Turn a shelf of gluten-free buns into something beyond sandwiches: crisp on the outside, warm and tender within, topped with a quick pan-seared ground beef and caramelized onion. It reads like comfort food because it is.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 810 calories a serving, 59 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 59 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Slice 1 medium onion thin and cook in a heavy skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter, stirring often, until deep golden and soft, about 12 minutes. When the onion is nearly done, press 2 cloves garlic into the pan, stir, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.12 min
2. Raise heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan. Crumble 8 ounces ground beef into the pan, break it into small pieces, and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, letting it brown underneath. Stir, then cook another 2 to 3 minutes until no pink shows. Season with salt and pepper, then add the onion back to the pan and toss.6 min
3. Split 4 buns and lay them cut-side down in a wide skillet over medium-high heat (work in batches if needed). Toast until the cut side is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plates.2 min
4. Top the toasted buns with the beef and onion mixture, sandwich them closed or serve open-faced, and eat warm.

Note Swap ground beef for ground pork or crumbled sausage. Leftovers keep in the fridge two days; reheat gently. Serve alongside a salad, or pair with roasted vegetables.