Cheesy Ground Beef Sliders Recipe for Juicy Party Sandwiches

If you love ground beef recipes, try these other favorites: Chili Cheese Nachos, Beef Enchilada Soup, Creamy Beef and Vegetable Soup, or an easy hamburger rice casserole.

Ingredients

• Ground beef: Use lean beef (about 93/7) and drain excess grease after browning.
• Onion: Finely diced or grated so it blends evenly into the meat.
• Salt and pepper: To taste.
• Garlic powder: Or use 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced.
• Mayonnaise: Adds creaminess—use your preferred brand or homemade mayo.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: For the beef mixture.
• Slider buns: Brioche or soft rolls work best.
• Cheddar slices: Place between meat and buns to act as a moisture barrier.
• Sriracha aioli: Made with mayo, sriracha, lime juice, and garlic for bright heat.
• Melted butter and sesame seeds: Brushed on top buns so they brown and stay moist.

Equipment Needed

• Large skillet for browning the ground beef.
• 9×13 baking dish for assembling and baking the sliders.

How to Make Ground Beef Sliders

Overview — full details are in the recipe card below.

1. Make the burger mixture: Brown ground beef with onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drain excess grease. Stir in mayonnaise and shredded cheddar.
2. Make the sriracha aioli: Combine mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
3. Assemble: Place slider bottoms in the pan, top with half the cheddar slices, spread the beef mixture, add aioli, place remaining cheddar slices, then set the tops on.
4. Top and bake: Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake uncovered until warmed through and cheese is melted (about 15–20 minutes).

Storing and Reheating

Store sliders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes or microwave briefly until warm.

Make-Ahead Tips

You can prepare the burger mixture and sriracha aioli up to three days in advance. Assemble the sliders shortly before baking—avoid building them more than a few hours ahead to prevent soggy buns.

3 Tips to Keep Slider Buns from Getting Soggy

Follow these steps to keep buns toasty and intact:

1. Drain excess grease from the cooked ground beef.
2. Use sliced cheese as a barrier between meat and bun to protect against moisture.
3. Bake uncovered so tops toast and excess moisture evaporates.

What to Serve With Ground Beef Sliders

• French fries, tater tots, potato chips, or lemon feta fries.
• Onion rings.
• Fresh salads like potato salad, macaroni salad, or a simple garden salad.
• Coleslaw or other slaws for a crunchy contrast.

Variations and Substitutions

Cheese: Swap cheddar for cheddar-jack, Swiss, pepper jack, American, or provolone—choose melty cheeses.

Toppings: Add pickles, bacon, caramelized onions, sliced tomato, or pickled jalapeños.

Sauces: If you prefer, substitute the sriracha aioli with ketchup, mustard, chipotle southwest sauce, chimichurri aioli, or your favorite burger sauce.

Buns: Try King’s Hawaiian rolls, mini pretzel buns, or other slider-style rolls for a different flavor and texture.

Choose lean ground beef such as 93/7 to minimize grease. If you use fattier beef, be sure to drain excess fat after browning.

The recipe yields about 12 sliders. It serves roughly 4 people at 3 sliders each, or as a party appetizer it can serve more people with smaller portions. Easily double or triple the recipe for larger gatherings.

More Slider Ideas

• Sloppy Joe Sliders
• Baked Cod Fish Sliders
• Pulled Pork Sliders
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
• Breakfast Bagel Sliders
• Apple Butter BBQ Pork Sliders

Cheesy Ground Beef Sliders

Author Elizabeth Swoish

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Servings 12 sliders

Calories 387 kcal

Equipment

• 9×13 baking dish
• Large skillet (12-inch recommended)

Ingredients

• 12 pack slider buns (brioche)
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely diced or grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 10 slices cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• ¼ cup sriracha aioli

Sriracha Aioli

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 °F and prepare a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
• Heat a skillet over medium, add ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Drain excess grease if necessary.
• While beef cooks, whisk together the sriracha aioli ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Stir mayonnaise and shredded cheddar into the browned beef until combined; set aside.
• Place slider bottoms in the prepared pan. Top with 5 slices of cheddar, spread the beef mixture evenly, add sriracha aioli, place remaining cheddar slices, and set the tops on.
• Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle sesame seeds.
• Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. If tops brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
• Serve hot.

Video

Recipe Notes

Storing:

• Refrigerate covered for up to three days.

Reheating:

• Reheat in a 375 °F oven for 10 minutes, or microwave until warmed.

Make Ahead:

• Prepare the beef mixture and aioli up to three days ahead. Assemble shortly before baking to keep buns from getting soggy.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically.

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