Easy and tasty appetizers, these mini cheeseburgers are perfect for any gathering! They are juicy and surprisingly quick to make, and so customizable. Great for any time of the year.
This is an easy recipe for mini beef sliders. They can be great little snacks for kids’ party as well as adults.
Expert tips
- What you include in these mini beef sliders is entirely up to you and your taste. Lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheese, pickles, onion…
- Because these are small, you will need only a little of each. E.g. it’s good to choose tomatoes that will fit the mini buns, like roma tomatoes (they have oblong shape). A leaf of baby romaine can be cut into 2-4 pieces to fit in there. I like to cut a slice of cheese into quarters and use 2 in each burger slider.
- Once you have all the prep done, they are quick to assemble but you will need to secure everything together with a cocktail stick (at least 4-inch/11-centimeters long). A baking tray is perfect for assembling them. You can also serve them in one or a sheet pan!
- If you can’t find mini buns in your local store, you can make them from scratch. This recipe looks so good!
- The veggies and cheese can be prepped ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
Special diet information
What does this recipe contain?
Gluten: Yes (buns)
Dairy: Yes
Nuts: No
For a gluten-free or keto diet, try our bunless cheeseburger bites. They are delicious as well.
Frequently asked questions
Onion rings, French fries, sweet potato fries, any salad of your choice, coleslaw, pickled vegetables, corn on the cob, or anything you like!
Each mini slider has 234 calories (this number includes 1 mini bun, 1 teaspoon of sauce, 1 patty, 2 pieces of cheese and 1 slice of pickle).
When making a large batch, the easiest way is to cook all of them in the oven. However, you can cook them on a grill or griddle, even air fryer (if you have a small batch).
Cooking time will depend on their size and your appliances. In general, they are small and should not need more than 8-10 minutes in the oven, 2-3 on the grill, and about 5 in the air fryer.
Always check for doneness before you take them out!
More appetizers with ground meat:
- Cocktail Meatballs – made from scratch
- Sweet and Spicy Meatballs – in a slow cooker
- Cranberry Meatballs
Mini Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
For burgers:
- 1 pound ground beef (see note 1, 450 grams)
- 2 teaspoons onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For cheeseburgers:
- 18 mini burger buns (cut in half)
- 9 slices cheese (see note 2)
- pickles (thinly sliced, see note 3)
- lettuce leaves (see note 4)
For burger sauce: (optional), see note 5
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons ketchup (or more)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit (200 Celsius).
- For burgers: Place all the burger ingredients in a mixing bowl. With your hand, mix until the seasoning is well distributed (use gloves if you like).
- Use the smallest cookie dough scoop to divide the mixture into 18 portions. Place them onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roll them into balls. Next, press each ball gently down until it is quite flat. With your fingers press down in the center of each patty.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through. If not sure, check with a food thermometer (see note 7).
- For cheeseburgers: While the burgers are in the oven, prepare the fillings: thinly cut the pickles (if not using pre-cut), rinse, pat dry the lettuce and cut into smaller pieces. Cut cheese into quarters.
- For burger sauce: In a small bowl, mix together ketchup and mayonnaise.
- To assemble: Get the bottom half of the burger bun, spread burger sauce over, top it with a slice of cheese, lettuce, burger, cheese (see note 8) a slice of pickle and cover with bun (this can be also spread with burger sauce or ketchup). Secure with a cocktail stick. Repeat with the rest.
- Best enjoyed right away!
Notes
- Meat: Ground pork or a combination of pork and beef is also possible.
- I used sliced mozzarella, but you can use any cheese you like.
- You will need about 18 thin slices (either you can buy ready-sliced pickles or get whole pickles and cut them yourself - I needed 5).
- Lettuce - we like baby romaine lettuce but butterhead is great too. Its quantity will depend on how much you use it. For 18 burgers, I used 2 heads of baby romaine lettuce.
- This is our favorite burger sauce but you can use just ketchup or your favorite sauce.
- The internal temperature should reach 160 Fahrenheit (71 Celsius).
- Cooking time may vary, depending on the size of the burgers. Check with a food thermometer if they are cooked through, if not sure.
- Tip: when your burgers are ready, cover each with a slice of cheese and put them back in the warm oven for a minute or two or until ready to serve (make sure the oven is turned off).
- If you prep your veggies and cheese while the burgers are in the oven, you will cut down the prep time by 10 minutes!
Diane says
These cheeseburger appetizers were amazing and the perfect size. I'll make them again this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!
Julia says
You are welcome, Diane! 🙂
Ann says
Where did u get the picks to hold burgers together?
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Hi Ann. I got them online.
Rebecca says
Where do you get the mini buns from? I haven't been able to find any like the ones shown in your picture.
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Hi Rebecca. Our local supermarket sells those (I live in Spain at the moment).
Mrinal says
Can I make ahead and freeze the burgers
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Hi Mrinal. You can prep the burgers and freeze them, then cook them from frozen before serving. Not sure how long they will need to be in the oven though. Hope this helps.