This is the cheeseburger version of comfort food logic: beef, cheese, burger toppings, and a sweet potato base sturdy enough to hold it together without pretending to be pastry.

Using 3 large sweet potatoes in a 10-inch cast iron skillet makes the base thicker than a normal crust. That is the point here. It eats more like a cheeseburger shepherd’s pie with structure than a crisp slice.

Sweet potato crust

  • 3 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons flour, breadcrumbs, or almond flour, optional but helpful
  • Oil or cooking spray

Mix the mashed sweet potato with the egg, cheddar, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and optional flour or breadcrumbs. Press it into a well-greased 10-inch cast iron skillet, keeping most of the volume in the base instead of trying to build tall sides.

Bake at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges start browning and the center firms up.

Burger filling

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar or chopped American cheese

Brown the beef with the onion and drain off extra grease. Add the garlic, Worcestershire, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper, then cook another 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the filling over the baked crust and top with the cheese. Bake another 10 to 12 minutes, until fully hot and melted.

Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Toppings

  • Pickles
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Diced tomato
  • Burger sauce, ketchup, mustard, or mayo
  • Sesame seeds, optional

Add the toppings only after baking so the burger side of the recipe stays fresh instead of steaming in the oven.

Burger sauce

  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped pickles or relish
  • Splash of pickle juice
  • Pinch of garlic powder

Mix everything until smooth and spoon it over each slice right before serving.

Source note: added from the recipe text provided directly in the request for this site update.