Beef Sliders with Caramelized Onions (Printable)
Juicy mini beef burgers with sweet caramelized onions on soft buns. Easy 45-minute main dish perfect for parties and gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ For the Sliders
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
05 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
→ For the Caramelized Onions
06 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - 0.5 tsp salt
10 - 1 tsp sugar
→ For Assembly
11 - 8 slider buns
12 - 4 oz sliced cheddar or Swiss cheese
13 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise or aioli
14 - Leaf lettuce or baby arugula
15 - Sliced pickles
# Steps:
01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add sliced onions and salt, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until soft and golden. Add sugar to enhance sweetness. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
02 - Preheat a grill or skillet to medium-high heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, gently combine ground beef with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Form into 8 equal small patties, slightly larger than the buns to account for shrinkage during cooking.
04 - Cook patties for 2-3 minutes per side for medium doneness or until desired temperature is reached. If using cheese, add a slice to each patty during the last minute of cooking and cover to allow melting.
05 - Lightly toast the slider buns on the grill or in a skillet if desired.
06 - Spread mayonnaise or aioli on the bottom half of each bun. Layer with lettuce, beef patty, generous spoonful of caramelized onions, and pickles. Top with bun halves and serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- These little burgers have this magical quality of making any random Tuesday feel like a special occasion without requiring you to spend hours in the kitchen.
- The contrast between the juicy beef patties and the melt-in-your-mouth onions creates this perfect bite that somehow manages to disappear faster than it took to make them.
02 -
- Never press down on the patties with your spatula while cooking, no matter how tempting it is, as youll squeeze out all those precious juices that make the sliders special.
- The onions will look like far too much when you start, but theyll cook down to about a quarter of their original volume, so dont be afraid to pile that pan high.
03 -
- Adding a splash of water and covering the pan when the onions start looking dry helps them caramelize evenly without burning, a technique I learned after ruining three batches in a row.
- Let the formed patties rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking to ensure they cook evenly from edge to center.