Cowboy Sliders start with Hawaiian buns filled with seasoned ground beef, jalapeno peppers, bacon, and cheese, then brushed and baked with cowboy butter. Try my Cheeseburger Sliders for another appetizer that can also be served as a main dish.
Cowboy Sliders
The name of these sliders comes from the add-ons that were added to a basic cheeseburger and the homemade cowboy butter brushed on top of the sliders. It’s a slider that is so full of flavor that you will want to have a fork handy to pick up all the ingredients that fall out. You do not want to miss out on any of it!
Ingredients
Meat: I used ground beef in this recipe. You could also try it with ground turkey. It is seasoned with seasoned salt and hamburger seasoning, which you can make if you don’t have any on hand.
Toppings: I added bacon (thick-cut is my preference), sharp cheddar cheese, and jalapeno peppers to the sliders. You could use your favorite kind of cheese (I think pepper jack would be delicious) and leave off the jalapeno peppers if preferred.
Crispy Fried Onions: We tested this recipe with both onion rings and crispy fried onions. The fried onions baked the best; when we added cooked onion rings, they got a little soggy. You could add onion rings to the sliders after they have been baked.
Rolls: As with all the sliders, I love using King’s Hawaiian Rolls. I was making them so often, I also have a homemade Hawaiian rolls recipe that you might want to try.
What is Cowboy Butter?
In this recipe, the tops of the sliders are brushed with cowboy butter. It is butter that has been flavored with herbs and spices and can be used as a spread or a dip. In these sliders, the butter is melted and brushed over the top before being baked, and after if you love butter as much as I do. When making the butter for this particular recipe, leave out the lemon juice.
Can I Make Cowboy Sliders Ahead of Time?
You can get a good start on these sliders by cooking the ground beef ahead of time. Follow the instructions when it comes to seasoning the beef and cooking it with onion and garlic. After the seasoned beef has been made, let it cool to room temperature. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to a couple of months.
How to Store
Leftover sliders can be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days, reheating them in the microwave or oven (covered) when ready to enjoy.
Cowboy Sliders
Ingredients
Hamburger Mixture
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded, sliced
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup (113 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (80 g) French's crispy fried onions
- 1 package (12-count) King's Hawaiian Rolls
Topping
- 1 recipe cowboy butter*, made without lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 7×11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Hamburger Mixture
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When hot, cook the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and hamburger seasoning. Cook the beef for 8-10 minutes, or until no longer pink, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat; drain any excess grease as necessary.
Assembly
- Split your rolls in half horizontally and place the bottom halves in the baking dish.
- Top the bottom halves of the buns with the hamburger mixture.
- Evenly place the jalapeños, bacon, and shredded cheese over the sliders. Evenly distribute the crispy fried onions over the cheese.
- Place the top halves of the rolls on top of the fried onions. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted cowboy butter*.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes (or until the tops of the sliders turn a golden brown).
- Remove from oven. Slice and serve the sliders with the remaining cowboy butter brushed over the hot sliders or for dipping.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Amazing flavor! Lots of compliments on this dish. Will make it again!
OMGoodness. I made a double batch of these for Christmas Eve and they are just the best. Family loved them too!! (I added a bit more cheese. 🤣)
I’ve never heard of hamburger seasoning. Who makes it?
I linked to a recipe in the post: https://iamhomesteader.com/hamburger-seasoning-mix/
But McCormick makes some and lots of other brands. It is in most grocery stores.
How do you make cowboy butter
https://iamhomesteader.com/cowboy-butter/
What is Cowboy Butter?
In this recipe, the tops of the sliders are brushed with cowboy butter. It is butter that has been flavored with herbs and spices and can be used as a spread or a dip. In these sliders, the butter is melted and brushed over the top before being baked. Then, leftover butter is served for dipping. When making the butter for this particular recipe, leave out the lemon juice.