Spicy Beef Sliders (Printable)
Juicy mini burgers with smoked paprika, sriracha mayo, and pepper jack cheese. Ideal for game day or casual entertaining.
# What You Need:
→ Beef & Seasoning
01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Spicy Mayo
09 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
10 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha or hot sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ Assembly
12 - 8 slider buns
13 - 8 slices pepper jack cheese
14 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 8 leaves baby lettuce
17 - 1 tablespoon butter
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Divide into 8 equal portions and shape into uniform slider patties, handling the meat minimally to maintain tenderness.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, and fresh lime juice until fully blended. Set aside at room temperature.
03 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place seasoned patties on the cooking surface and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until desired doneness. During the final minute of cooking, crown each patty with a slice of pepper jack cheese and cover with a lid to facilitate melting.
04 - In a separate pan or on the grill, melt butter over medium heat. Place slider buns cut side down onto the heated surface and toast until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Spread spicy mayo on both cut surfaces of each toasted bun. Layer a baby lettuce leaf on the bottom bun half, position the cheese-topped beef patty, add jalapeño slices and red onion, then cap with the top bun half.
06 - Present sliders while hot, ideal for sharing at gatherings.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The perfect balance of heat that builds slowly rather than overwhelming your first bite, letting you actually taste the juicy beef.
- These sliders have that magical quality where everyone thinks youve spent hours in the kitchen when they really come together in just 35 minutes.
02 -
- Never press down on the patties while cooking, that precious juice youre forcing out is what makes these sliders special.
- Letting the meat come to room temperature before cooking results in more even cooking and juicier sliders, something I only discovered after years of throwing cold meat directly into the pan.
03 -
- The patties will continue cooking after you remove them from heat, so take them off when they still feel slightly underdone in the center for perfectly juicy sliders.
- Warming your slider buns in the same pan where you cooked the beef picks up those delicious browned bits and adds another layer of flavor to the finished sliders.