These easy cheeseburger sliders are the perfect bite-sized treat for parties, game day, or just a fun weeknight dinner. Made with juicy beef patties, melty cheese, crispy buns, and tangy toppings, these mini burgers will be a major hit with both kids and adults.
An Introduction to Sliders
A slider is a miniaturized version of a regular hamburger, usually around 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Sliders feature the same basic components as a burger – a soft bun, cooked meat patty, cheese, and various vegetable and condiment toppings. However, everything is shrunken down into a handheld, pop-in-your-mouth size.
The origins of sliders are disputed, but some sources trace them back to a small chain of slider restaurants called White Castle which first opened in the 1920s. The tiny burgers were an inexpensive meal during the Great Depression. Other burger joints began offering their own versions of small, square-shaped burgers. As they grew in popularity over the decades, sliders became a fun, shareable appetizer and party food.
Today, sliders can be found on the menus of many restaurants, bars and fast food chains. But they are also easy and affordable to make at home. Homemade sliders often use store-bought dinner rolls or bread for the buns. The patties are made from ground beef, turkey, or chicken, seasoned and shaped into mini patties. Popular cheese choices include American, cheddar, Swiss, provolone and mozzarella. Toppings range from traditional burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and condiments to more unique ingredients like sautéed mushrooms, bacon, blue cheese, grilled pineapple, and avocado.
Benefits of Cooking Sliders at Home
Making your own slider party at home offers many perks such as cost savings, control over ingredients, ability to customize toppings, perfectly cooked burgers, make ahead convenience, kid-friendly cooking activity, and impressing guests with gourmet creations.
Selecting the Beef
When shopping for beef, look for 80/20 or 85/15 blends as the higher fat content keeps the patties moist during cooking. Ground chuck, sirloin and brisket offer robust beefy flavor. Freshly ground meat right before purchase will taste best. Hand-form patties rather than using pre-formed, and season generously with spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Be gentle when mixing seasonings to avoid dense, tough patties. High quality ground beef ensures tender, flavorful sliders.
Cooking the Patties
Getting the pan very hot before adding patties is key for juicy sliders, along with cooking in batches to avoid crowding. Let patties cook undisturbed to develop a nice crust, flipping only once. Cook to medium doneness so the insides remain pink and moist. Allow to rest briefly after cooking so juices redistribute. Follow these simple steps for big, beefy flavor and tender texture.
Choosing Buns
Look for soft white buns or rolls in round, square or slider shapes. Potato, sesame, and artisan styles work too. Lightly toasting the buns provides texture without drying them out. Match the bun size to the patties so they extend just beyond the edges. For flavor twists, try pretzel or Hawaiian sweet rolls, or make your own buns for freshness. The bun plays a vital balancing role in tasty sliders.
Ideal Cheeses
Opt for cheeses that melt smoothly like American, cheddar, Swiss, provolone, mozzarella, blue cheese, and pepper jack. Slice thinly before topping patties in the last 1-2 minutes of cooking to gently liquefy into cheesy deliciousness. The melted cheese puts sliders over the top.
Condiments and Toppings
Creative combinations like classic, Big Mac-style, Southwestern, Greek, breakfast, Italian, Hawaiian, and bacon cheeseburger make sliders shine. Offer a topping bar so guests can build their own with items like ketchup, mustard, mayo-based sauces, guacamole, vegetables, bacon, and more. The possibilities are endless!
Serving Suggestions
Offer at least 2-3 slider varieties and plan for 2-3 sliders per person. Serve with classic sides like fries, tater tots, coleslaw or baked beans. Have wet wipes or napkins available for messy eating, and toothpicks to hold sliders together. Sliders pair great with beers, milkshakes or lemonade. A slider station is perfect for large events, or individual plates for sit-down affairs. They bring fun flair to any party.
Helpful Tips
Handy tips include preparing patties ahead of time, using alternative cooking methods like grilling or a panini press, and baking buns and patties at the same time for easy assembly later. Let guests build their own to keep components fresh. Refrigerate mayo-based toppings if assembling more than 1 hour ahead. Cooked patties can be frozen and reheated later as needed. Follow these tips for easy slider success.
Creative Variations
Put fun twists on sliders by blending meats, shaping into meatballs, stuffing with cheese, or mixing in unique ingredients. Coat patties in seasoned crumbs, spices or sauces. Draw global flavor inspiration from cuisines like Indian, Mexican and Hawaiian. Make breakfast versions with eggs and sausage. Vegetarian options like black bean or chickpea patties open up new possibilities. Get creative!
Leftover Sliders
Refrigerate fully assembled sliders for up to 4 days, removing soggy vegetables. Reheat in the oven to crisp buns. Freeze cooked patties for later use. Repurpose extras into dishes like pasta sauce, chili or nachos. Use leftover buns for new sandwiches. With some creativity, you can reduce food waste and get the most out of leftovers.
Conclusion
From parties to dinners, slider burgers bring people together for tasty fun. Making them at home puts you in control while keeping costs low. Follow these tips for juicy patties, melty cheese, soft buns and creative toppings galore. Mastering slider making will equip you to become the MVP of memorable gatherings ahead. Now get sizzling on crave-worthy sliders!
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Delicious Cheeseburger Sliders
These little cheeseburger sliders are slider perfection! Soft toasted buns, melty cheese, juicy beef patties, and tangy toppings like onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.
Ingredients
- 12 slider buns
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 mix for best flavor)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 12 small slices of cheddar cheese
- 12 dill pickle slices
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- Optional: lettuce, tomato slices
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Prepare the Burger Patties:
- In a bowl, season the ground beef with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Mix well and form into 12 small, thin patties, slightly larger than your buns because they will shrink while cooking.
- Cook the Patties:
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until nicely browned and cooked through.
- Place a slice of cheddar cheese on each patty during the last minute of cooking to let it melt.
- Prepare the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard.
- Assemble the Sliders:
- Slice the slider buns in half. Spread a thin layer of the sauce on both the top and bottom halves of the buns.
- On the bottom halves, place a cheese-topped patty followed by a slice of pickle and a few slices of red onion. Add lettuce and tomato if using.
- Place the top halves of the buns over the fillings.
- Finish with a Brush of Butter:
- Brush the top of the buns with melted butter. This will give them a nice golden color and rich flavor when baked.
- Bake the Sliders:
- Arrange the sliders closely on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the buns are toasted and everything is heated through.
- Serve:
- Serve the sliders warm, perfect for sharing at parties or as a fun family meal.
