Cheeseburger Sliders

No need to play short-order cook to make these cheeseburger sliders for a crowd! This is one of the easiest slider recipes thanks to a genius trick that allows you to skip forming and flipping individual patties. Instead, the ground meat is cooked on the stovetop and layered onto small dinner rolls. It's just like these classic sloppy joes, but with all the flavors of your favorite cheeseburger. Keep the toppings simple or put your own spin on them. These juicy, cheesy, appetizer-sized burgers top the list as one of the best game day foods for the Super Bowl, but they're just as delicious for an easy weeknight dinner recipe. Any crowd will go wild for 'em!

What makes a burger a slider?

If you want to turn a classic burger into a slider, all you need to do is make a smaller portion size. Some theories suggest that the term slider originated in the 1940s when sailors in the U.S. Navy suggested their greasiness caused them to slide down easily. Others say it was fast food chain White Castle that first began referring to their small, steamed burgers as sliders. No matter where the term came from, sliders can be any mini-sized sandwich like melty ham and cheese sliders, BBQ sliders, and mini meatball sliders.

Can you make cheeseburger sliders ahead of time?

You can certainly make each component ahead of time, then assemble the sliders just before baking. Cook the beef mixture, shred the cheese, and stir together the burger sauce hours (or even a day) ahead and refrigerate. Then, just put the sliders together and bake. This method will ensure no soggy sliders!

What else can you put on cheeseburger sliders?

You can personalize these any way you like! Try adding crisp, crumbled bacon, onion strings, or your favorite fry sauce. If you're not a fan of pickles, use diced tomatoes, thinly sliced, or pickled jalapeño (or all three!), instead. You can even switch up the buns with potato or sweet Hawaiian rolls, or sub another melty cheese like American for the cheddar. The options are endless!

What size are cheeseburger sliders?

This all depends on the size of the roll! This recipe uses just over a pound of ground beef (1.25 pounds to be exact) and makes 12 sliders. Plan on using about 1.5 to 2 ounces of meat per slider if you have a pound of meat.

How many sliders are needed per person?

The more, the merrier! How many sliders to make per person is a common conundrum that largely depends on your family's appetite, but here are some basic guidelines to follow: If you're serving these as an appetizer at parties, aim for one to two slider per person. If you're serving them for dinner with these French fries, onion rings, or a simple side salad, plan for two to three sliders per person.

What is the special sauce?

The secret sauce on your favorite takeout burger really isn't much of a secret: It's traditionally a combo of ketchup, mayo, and sweet pickle relish. Here, we swap the relish for a crunchy pickle topper and add mustard to the sauce—another must-have burger condiment.

What type of beef should you use for sliders?

Even though sliders may have had a reputation of being a bit greasy, you'll want to stick to lean ground sirloin with about 10% fat here. Since the meat isn't being cooked as individual patties, it won't dry out or overcook. The Worcestershire sauce will up the savory flavor and also keep the mixture moist.