Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

Home » From Fast Food to Fine Dining: Copycat Restaurant Recipes for Every Taste! » The Best Easy Copycat Culvers Butter Burgers

by Stephanie Manley 32 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

If you want to up your burger game, thisburger recipeis at the top of my list.Culver’s Butter Burgershave 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.

Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (1)

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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 theirburger 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
Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (2)

How to Make a Butter Burger

Making a butter burger is easy! Here are the recipe steps:

  1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and swirl it around.
  2. Place hamburger buns in the melted butter, toast them fora minute, and remove them from the skillet.
  3. Divide the beef into four equal portions and form 4 patties. Place the patties in the skillet.
  4. Use a spatula to press down on thepatties. Then, take a sizeable aluminum-wrapped soup and press down each meat patty in the skillet. (see the how-to video below)
  5. Cook the patties for 2 minutes.
  6. Flip them over and do the same pressing forthe other side.
  7. Season the pattieswith salt and pepper.
  8. For cheeseburgers, add a slice of cheese to each patty.
  9. Cook the patties for 1 minute.
  10. Remove the butterburger patties from the skillet and place them on the bottom bun.
  11. 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.
  12. Place the top bun on top. Enjoy!
Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (3)

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.

Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (4)

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

If you are looking to up your burger game, this burger recipe is at the top of my list. Culvers Butter Burgers have so much flavor but you won't believe what the secret to making this burger is. Some people think they put butter in the meat, let me help you out in recreating this fantastic hamburger.

4.76 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Burger Recipes, Butter Burgers, Culvers Butter Burgers

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 521kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 3.8mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

REVEALED: Copycat Secrets for 2023

free email bonus

Yes, you CAN make it at home!I'll show you how.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Previous Post: « Cheddar Cheese Soup

Next Post: McDonald’s Hamburger »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barb A. J.

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (6)
    We love going to Culver’s here in N. C. They are the best.

    Reply

  2. 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 🙂

    Reply

  3. Maris

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (7)
    About to try it out ——- but hunny, please stop scratching up that pan with all those metal utensils 😫.

    Reply

  4. Dave

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (8)
    Great!

    Reply

  5. Cheryll

    Culver’s is awesome! The Butter Burgers are to died for. We like the fish and shrimp too!

    Reply

  6. Krista

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (9)
    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

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I totally appreciate your thoughts on this. I don’t believe this is how they prepare their burger.

      Reply

      • 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

      Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (10)
      Culver’s does not fry their burgers in butter. The author is correct. Have you even been to Culver’s???

      Reply

    • Kim

      Krista, They cook the burgers in butter and also put it on the top bun, before serving.

      Reply

  7. Tony

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (11)
    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.

    Reply

    • Sherrye Woodworth

      Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (12)
      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.

      Reply

      • 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

      Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (13)
      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.

      Reply

    • 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…

      Reply

  8. Raye

    Best diet root beer & onion rings

    Reply

  9. 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.

    Reply

    • Josh Wright

      Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (14)
      I work at the Columbus store, very happy y’all enjoy it!

      Reply

  10. Denis

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (15)
    This damn is so good and i ‘ll make it tonight

    Reply

  11. Wyla Thomas

    Looks so tasty!

    Reply

  12. Sean

    Culver’s is the best

    Reply

  13. 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!

    Reply

  14. 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

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I am sorry I don’t have these recipes at this time. Thanks for checking out this recipe.

      Reply

  15. MarieJoy

    Do you have the Culver’s Custard recipe?

    Reply

  16. Hafsa

    Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (16)
    These burgers looks delicious I am going to try this soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂

    Reply

  17. 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

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  18. elenka

    This needed a recipe?? (Culver’s burger?)

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I had requests for it!

      Reply

    • GeriGreene

      Oh be nice ! This is a great recipe site. Some of us appreciate all the recipes.

      Reply

  19. Shirl Meckley

    I would love to have your recipe for Chicken and Dumplins? I have never ever made good ones. And EASY. Thanks
    Shirley

    Reply

4.76 from 25 votes (14 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Copycat Culver's Butter Burgers - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes a Culver's butter burger a butter burger? ›

What a lot of folks don't know is why it's called a ButterBurger. We call our ButterBurgers “ButterBurgers,” not because they've been cooked, marinated, dunked, fried or drizzled with butter but because we lightly butter the crown of the bun for an extra touch of goodness.

