Mini Hamburgers with Cheese (Printable)

Juicy mini beef patties topped with melted cheese, pickles, and a creamy sauce in soft buns.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Patties

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ tsp garlic powder

→ Special Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise
06 - 2 tbsp ketchup
07 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
08 - 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
09 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp onion powder

→ Sliders Assembly

11 - 12 mini slider buns
12 - 6 slices cheddar cheese, halved
13 - 12 dill pickle slices
14 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
15 - 1 small tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
16 - 1 cup shredded lettuce (optional)
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for brushing buns)
18 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl. Stir thoroughly and refrigerate until needed.
02 - Mix ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each into small patties slightly larger than the buns.
03 - Heat a large skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. During the final minute, top each with a half-slice of cheddar cheese to melt.
04 - Brush cut sides of slider buns with melted butter, then toast in a dry skillet or oven until golden brown.
05 - Spread special sauce on top and bottom bun halves. Place cheesy patties on bottom bun, then layer with pickle slices, red onion, tomato, and lettuce as desired. Cap with top bun and sprinkle with sesame seeds if preferred.
06 - Serve sliders immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're small enough to eat with your hands but packed with real, satisfying flavor—no apologies needed.
  • The special sauce is genuinely addictive and makes even simple beef taste like something special.
  • Everyone at the table gets to customize theirs, which somehow makes people happier than a perfect burger handed to them.
02 -
  • Don't overwork the beef when you're mixing—the more you handle it, the denser and tougher the patties become, which is the opposite of what you want.
  • Those patties will shrink as they cook, which is why you start with them slightly larger than your buns; this took me two batches to figure out.
  • Melt the cheese in the skillet on the hot patty, not under the broiler—it melts more evenly and stays creamy rather than separating.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, form all your patties ahead of time and stack them between parchment paper in the fridge—they'll cook faster and more evenly than cold ones.
  • Don't skip toasting the buns in butter; it's the difference between a slider that tastes assembled and one that tastes intentional.
  • Keep a small spoon handy for spreading the sauce—it spreads more evenly than a butter knife and looks a little more deliberate.
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