Juicy Mini Beef Sliders (Printable Version)

Tender mini beef patties with cheddar, pickles, and creamy sauce, all in soft slider buns for a fun meal.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Patties

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ tsp garlic powder

→ Special Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise
06 - 2 tbsp ketchup
07 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
08 - 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
09 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp onion powder

→ Sliders Assembly

11 - 12 mini slider buns
12 - 6 slices cheddar cheese, halved
13 - 12 dill pickle slices
14 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
15 - 1 small tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
16 - 1 cup shredded lettuce (optional)
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for brushing buns)
18 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Stir well and chill until needed.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Shape into 12 equal-sized patties, slightly larger than the buns.
03 - Heat skillet or grill over medium-high. Cook patties 2–3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Add half-slice of cheddar on each patty in the last minute to melt.
04 - Brush cut sides of buns with melted butter and toast in a dry skillet or oven until golden.
05 - Spread special sauce on both top and bottom buns. Place cheesy patty on bottom bun, add pickle slice and optional onion, tomato, and lettuce. Cap with top bun and sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.
06 - Serve sliders immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're deceptively impressive but require almost no skill—even the special sauce is just five ingredients whisked together.
  • Perfect excuse to actually butter and toast those buns, which changes everything.
  • Sliders disappear faster than you can make them, which feels like a small victory at any gathering.
02 -
  • Don't make patties too far ahead or they'll start breaking apart when you flip them; shape them about twenty minutes before cooking.
  • If your buns are dense or dry-textured, the whole slider falls apart—decent buns matter more than people think, and Hawaiian rolls work beautifully if slider buns aren't available.
  • The special sauce is forgiving but tastes flat if you skip the paprika and onion powder, so don't assume you can just use mayo and ketchup.
03 -
  • Chill the special sauce for at least fifteen minutes before serving—cold sauce on warm meat creates a textural contrast that keeps the whole thing interesting.
  • Shape patties with a slight dimple in the center using your thumb; as they cook, the patties will puff up and flatten out into perfect pucks instead of little domes.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, assemble the patties and toast the buns ahead, then heat everything gently together just before serving so nothing gets cold.
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