Cowboy Sliders
Cowboy Sliders pack all the best flavors of a loaded burger into perfect party sized sliders! Full of taco seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, crispy bacon, and all the best cowboy fixings nestled between buttery slider buns.
What makes these sliders absolutely genius is the shortcut method! Instead of assembling individual mini burgers, I layer everything between the top and bottom of an entire tray of Hawaiian rolls, then bake them all at once.
The result? Perfectly portioned sliders that are ready to serve a crowd without all the fuss!
Each bite delivers serious cowboy flavor thanks to that incredible cowboy butter brushed on top and bottom, plus all those amazing toppings like french fried onions and jalapeño slices.
And honestly? When the filling falls out when you take a bite (because it’s just that loaded), you have my permission to use your fingers to finish them off.
These sliders work as game day appetizers next to my loaded potato skins and buffalo chicken dip, or serve them as a hearty main dish with your favorite coleslaw and baked beans. Either way, they are great for a crowd of a small family get together.
Some of other favorite sliders are these Big Mac sliders, these Sloppy Joe sliders, and these cheeseburger sliders that are big hit at tennis matches!
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme and parsley. You can substitute in some chives if you prefer.
- Spices – I use paprika, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper. Make it spicier by adding in some crushed red pepper flakes.
How To Make Cowboy Butter
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 30-second intervals until fully melted.
- Remove from the microwave and stir in the honey mustard, garlic, herbs, and spices. Stir to combine and set aside.
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Slider Ingredients
- Ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef but you can also substitute ground turkey or even ground chicken.
- Cheese – I like to use sharp cheddar cheese but smoked gouda, provolone, or even Monterey jack cheese are delicious on these.
- Onion rings – You can make your own onion rings or you can just cook the frozen ones. If you want to go even easier, use the French fried onions you normally use for green bean casserole.
- Seasoning – I love taco seasoning in this but you can use Cajun seasoning or Southwest seasoning too!
- Pickles – Sour pickles or the garlic dill pickles are my favorite!
- Buns – Hawaiian slider rolls, or the butter slider buns from Pepperidge Farms. These are my favorite ones to use because they look like mini hamburgers and not square.
How To Make Cowboy Sliders
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef for about five minutes, add onion, taco seasoning, and garlic, and cook until the beef is completely browned and onions are soft, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Drain excess fat if needed, and stir in Worcestershire sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes to allow the flavors to mix. Set aside.
- Slice the slider buns in half horizontally (keeping the top and bottom halves intact if possible). Place the bottom half into a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the buns. Layer with shredded cheese, bacon, pickle slices, and crispy fried onions. Add the slider bun tops.
- Brush the cowboy butter over the tops of the buns. Preheat the oven to Cover loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
- Take off the foil and bake for 2–5 more minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven. Cut along bun lines to separate individual sliders.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover sliders can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. I like to reheat mine in the oven or air fryer instead of the microwave.
If the buns get too soggy, you can remove the insides and add them to tortillas and make a wrap or a quesadilla.
Prep Ahead
Assemble the sliders, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Brush with cowboy butter just before baking.
If you need to make them more than a day in advance, I would make the butter and cook the ground beef mixture. Then store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When ready, assemble and bake the sliders.
Serving Ideas
These have so many flavors and texture going on I like to keep things simple when it comes to sides.
French fries, potato chips, coleslaw, potato salad, tater tots, or something light like this black bean and corn salad or cowboy caviar.
You can always take any leftover cowboy butter and smear it on some corn on the cob. That’s always a hit with sliders!
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- You can turn these into cowboy butter steak sliders by using sliced filet mignon (if you’re fancy, LOL) or flank steak.
- Add some extra heat with pepper jack cheese!
- I have noticed when cooking that if the onion rings are large they can come out soft. If you prefer, you can cook the onion rings separately and add them to the sliders after you bake them. Or just use the fried onions.
- Lightly toast the bottom buns before assembling if you’re making these ahead or if your filling is particularly juicy.
- If you want more heat you can add some slices of fresh jalapeno peppers to the sliders or some crushed red pepper flakes to the cowboy butter.
- Use candied bacon for a sweet-savory twist, or swap with turkey bacon for a lighter option.
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This cowboy sliders recipe is perfect for any occasion. They make a fun family dinner or pack a ton of flavor for game day!
Cowboy Sliders
Ingredients
Cowboy Butter
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
Cowboy Sliders
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 12 slider buns brioche or Hawaiian-style recommended
- 6 slices bacon cooked until crisp and halved
- 12-24 dill pickle slices
- 1 cup fried onions store-bought or homemade
Instructions
Cowboy Butter
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 30-second intervals.
- Remove from the microwave and stir in the honey mustard, parsley, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and chipotle powder.
- Pour into a small serving bowl and set aside.
Cowboy Sliders
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for about five minutes.
- Add diced onion, taco seasoning, garlic, and cook until the beef is completely browned and onions are soft, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Drain excess fat if needed, and stir in Worcestershire sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes to allow the flavors to mix. Set aside.
- Slice the slider buns in half horizontally (keeping the top and bottom halves intact if possible). Place the bottom half into a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the buns. Layer with shredded cheese, bacon, pickle slices, and crispy fried onions. Top with the upper half of the buns.
- Brush the tops generously with the prepared cowboy butter.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 2–5 more minutes, until the tops are golden and crisp.
- Serve warm. Cut along bun lines to separate individual sliders.
Nutrition
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