Cheeseburger Sliders Recipe
These Cheeseburger Sliders, stacked with juicy beef, melted cheese, and caramelized onions on Hawaiian rolls, are guaranteed to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
- 1 peeled and small diced yellow onion, about 1 to ½ cups diced
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, optional
- ½ pound shredded American cheese
- 6 slices American cheese
- 1 pack of sweet Hawaiian rolls sliced in half, leaving the buns attached and together
- 1 large dill pickle cut into thin slices, optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
- aioli, ketchup, or mustard for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, no fan.
- Add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place in the ground beef, season well with salt and pepper, and break up while cooking and sauteing until all sides are well browned. Set to the side on a plate.
- Next, place in the onions, gently season with salt, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 10 minutes or until they are browned and tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Add the cooked beef back to the pan along with the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and half the shredded cheese, and mix to combine. The cheese should be completely melted in. Taste again and make sure everything is seasoned and delicious.
- Place the bottom part of the buns into a 13x9 casserole dish. Evenly spread out the 6 slices of cheese, completely covering the buns.
- Next, add the ground beef, cheese, and onion mixture over the top and spread it out to cover the cheese. Evenly sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese and then spread out the sliced pickles. Add the top part of the buns.
- Place on the top buns. There should still be some leftover rendered fat in the pan from cooking the beef and onions. I like to use this to brush onto the top part of the buns. You can use melted butter if you’d like.
- Evenly sprinkle on the sesame seeds and carefully and gently cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered on a middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. The cheese should be melted, and the buns should be toasted but soft.
- Serve with optional dipping accompaniments and sauces.
Notes
While most cheeseburger slider recipes simply layer cheese and beef on rolls, I took this version up a notch by adding caramelized onions to the beef and cheese filling. Giving the onions plenty of time (around 15 to 20 minutes) to turn golden brown is the secret to making the best cheeseburger sliders—the depth of flavor they add is unmatched. Trust me, it’s worth the few extra minutes standing over the stove.
Avoid soggy bottoms: If you’re worried about the bottom buns getting soggy, lightly toast them in the oven for a few minutes before layering on the cheese and beef mixture. Also, if your beef mixture seems extra greasy in the pan, use a slotted spoon to transfer it onto the buns.
Don’t burn the buns: Keep an eye on slider buns while they’re baking uncovered. They should be lightly toasted and golden brown but still soft and pillowy. Overbaking can make them too crunchy or dry.
Customize the filling: Try adding sautéed mushrooms or diced jalapeños to the beef mixture for an extra kick. To make bacon cheeseburger sliders, crumble crispy bacon between the beef mixture and the top layer of shredded cheese.
Make-Ahead: You can assemble these sliders (right up to the point of baking) a few hours in advance. Cover the dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
How to Store: While these sliders are best served fresh from the oven, leftovers hold up surprisingly well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
How to Reheat: Reheat the sliders in a baking dish in the oven at 300°F until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 19gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 621mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 290IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 335mgIron: 2mg