Juicy Mini Beef Hamburgers (Printable Version)

Small beef patties with cheese, pickles, and special sauce nestled in soft slider buns.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Patties

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 0.5 tsp black pepper
04 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 0.5 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)

# How-To:

01 - In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Mix well and refrigerate until needed.
02 - In a large bowl, blend ground beef with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Divide mixture into 12 portions and shape each into a patty slightly larger than the buns.
03 - Heat skillet or grill to medium-high. Cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and fully cooked. Place half a cheddar slice on each patty during the last minute to melt.
04 - Brush cut sides of buns with melted butter. Toast in skillet or oven until golden and crisp.
05 - Spread special sauce on top and bottom bun halves. Layer bottom buns with cheesy patties, pickle slices, onion, tomato, and lettuce as desired, then top with bun halves. Garnish with sesame seeds if using.
06 - Serve sliders immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They cook faster than you'd expect, so you can actually enjoy time with guests instead of being glued to the stove.
  • The homemade special sauce tastes nothing like bottled condiments—it's creamy, tangy, and subtly smoky.
  • Kids and adults both light up when they see a tiny burger on their plate, which somehow makes food taste better.
02 -
  • Don't make the patties ahead and refrigerate them for hours; cold beef is harder to cook evenly and takes longer to develop that crispy crust you're after.
  • The buns are more fragile than regular hamburger buns, so toasting them with butter makes them sturdy enough to hold up to the sauce and fillings without falling apart.
03 -
  • Toast your buns with butter even if it seems like an extra step—it's the difference between a soft, slightly crispy exterior and a bun that soaks up all the sauce and falls apart.
  • Chill the special sauce before assembling so it doesn't melt the cheese on a warm patty, keeping all the flavors distinct and bright.
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