Beef Sliders Caramelized Onions Cheese (Printable View)
Mini beef burgers with sweet caramelized onions and melted cheese served on soft slider buns.
# Ingredient List:
→ Sliders
01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
05 - ½ tsp garlic powder
→ 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 small slider buns
12 - 8 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese
13 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
14 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
15 - Butter for toasting buns (optional)
16 - Lettuce, tomato slices, or pickles (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and salt, stirring to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with sugar. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions turn deep golden brown and soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
02 - In a bowl, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Mix gently until just combined. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a patty slightly larger than the buns.
03 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 2–3 minutes per side until browned and cooked to desired doneness. During the final minute, place a slice of cheese on each patty and cover to melt.
04 - Slice slider buns in half. Butter the cut sides if preferred. Toast buns cut side down in a skillet or on the grill until golden brown.
05 - Spread mayonnaise and/or mustard on the bottom half of each bun if using. Add a lettuce leaf and tomato slice if desired. Top with a cheesy patty, a spoonful of caramelized onions, and pickles if preferred. Cap with the top bun.
06 - Serve sliders immediately while hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- They're small enough to eat by hand but substantial enough to actually satisfy, which makes them perfect for feeding a crowd without anyone feeling shortchanged.
- The caramelized onions are genuinely transformative—they take something as simple as ground beef and elevate it into something that feels intentional and special.
- You can prep the onions hours ahead, so when guests arrive you're mostly just cooking meat and toasting buns like you have everything under control.
02 -
- Caramelized onions require patience and low to medium heat; if you turn up the temperature to speed things along, they'll burn on the outside and stay raw inside, which is genuinely disappointing.
- Don't mix your beef patties too aggressively or add binders like breadcrumbs; they'll become compact and textureless instead of tender and juicy.
- Toasting your buns is not optional if you want them to stand up to the weight of all the toppings without becoming a soggy mess.
03 -
- Buy ground beef with at least 20% fat content; it keeps everything juicy and forgiving, and the flavor is genuinely better than leaner options.
- Resist the urge to press down on the patties while they cook; you're just squeezing out moisture and making them denser.