Making burgers and fries at home is nothing new, but what if you could recreate the burgers and fries that are headed towards cult status? I'm talking about Five Guys. With 1000+ locations in the U.S. and around the world — and with many more on the way — Five Guys is fast becoming an international fast food favorite. Nicole McLaughlin, aka NicoleMcmom, has cracked the code for the burgers and fries she loves so much from Five Guys, and she's here to show you how you can make them, too. Watch the video up top, then scroll down to get her copycat recipe plus how-to tips so you can enjoy the Five Guys phenom yourself.

copycat burger and fries on foil wrapper
Allrecipes

How to Make Copycat Five Guys Burger and Fries

Get Nicole's recipe for Copycat Burger and Fries.

"With gooey, melty cheese on a double burger with browned and crusty bits, plus fresh, crunchy toppings and a soft, steamy bun served alongside golden fries, this is pretty darn close to the real thing served at that restaurant chain run by those five brothers. Make these burgers and fries at home and save lots of money while satisfying your fast food cravings. Serve the fries with malt vinegar and enjoy with a cold beer… you can't get that at the restaurant!" —NicoleMcmom

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

  • 2 medium russet potatoes
  • 8 cups peanut oil for frying
  • 14 ounces ground chuck
  • 4 thick slices American cheese
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot)
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 2 medium sesame seed burger buns
  • ½ cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 2 thick slices tomato
  • 2 tablespoons diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon pickle slices
  • 1 teaspoons mustard
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  1. Cut potatoes in ½-inch wide strips. Place in a large bowl filled with warm water and soak for 20 minutes.
  2. Pour oil in a Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack on top.
  3. Drain potatoes well and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Add ½ of the dried potatoes to the hot oil and cook, stirring often, until they soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove potatoes to the wire rack to drain. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Maintain oil temperature at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for finishing fries just before serving.
  4. Divide ground chuck into 4 portions and flatten to form ¼-inch thick patties.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add burger patties to the hot skillet and cook undisturbed, until a brown crust has formed around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, press down with a spatula to flatten, and cook for 2 more minutes. Flip again, press down once more, then top each patty with a slice of cheese; cook for 1 minute.
  6. While the burgers cook, spread mustard and ketchup on bottom halves of the buns. Drizzle hot sauce on the top halves of the buns, then spread mayonnaise over top. Layer with lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, and onions.
  7. Invert 1 patty onto a second patty so the cheese sides are touching. Repeat with remaining 2 patties. Place a stacked patty onto each top bun, and cover with a bottom bun, condiment-side down. Wrap burgers in foil.
  8. Return fries to the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with burgers.

Nicole's Top Tips

  • Five Guys uses a starchy potato like the Russet Norkotah or Idaho potato for their fries. Also, there's a two-step frying process (see the video) that ensures your fries and burgers are both hot and ready to serve at the same time.
  • Flatten those patties! You don't want them to cook up fat and puffy; you really want them to stay flat. You can form the hamburger patties ahead of time, just stack them separated with parchment paper in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
  • Toast the buns lightly on before laying on the toppings. And by the way, hot sauce on the bun? Yep. It just might be a little of the "secret sauce" that sets these burgers apart from the rest.
  • Nicole suggests you start doing the second fry before the burgers are done cooking so everything will be finished at the same time.
  • Ready to build the burger? Remember to flip one patty on top of a second patty so the cheesey sides are smooshed together. That makes all the difference.
  • Don't skip the step where you wrap the burgers in foil before serving. The heat and steam finish melting the cheese and bring all of the flavors together in ooey gooey perfection. It really works!

You can connect with Nicole as NicoleMcmom on Allrecipes and on Instagram @nicolemcmom.

More tips, tricks, and ideas from Nicole:

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