Can I make the cottage cheese onion rings ahead of time?

Yes. Bake them up to 2 hours ahead and keep at room temperature. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes just before assembling. Do not refrigerate and reheat — they go soft.

What if my cottage cheese mixture is too watery?

Drain the cottage cheese through a fine mesh strainer for 10 minutes before mixing. This removes excess liquid and gives a firmer ring.

Can I make this in an air fryer?

The cottage cheese onion rings work well in an air fryer at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes. The smash burger patties need a flat surface — use a cast-iron skillet or a flat griddle pan for those.

How many calories per serving?

One cottage cheese onion ring smash burger (two rings, two smash patties, cheese) contains approximately 420 to 480 calories, 42 grams of protein, and 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrates, depending on your toppings.

Yes, the base recipe is gluten-free. The cottage cheese ring uses no flour, and the smash patty is just beef and seasoning. Check your cheese and condiment labels for any added gluten.

Cottage Cheese Onion Ring Smash Burger Recipe

Description

The cottage cheese onion ring smash burger is the mashup nobody asked for but everyone needs — crispy, high-protein onion rings used as buns for juicy smash burgers, all made in one pan in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

1 large yellow onion
1/2 cup full-fat cottage cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Salt and black pepper
3/4 lb ground beef (80/20)
2 slices American cheese or cheddar
1 tablespoon neutral oil or butter
Optional: pickles, lettuce, tomato
Optional sauce: 2 tbsp mayo + 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tsp pickle juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Slice onion into 1-inch rounds and separate into rings. Select 4 large rings.
Mix cottage cheese, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Fill each onion ring with the mixture, pressing to edges.
Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and firm. Cool 5 minutes.
Divide beef into 4 balls.
Heat cast-iron skillet until very hot and add oil.
Place beef balls in skillet and smash flat immediately.
Season and cook 60–90 seconds until crispy.
Flip, add cheese, stack patties, cook 30 seconds more.
Repeat with remaining beef.
Assemble with onion rings as buns, add toppings and sauce, then serve immediately.

Notes

Use full-fat cottage cheese for best texture. Let onion rings cool before assembling. Ensure skillet is very hot for proper smash burger crust. Press patties only once for juiciness.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop & Oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 burger
Calories: 450
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 650mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Unsaturated Fat: 14g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 9g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 42g
Cholesterol: 120mg

Keywords: cottage cheese onion ring smash burger, low carb burger, high protein burger, smash burger, gluten free burger