Mini Sliders With Ground Beef and Better Than Beef Bouillon

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French Onion Beef Sliders have the fabulous flavors of the classic soup in a mini sandwich! Great for a crowd and freezer-friendly, these sliders will be a hit with adults and kids alike.

This recipe was featured in Stillwater Living Magazine

Front shot of 2 finished French Onion Beef Sliders on white paper with a glass baking dish of more sliders in the background

Football season looks very different this year, and gameday isn't anything like normal. But we've got football every single weekend, and I love that OSU and many other stadiums have fans in the stadium…so I'll take it.

Whether you're homegating or tailgating, food is a big part of the gameday experience. Pigs in an Everything Blanket is a party staple. Homemade Pimiento Cheese is a dip that you can make cold or hot. And Spinach & Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms is a huge hit with my friends.

Sliders are another great gameday dish because they're perfect for a crowd. I've gone a little indulgent on this one, with French Onion Beef Sliders

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

You can easily multiply the recipe for larger crowds
They've got the fabulous flavors of French onion soup
They're freezer friendly

Close up shot of 2 finished French Onion Beef Sliders on white paper

I could seriously eat a whole tray of these French Onion Beef Sliders myself! They have such a wonderful depth of flavor, and because they're sliders you can justify eating more.

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR FRENCH ONION BEEF SLIDERS

ALL ABOUT THE ONIONS

For traditional caramelized onions you need to cook them low and slow for about an hour. But I discovered a fabulous shortcut…add Beef Broth!

You still cook the onions on low, then add the broth after 20 minutes. The broth adds caramel color, more flavor, and helps to soften the onions faster. So instead of an hour, the onions are done in 30 minutes.

TIP: Look for unsalted beef broth. Or, you can make your own…but I haven't tackled that yet.

MEAT TIPS

I use ground beef for these French Onion Beef Sliders, and I like to use 85% lean (85/15). I've tried it with more lean beef, but it dries out more when it bakes.

If you use 80/20 ground beef make sure to drain all the fat or the sliders will be greasy.

Loose ground meat or patties? I have made the sliders both ways. The patties take a little more time, so I'll do that when I'm making a smaller batch. For a larger batch, I use loose meat.

I make 2oz patties, which is the perfect size for the slider buns. I make them a little larger than the bun because they will shrink some when they cook.

Season the meat lightly with salt and pepper. You'll also add a little Worcestershire Sauce and Beef Base. The beef base tends to be very salty, so a little goes a long way.

CHEESE TIPS

Gruyere is traditional for French Onion soup. It is so delicious, but it is also pricey. So you can mix in half Swiss cheese.

BUN TIPS

I like to use Slider Buns, and usually use a butter flavor.

The final touch before baking is a simple topping for the buns. Brush a combination of melted butter and beef base, and then sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh thyme.

Overhead shot of a baking dish with finished French Onion Beef Sliders

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in a skillet. Add onions and a pinch of salt, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add beef broth and cook for another 10 minutes.

Overhead process shot: onions and broth cooking in a pot

Remove the onions and broth and set aside.

PATTIES INSTRUCTIONS:

Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper, and add Worcestershire sauce and beef base. Using your hands, combine mixture until just incorporated.

Portion meat into 2oz portions and form patties just a little larger than the slider buns.

Add patties to the same skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side.

LOOSE MEAT INSTRUCTIONS:

Add meat, salt and pepper to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire Sauce and beef base and cook for another minute.

Overhead process shot: ground beef cooking in a braiser

Place the bottom half of the slider buns in an oven-safe dish. Top each bun with a burger patty or loose meat. Evenly spread onions over burger patties, and then do the same with the cheese.

Overhead process shot: sliders being prepared by layer

Top each slider with the top bun. Melt butter for 20 seconds in the microwave. Add beef base and whisk together. Brush each bun top with the mixture.

Sprinkle each bun with onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh thyme

Overhead process shot: sliders in a baking dish, ready to go into the oven

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Stack of 2 finished French Onion Beef Sliders, with one falling over, on a white paper

MAKE-AHEAD, PORTION SIZES AND LEFTOVERS

MAKE-AHEAD OPTIONS

One day ahead – Cook the onions, form the burger patties and store separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, cook the patties, assemble the sliders and bake

Same day – Prep everything, cover the baking dish with foil, and store in the fridge. When ready to bake, take pan out of the fridge while the oven heats and bake until done

Prep and freeze – make a whole batch of sliders, remove from oven and cook completely. Individually wrap sliders in Wax Paper and then in aluminum foil, and then put into a large Ziploc bag and freeze.

PORTIONS

French Onion Beef Sliders are indulgent and you can easily have 2 as an appetizer or 3-4 as a meal.

The recipe as written makes 6 sliders. You can easily double or quadruple the recipe for a crowd. I recommend increasing the baking time to 30-35 minutes for these larger portions.

LEFTOVERS

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes per slider at 80% power.

Instructions

Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet (I use a cast iron braiser)
Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook on low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add beef stock and cook for another 10 minutes
Remove onions and set aside.
If making patties, prepare them while the onions cook
PATTIES OPTION: In a large bowl add salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon beef base to the meat. Using your hands, mix until just incorporated. Portion meat into 2oz portions and form into patties. Cook patties in the skillet for 2-3 minutes per side
LOOSE MEAT OPTION: Add meat, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat. Add Worcestershire sauce and beef base and cook for another minute
Place the bottom half of the slider buns in an oven-safe dish. Top with meat. Evenly spread onions over the meat, and then do the same with the cheese.
Top each slider with the top bun. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter for 20 seconds in the microwave. Add beef base and whisk together. Brush each bun top with the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted.

Notes

Traditional caramelized onions can take up to about an hour. Beef broth is a fabulous shortcut! You the beautiful color and depth of flavor in half the time.

I use 85% lean (85/15) ground beef. I've tried it with more lean beef, but it dries out more when it bakes.

If you use 80/20 ground beef make sure to drain all the fat or the sliders will be greasy.

Gruyere is traditional for French Onion soup. It is so delicious, but it is also pricey. So you can mix in half Swiss cheese.

MAKE-AHEAD OPTIONS

One day ahead – Cook the onions, form the burger patties, and store separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, cook the patties, assemble the sliders and bake

Same day– Prep everything, cover the baking dish with foil and store in the fridge. When ready to bake, take the pan out of the fridge while the oven heats and bake until done

Prep and freeze – make a whole batch of sliders, remove from oven and cool completely. Individually wrap sliders in Wax Paper and then in aluminum foil, and then put into a large Ziploc bag and freeze.

LEFTOVERS

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes per slider at 80% power.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 slider
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 695 Total Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 18g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 153mg Sodium: 1633mg Carbohydrates: 35g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g Protein: 49g

Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients, etc

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Source: https://karylskulinarykrusade.com/french-onion-beef-sliders/