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Jump to RecipeThese sourdough burger sliders are the ultimate sourdough dinner recipe of the summer! Made with leftover sourdough rolls, these burgers come together in a flash. Plus they taste like they are straight off the grill (though they are baked in the oven). Top it with caramelized onions and burger sauce (aka fancy sauce) for even more ‘delicious-ness’.
These sourdough burger sliders are one of our favorite ‘make ahead’ recipes for dinner. These are so easy to make, do not break the budget and taste delicious. No one will know they are baked in the oven instead of on the grill!
A few months ago in the peak of winter, I had a handful of leftover sourdough Hawaiian rolls and I knew I needed to make some sourdough sliders. Rather than our usual sourdough slider recipe with turkey lunch meat, cheese and a mustard butter sauce – we went with this burger slider route. And wow – this turned out delicious!
When trying to decide what to make for dinner, I searched for some slider inspiration on Pinterest and saw burger sliders. This recipe was developed and quickly devoured by our entire family. It certainly checked the box on my mid-winter burger craving!
If you have never had a burger slider before, there are a few basic components (including the bun, burger patty, all the burger flavors / toppings and spices) which come together and create a delicious meal. We added caramelized onions and burger sauce (aka fancy sauce) to bring all the flavors together.
And because there was snow on the ground, I knew we were not breaking out the Traeger in the middle of winter. Instead, we opted to make these sourdough burger sliders indoors – baked right in the oven.
We started by cooking the burger in the oven, slicing the sourdough rolls from the prior nights dinner in two, slathered with all the burger toppings and then reassembled. We served these with some baked beans, coleslaw and of course some fresh fruit.
If you are looking for an easy dinner and have leftover sourdough dinner rolls, I highly encourage you to try this recipe. These also present well if you are going to a picnic this summer. This recipe is a crowd pleaser at any gathering and I promise you (and those you share these with) will not be disappointed!
Out of all sourdough dinner recipes this one might be one of my favorites (second up to sourdough pizza on the Traeger). Thank you for allowing me the pleasure to make sourdough recipes for readers like you right here on this blog!
Why you will love these sourdough burger sliders
Kitchen Equipment
There are a few pieces of kitchen equipment needed for this recipe. A large bowl (to mix the meat) and a 9×13 pan are sufficient. Because this recipe calls for ‘leftover’ sourdough buns – you do not need a separate pan to make these from scratch.
Ingredients for sourdough burger sliders
These sourdough burger sliders require a few different ingredients including sourdough “buns” (or rolls), ground meat, onions, and burger toppings. For a full list of ingredients, head to the recipe card below.
Sourdough “Buns”: This recipe uses your favorite type of sourdough ‘buns’. We are particular to sourdough Hawaiian rolls or sourdough dinner rolls.
This is because we always make a double batch – one to have with our meal and another to enjoy as ‘sliders’. We have found if we cook the buns in a 9×15 (I know – a little weird on sizing), there is a little more space for the rolls to spread during their second proof and they are the perfect size for sliders. The ratio of meat to bun is perfect (you know, if you know!).
Ground meat: We like to use ground beef, ground turkey or a combination of the two with this recipe. You could use a mix of your favorite ground meats within this recipe for the ultimate ‘juicy’ burgers. Just be sure to add lots of spices to the meat for the best flavor.
Caramelized Onions: We love a good burger with caramelized onions. There is something dynamic about the additional flavor of onions on a burger which takes them to a whole other level. If you are not an onion fan, you can absolutely leave these out and the sliders will still be great!
Burger Toppings: We are an ‘everything’ burger family. We like all the toppings (onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup). We also like cheese. Make sure to pick your favorite burger toppings, or leave them ‘plain’ and make sourdough cheeseburger sliders.
How to make sourdough burger sliders
Step 1: Season burger meat and bake in oven.
Step 2: Caramelize onions (if you like them on a burger).
Step 3: Layer on burger ingredients.
Step 4: Place the top bun on, brush them with butter and top with sesame seeds. Bake in oven until cheese has melted.
Step 5: Make burger sauce (aka ‘fancy sauce’).
