Cooking restaurant-style burgers at home can feel like an impossible task, especially when you’re trying to recreate those perfectly crispy edges and juicy centers that make your favorite diner burgers so good. After years of trying different techniques and getting less-than-great results, I finally cracked the code with these easy smash burger sliders.
These mini burgers are a game-changer: they’re quick to make, impossible to mess up, and give you that amazing crispy crust that everyone loves. Plus, their smaller size means you can serve them for everything from casual family dinners to game day get-togethers.
Why You’ll Love These Smash Burgers
- Extra crispy edges – The smashing technique creates those sought-after crispy, caramelized edges that make these burgers incredibly tasty – it’s what burger dreams are made of!
- Quick cooking time – These sliders cook up in just minutes on each side, making them perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re feeding a hungry crowd.
- Simple ingredients – You only need ground beef and basic seasonings to make these burgers – no fancy ingredients or special tools required.
- Perfect party food – The slider size makes them ideal for gatherings, game days, or any time you want to serve something that’s both fun and filling.
- Customizable – Each person can dress their sliders exactly how they like them, making them a crowd-pleasing option for family dinners or casual get-togethers.
What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?
For smash burgers, the fat content of your ground beef really matters – you’ll want to stick with an 80/20 blend (that’s 80% lean meat to 20% fat). This ratio gives you the perfect amount of fat to create those crispy, lacy edges that make smash burgers so special. While you might be tempted to go leaner, anything with less fat will likely result in dry, less flavorful burgers. When shopping, look for freshly ground beef that’s bright red in color and feels slightly cool to the touch. If you can, ask your butcher to grind it fresh – this will give you the best texture for smashing. Just remember to keep the meat cold until you’re ready to cook and avoid overworking it when forming your portions.
Options for Substitutions
While smash burgers are pretty straightforward, here are some helpful substitutions if you need them:
- Ground beef: The 80/20 beef ratio is ideal for juicy smash burgers, but you can use 85/15 if needed. I wouldn’t go leaner than that, or your burgers might end up dry. Ground chuck works great too. You can also try ground turkey, but add 1 tablespoon of olive oil per pound to keep it moist.
- Cheddar cheese: Any melty cheese works here! Try American cheese for that classic fast-food taste, or swap in Swiss, pepper jack, or provolone. Just make sure it’s a cheese that melts well.
- Sweet onion: Yellow or white onions work just as well as sweet onions. Red onions are good too, though they have a stronger flavor.
- Slider buns: Can’t find slider buns? Regular hamburger buns cut into quarters work in a pinch. Hawaiian rolls are another tasty option that adds a touch of sweetness.
- Butter: You can use margarine or olive oil instead of butter for toasting the buns, though butter gives the best flavor.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making smash burgers is not getting your pan or griddle hot enough – you want it screaming hot to achieve that perfect golden-brown crust, so let it heat up for at least 5 minutes before cooking. Another common error is pressing the burgers multiple times or too late in the cooking process – smash them firmly only once, right after placing the meat ball on the hot surface, and do it within the first 30 seconds while the meat is still cold. To prevent your burgers from becoming dense hockey pucks, avoid overworking the meat when forming your balls – loosely portion the meat and don’t pack it tightly. For the juiciest results, season the meat only on the outside just before cooking (mixing salt into the ground beef can make the texture too dense), and resist the urge to flip the burgers more than once – wait until you see the edges getting crispy and brown before flipping.
What to Serve With Smash Burger Sliders?
These little sliders are perfect party food, and they pair wonderfully with all your favorite burger joint sides! French fries are the classic choice – either regular or sweet potato – but I also love serving these with crispy tater tots or potato wedges. For a lighter option, a simple coleslaw adds nice crunch and helps cut through the richness of the burgers, while pickle spears bring that perfect tangy bite. If you’re hosting a casual get-together, put out a bowl of kettle-cooked chips and some dipping sauces like ranch or chipotle mayo to let everyone mix and match their sides.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: Already cooked smash burger sliders can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. I recommend storing the patties separate from the buns to prevent them from getting soggy. The buns are best kept at room temperature in their original packaging or a bread box.
Make Ahead: You can form the meat into balls ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. This makes dinner prep super quick when you’re ready to cook!
Warm Up: To enjoy leftover sliders, warm the patties in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. If you’re using the microwave, heat them for about 30 seconds. Add a fresh slice of cheese while they’re warm, and lightly toast the buns if you want that fresh-made taste.
| Preparation Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 15-25 minutes |
| Total Time | 35-55 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3200-3500
- Protein: 200-220 g
- Fat: 220-240 g
- Carbohydrates: 150-160 g
Ingredients
For the patties:
- black pepper
- salt
- 2.25 lb ground beef (80/20 ratio, for optimal flavor and juiciness)
For the onions:
- 1 sweet onion (sliced thinly)
- 2 tbsp salted butter (I use Land O’Lakes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For assembly:
- 12 slider buns (brioche buns are excellent here)
- 12 slices cheddar cheese
Step 1: Prepare the Beef Patties
Start by weighing out loosely packed balls of ground beef to 1.5 oz each.
Season each ball with a bit of salt and place them on a baking sheet.
Leave the baking sheet uncovered in the fridge to let the patties firm up until you’re ready to cook them.
Step 2: Cook the Onions
Thinly slice onions and add them to a pan over medium heat, along with butter and oil.
Cook the onions until they become brown and translucent, which should take about 15 minutes.
If you’re not serving the burgers immediately, you can keep the onions warm by placing them in an oven set to the lowest temperature until ready to use.
Step 3: Cook the Beef Paties
Heat up a griddle on the stovetop or use a grill on high heat until smoke is visible rising from the surface.
Place 2-4 beef patties at a time on the griddle.
Use a metal unslotted spatula to smash each patty down firmly, then carefully slide the spatula off so the patties remain pressed to the griddle.
Allow them to cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Flip and Add Cheese
After the first side has cooked, firmly scrape under each patty with the spatula and flip them over.
Add 2 quartered slices of cheese to each patty.
Continue cooking until the cheese is nicely melted over the patties.
Step 5: Assemble the Sliders
Once the cheese has melted, remove the patties from the griddle.
Stack one patty on top of another to create a double-layered slider and place them on your slider buns.
Repeat this process until all the sliders are assembled.
Step 6: Add Toppings and Serve
Top each slider with the grilled onions and any of your favorite burger toppings.
Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious homemade sliders!
