Recipe: Smashed merguez by Daan van der Lecq
If anyone proves that impressive cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s Daan van der Lecq. Known on Instagram as @chefvanderlecq, he shows that with a little creativity and a healthy dose of courage, you can quickly put something special on the table. From his first cookbook, F*cking Lecqer, we’re sharing his smashburger recipe.
Smashburger: the trend that’s here to stay
Most of you probably haven’t missed the smashburger trend, but for those who don’t know it yet, Daan explains it briefly. “Some people believe that the crust on meat is the best part, and by smashing a burger as flat as a dime, you get proportionally much more crust than with a thick burger. You can then stack these thin patties nicely and serve a smashburger.
Following trends blindly isn’t really my thing, but putting my own spin on one makes it much more fun. I’ve never seen this one before, but I made it for you. You won’t believe what you’re in for!”
How to make Daan’s smashed merguez
1. Remove the meat from the sausages and shape it into two balls (use two sausages for each ball).
2. Add some oil to a frying pan, place one ball in it, drizzle a little more oil over it, place a piece of baking paper on top and flatten the ball with the bottom of a pan into a thin burger.
3. Fry over high heat for 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the other ball.
4. Cut the cheese-and-onion roll in half and toast it in the oven or grill pan.
5. Time to stack: start with a bun, muhamarra, yoghurt, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, the burgers, muhamarra, yoghurt, feta, onion and parsley. Enjoy!
Optional
Mix 100 millilitres of Greek yoghurt with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 lime, 10 centimetres of grated cucumber, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives and a generous pinch of pepper and salt. Stir in 3 teaspoons of harissa and serve in a bowl alongside the burger. Now dip half your burger into that healthy sauce and dig in!
Cookbook F*cking Lecqer: 98 recipes to impress
Whether you’re craving a crispy rice omelette, Japanese gazpacho, pasta with fennel sausage, salad with Jerusalem artichoke and merguez, or a family recipe such as Daan’s mother’s meatballs or Grandpa Pim’s Indonesian satay: it’s all in there. Daan combines comfort food and culinary creativity perfectly. And the best part? It’s simple, accessible and f*cking lecqer!
Title: F*cking Lecqer
Author: Daan van der Lecq
Price: 29,99€
Publisher: Spectrum
(publication date 14 October 2025)
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