Step 6: Add caramelized onions (if preferred). Serve and enjoy!
How to store sourdough burger sliders
Because of the protein, it is important to store these sourdough burger sliders in the fridge after enjoying them. We wrap them and store in the freezer for up to three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sourdough Burger Sliders
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet (or pan) (To bake onions in)
Ingredients
Sliders
- 1 Sourdough Buns We like sourdough Hawaiian rolls or sourdough dinner rolls
- 1 pound Ground Beef Can use any type of ground meat, we often combine 50% ground beef and 50% ground turkey
- Favorite Burger (Meat) Seasonings We like to use salt, pepper and a bit of the Holy Gospel Rub from Meat Church
- 8-10 slices Sliced Cheese We like any cheese – pepper jack, provolone, Swiss, cheddar, etc.
- Favorite Burger Toppings We like ketchup, mustard and pickles
Slider Bun Topping
- 1 TBS Butter We use salted butter
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
Burger Sauce (AKA Fancy Sauce)
- 2 TBS Mayo
- 1 TBS Ketchup
- 1/2 tsp Mustard
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Pickles (diced)
- 1 splash White Vinegar or Pickle Juice We are talking 1/8 – 1/4 tsp of a splash of vinegar or pickle juice (for flavor)
Caramelized Onions (Optional)
- 1 TBS Butter
- 1 Onion (sliced)
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
Prepare sourdough rolls *Step may not be necessary if already baked*
- Start by making your favorite sourdough rolls. We like to use sourdough dinner rolls or sourdough Hawaiian rolls. We bake them in a larger pan so they have more room to 'spread' and create the perfect height for leftover 'slider buns'. If you already have buns ready- move onto the next step.
Season and bake the beef
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Season your ground meat of choice with your favorite burger seasoning blend. We like to use salt, pepper and 'Holy Gospel Rub' from Meat Church. Shape into a rectangle (about the size of your buns – maybe a little bigger as the meat will shrink as it bakes).Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until your beef is cooked to your preferred temperature. We like to use our thermometer to ensure the beef has reached at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Layering the sourdough burger sliders
- Cut your sourdough rolls in half – keeping them together (just slicing them down the center). Set the top half to the side. Add ketchup or mustard to the bottom bun (to help the cheese stick). We like to mustard on the bottom, then a layer of cheese, then the beef.
- On top of the beef patty, add a layer of cheese. Then add pickles and your remaining sauce. We like to do ketchup on top. Place the top half of the sourdough rolls on the ketchup layer – creating the slider.
- Brush the sliders with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes – or until your cheese has melted and the tops are lightly brown. Remove from oven while finalizing caramelized onions (optional) and burger sauce.
Caramelized Onions (Optional – but delicious!)
- While the sliders are back in the oven, make your onions. To a warm skillet or pan, add your butter and sliced onions. Allow to cook down until caramelized – stirring regularly. We cook ours low and slow – about 10-15 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to finish
Burger Sauce (Aka 'Fancy Sauce').
- While the sliders are cooking and the onions are on the stove, assemble the burger sauce. We like to combine mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickles, a splash of vinegar or pickle juice and garlic powder together. Serve with your burgers.
Final Assembly
- Add the caramelized onions to the sliders. Option to add the burger sauce onto the slider or use it as a dip. Enjoy with sides of your choice! We love serving with coleslaw, baked beans and French fries.
Notes
- This recipe is 100% customizable! Change out the ground meat, cheese and burger toppings to your desired flavors.
- To make a sourdough cheese burger slider – use cheese, ketchup and meat of choice. Put two layers of ketchup (bottom bun -> ketchup -> cheese -> meat -> cheese -> ketchup -> top bun).
- Use your favorite slider ‘bun’ to make this recipe. We like to make a full recipe of sourdough dinner rolls or sourdough Hawaiian rolls and save half to the side to make this quick and easy dinner.
- If you like, you can use sourdough burger buns – but you need to consider that the burgers all need to be assembled (and possibly separately).
Nutrition
Have you ever tried burger sliders before? If not, give them a go and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
These are making my mouth water!! What a fun idea!