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A close-up of Cowboy Sliders: mini sandwiches filled with ground meat, melted cheese, bacon, and sliced jalapeños on a white surface.

Cowboy Sliders

If you need a recipe that’s both practical and crowd-pleasing, Cowboy Sliders deliver every time. They’re built on smoky beef, melted cheese, and a mix of toppings that come together inside soft brioche buns. You can make them for family dinners, game days, or casual hangouts with your friends, and they're always going to be a hit. Leftovers are easy to store in the fridge or freezer, which makes them just as handy the next day.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 807 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 fresh jalapeño
  • 6 slices pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 12-count Brioche mini buns
  • ¾ cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup crispy fried onions

Cowboy Butter Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
  • ⅓ teaspoon fresh parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dice the yellow onion and sauté until soft and golden. Add the ground beef to the pan along with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, breaking up the beef as it browns. Once cooked, drain off any excess grease.
    1 pound ground beef, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Stir in Worcestershire sauce and about half of the BBQ sauce. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes to soak up all the flavor, then remove from the heat.
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ¾ cup BBQ sauce
  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly grease a baking dish with nonstick spray. Slice the brioche slider buns in half horizontally and arrange the bottom halves in the baking dish.
    1 12-count Brioche mini buns
  • Spoon the beef mixture evenly over each bun. Top with slices of pepper jack cheese, crumbled bacon, a drizzle of the remaining BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, and thin slices of fresh jalapeño. Cap each slider with the top half of the bun.
    6 slices pepper jack cheese, 6 slices bacon, ¼ cup crispy fried onions, 1 fresh jalapeño
  • In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and fresh lemon juice. Generously brush this cowboy butter over the tops of the buns.
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon garlic, ⅓ teaspoon fresh parsley, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ lemon juice
  • Bake the sliders for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden brown and slightly crisp.
  • Serve warm and enjoy the spicy, smoky, cheesy goodness packed into each bite!

Notes

  • Caramelize the onions properly: Let them cook slowly until golden, since that sweetness balances out the spice and smoky flavors.
  • Season smarter with kosher salt: Using kosher salt instead of table salt helps season the beef more evenly. The difference is subtle, but it gives you better control over flavor.
  • Drain excess grease: Don’t skip this step, or the buns may become soggy once the meat mixture goes on.
  • Swap brioche if preferred or needed: Brioche is rich and buttery, though Hawaiian rolls also work. They are softer and sweeter and stay together well as a slab, while Hawaiian buns are also sweet but larger, making the sliders more like mini burgers.
  • Choose your cheese wisely: Pepper jack brings heat and creaminess, while sharp cheddar cheese gives a bolder, tangier flavor with less spice. Either works, but the difference in taste is bigger here than with most swaps.
  • Pick your bacon cut carefully: Regular bacon crisps up best for crumbling, while thick-cut bacon makes for chewier, meatier bites. Very thin slices cook quickly and turn extra crispy, but they tend to break up too much into little shards instead of crumbles.
  • Bake without covering: This helps the tops crisp up while the cheese melts perfectly underneath. If you bake them covered, the steam will soften the buns instead, giving you a chewier, less toasty finish.
  • Let them rest briefly: Give the sliders a couple of minutes out of the oven so they’re easier to pull apart without the fillings spilling out.

Nutrition

Calories: 807kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 33gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 1271mgPotassium: 639mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 964IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 299mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Cowboy Sliders
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