Beef Sliders Caramelized Onions Cheese (Printable)

Juicy ground beef patties with caramelized onions and melted cheese on soft slider buns.

# What You Need:

→ Sliders

01 - 1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
05 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

→ Caramelized Onions

06 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - ½ tsp sugar
10 - ¼ tsp salt

→ Assembly

11 - 8 slider buns
12 - 8 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese (1 oz each)
13 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
14 - 1 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard (optional)
15 - Lettuce leaves or pickles (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and golden brown. Sprinkle sugar and salt halfway through cooking to enhance caramelization. Set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Mix gently until just combined. Divide into eight equal portions and shape each into a patty slightly larger than the slider buns as they will shrink when cooking.
03 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 2 to 3 minutes per side until desired doneness. In the final minute, place a cheese slice on each patty and cover the pan to melt the cheese.
04 - Lightly toast slider buns, cut side down, in a dry skillet or on the grill until golden brown.
05 - Optional: Spread mayonnaise and mustard on the bottom half of each bun. Add a lettuce leaf or pickle slice if desired. Place the cheesy beef patty atop, spoon caramelized onions over the cheese, then cover with the top bun.
06 - Serve sliders immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The caramelized onions add a sweetness that balances the savory beef in a way that feels almost indulgent.
  • Theyre small enough to eat with one hand but big enough on flavor that nobody feels shortchanged.
  • You can prep the onions ahead and just cook the patties when people arrive, making hosting feel effortless.
  • They work equally well for a backyard gathering or a weeknight dinner when you want something a little more fun than the usual.
02 -
  • Dont rush the onions, low and slow is the only way to get that deep sweetness without any bitterness.
  • Make the patties slightly larger than the buns because they will shrink as the fat renders out during cooking.
  • If you press down on the patties with a spatula while they cook, youll squeeze out all the juices and end up with dry burgers.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to divide the beef evenly so all the patties cook at the same rate and youre not left with some overdone and others rare.
  • If the onions start to stick or brown too fast, lower the heat and add a splash of water to the pan to slow things down.
  • Rest the cooked patties on a plate for a minute before assembling so the juices redistribute and dont all run out into the bun.

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