What are the ingredients in the Culver's burger patty? ›

Ground Beef Patty, Cooked - 100% Ground Beef, Seasoned with Salt and Pepper.

Why do Culvers burgers taste so good? ›

Both recipes entail topping the patty with real Wisconsin butter while it was sizzling on the grill, letting the rich, creamy goodness ooze into the meat. From that time on, diners, drive-ins, and greasy spoons across the state have applied everything from a smear to a pat of melty butter to their burgers.

What kind of cheese does Culver's use on their burgers? ›

Topped with real American cheese made in Wisconsin and served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun.

Does Culvers use good ingredients? ›

It's a promise that begins with sourcing the best ingredients and continues through to the way we prepare your meal: fresh, just for you. It's why we always use fresh, never frozen beef and whole, white meat chicken from America's family farms. It's why we only use family farm-fresh dairy for our Frozen Custard.

What is the difference between a ButterBurger and a regular burger? ›

A butter burger is a hamburger topped with butter, either directly on the patty, or on the bun.

How does Culver's make their patties? ›

Culver's uses fresh, never frozen beef, and the pressing and searing technique locks in the juices and therefore the flavor. Pressing the beef also ensures it is the right thickness to cook evenly on the grill. "That's where that great steak flavor comes from." The beef is seasoned with a salt and pepper mixture.

What oil does Culver's use for burgers? ›

Canola Oil (fryer oil) - Canola Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid added to preserve freshness and Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an anti-foaming agent.

What kind of pickles do culvers use? ›

A side of classic crinkle-cut sandwich dill pickles.

What is the Culver's scandal? ›

Waukesha County prosecutors have charged two Muskego Culver's employees with extortion after they allegedly threatened to expose a co-worker's affair unless he paid them thousands of dollars. Cameron Rueda, 29, of Waukesha is charged with extorting $1,100 from the victim inside the restaurant in late 2022.

What is the most unhealthy thing at Culvers? ›

Worst: The Culvers Bacon Deluxe

With a whopping 57 grams of total fat and 22 grams of saturated fat in this order, you will meet your daily recommended allowance for calories from fat and saturated fats in your diet. This burger also packs 1,205 milligrams of sodium and just 1 measly gram of fiber.

Why is there no Culvers in California? ›

Culver's is currently available in 26 states, but not California. The closest location to San Francisco is about 580 miles, or 9 hours away, in Bullhead City, AZ. According to the Culver's website, California is listed as a “Future Market” currently not available for franchising.

What makes Culvers burgers butter burgers? ›

It's a Culver's family specialty and the burger that started it all. We use only fresh, never frozen beef, seared on a grill after you order and served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun.

Does Culver's put mayo on their burgers? ›

We start with fresh, never frozen beef. Layer on real Wisconsin cheese, crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, pickles, sweet red onion and our signature mayo. Then cap with a lightly buttered, toasted bun. It's our ButterBurger® at its best.

What kind of cheese sauce does Culver's use? ›

Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce | Our Menu | Culver's.

What is buttermilk style burger? ›

As good as a straight up chicken burger can be, a period of marinating in the gentle acidity of buttermilk makes such a difference. The flavours infuse the chicken, while the buttermilk's acids relax the proteins, giving you a succulent burger beneath the crisp outer.

What is a butter Steakburger? ›

Our Butter Steakburger is drippin' butter good 🤤 This 🍔 is grilled to perfection with two Steakburgers topped with real American cheese, savory grilled onions, and one and a half ounces of real Wisconsin butter on top (where available)!

What makes a ButterBurger better? ›

A little bit of pressure seals the beef, keeping moisture in and giving your burger that signature steak taste. Not only does it add flavor and more texture to every bite, it's what makes a ButterBurger a ButterBurger. Your food doesn't touch the grill until after you order.

What does butter do to burgers? ›

Butter is readily available, affordable, and adds moisture and fat to beef — making for a tender, juicy burger.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Corie Satterfield

Last Updated:

Views: 5883

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Corie Satterfield

Birthday: 1992-08-19

Address: 850 Benjamin Bridge, Dickinsonchester, CO 68572-0542

Phone: +26813599986666

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Table tennis, Soapmaking, Flower arranging, amateur radio, Rock climbing, scrapbook, Horseback riding

Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.