Skip to main content
Old-School Deli Burgers

Old-School Deli Burgers

with Tangy Mayo, Creamy Coleslaw & Crispy Fried Onions
4.0(2K)469 Reviews
Recipe Development Team
Recipe Development TeamUpdated on April 05, 2026
Get Free Breakfast for Life + 10 Free Meals
Get Free Breakfast for Life + 10 Free Meals
Calories
940 kcal
Protein
32g protein
Total
15 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Allergens:
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Soy
  • Wheat

Is there anything more satisfying than a burger? We checked, and the answer was “no!” This classic deli version (for a quickie dinner idea) will not disappoint: You’ll smash juicy beef patties right in the pan to create craggy, crispy edges. Tuck those perfect patties into extra-soft potato buns, top with a pile of tangy slaw (plus crispy fried onions for extra texture and flavor), and slather in a top-secret deli sauce that’s creamy, tangy, sweet, and packed with umami.

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Serving amount

1 unit

Lemon

1 unit

Ketchup

4 tablespoon

Mayonnaise

(Contains: Eggs)

1.5 tablespoon

Sour Cream

(Contains: Milk)

2 teaspoon

Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon

Fry Seasoning

10 ounce

Ground Beef

4 ounce

Coleslaw Mix

2 unit

Potato Buns

(Contains: Eggs, Milk, Soy, Wheat)

1 unit

Crispy Fried Onions

(Contains: Wheat)

Not included in your delivery

½ teaspoon

Sugar

1 teaspoon

Cooking Oil

Salt

Pepper

per serving
Calories940 kcal
Fat63 g
Saturated Fat22 g
Carbohydrate68 g
Sugar16 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Protein32 g
Cholesterol135 mg
Sodium1420 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.
Small Bowl
Large Pan
Medium Bowl

Cooking Steps

Prep & Make Tangy Mayo
1

• Wash and dry produce. • Quarter lemon. • In a small bowl, combine ketchup, half the mayonnaise, half the sour cream, half the mustard, ¼ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp Fry Seasoning (you’ll use the rest in the next step), juice from one lemon wedge, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. (For 4 servings, use ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp Fry Seasoning, juice from two lemon wedges, and 1 tsp salt.)

Cook Patties
2

• In a medium bowl, gently combine beef*, remaining mustard, remaining Fry Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Form beef into two equal-size balls (four balls for 4 servings). • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add beef; firmly flatten each ball with a lightly oiled spatula to create patties, each slightly wider than a burger bun. Cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. (Don’t worry if the patties aren’t perfectly round—those irregular edges will turn crispy.)

Make Slaw
3

• Meanwhile, in a second medium bowl, combine coleslaw mix, remaining mayonnaise, remaining sour cream, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), juice from two lemon wedges (four lemon wedges for 4), a pinch of salt, and pepper. • Halve buns; toast until golden.

Finish & Serve
4

• Spread a thin layer of tangy mayo on bottom buns. Fill buns with patties, crispy fried onions, and as much remaining tangy mayo as you like. • Divide burgers and slaw between plates. (You can also top burgers with a bit of slaw for an authentic deli special.) Serve.

Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.

Customer reviews

Review summary

Updated on Dec 2025
  • Flavor: Many loved the burger's taste, with some praising the tangy sauce and crispy onions 🍔.
  • Ease of prep: Customers found this meal quick and easy to prepare, perfect for busy weeknights.
  • Suggestions: Consider adding cheese, pickles, or potato wedges; some preferred less lemon in the coleslaw.
  • Portions: Several felt the meal needed an additional side dish to be more filling.
  • Coleslaw: While many enjoyed the fresh slaw, some found it too tangy or lemony for their taste.
AI-generated from customer reviews

Reviews from our home cooks

C
Christy AlexanderCooked for 2 people
|Aug 9, 2023

I only gave 3 stars because I had to make several changes in the recipe. The tangy Mayo had way too much salt, I would decrease to only 1/8 of a teaspoon. I had to increase the sugar to a tablespoon just to balance it out. As far as cooking the hamburger, do NOT add oil. It has more than enough already. The slaw, I would increase the sugar to 1 tsp or more and decrease the lemon juice by half. After these changes, I will say your meal was excellent!

C
Celestene FoglemanCooked for 2 people
|Aug 29, 2023

Ooohhh! Soo good! I think this is the 2nd time I've had a burger with the crispy fried onions - how have I never thought of that before?! Everything about this burger was delicious!

A
Amy HallCooked for 2 people
|Sep 10, 2025

The burger was great! We wanted to make a suggestion to switch the recipe to make the coleslaw first so it can get colder.

T
Tina McFarlandCooked for 2 people
|Apr 28, 2024

This meal was excellent. The slaw was so easy and fresh. I actually added green onion and made it even better (I had remembered this from a previous recipe). I also added some cheese to the burger. It was great!

S
Susan McGorrayCooked for 2 people
|Aug 16, 2023

Loved the crispy onions on top of burger. I wish I had chopped the cabbage finer...a little too coarse for me.

A
Amy PerezVelascoCooked for 2 people
|Mar 7, 2023

Awesome flavors. I loved the crunchy fried onions and tangy slaw with mayo... OMG, so good.

S
Suzanne FerreriCooked for 2 people
|Apr 24, 2024

This was good! I did the coleslaw a little different because I like it more vinegary & I didn't make the sauce I like my burgers old school just ketchup mustard pickles but still good

D
Diane OHareCooked for 2 people
|Apr 28, 2024

These burgers were delicious. Easy recipe and everything went so well together. My husband loved those crispy onions!

K
Keller FamilyCooked for 6 people
|Aug 24, 2025

The burgers were good, sauce was flavorful - but the coleslaw was more of a condiment than a side. Didn't feel like a 'complete' meal. Would have liked sweet corn or a caesar salad with it!

J
Jacqueline JacksonCooked for 2 people
|Feb 23, 2023

Easy prep, quick cook/assemble time, and very flavorful! I only wish the side was better than just the coleslaw, which goes well on the burger!

More delicious recipes with similar ingredients

Highest-rated dinner recipes

This week's must-try HelloFresh recipes