Southwestern Cheeseburger Sliders
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These drip-down-your-chin sliders are jazzed up with Southwestern spices, jalapeños, and Jack cheese. Huge crowd-pleaser!
If you’re a fan of my juicy steakhouse burgers, you’ll love this cheeseburger slider recipe with bold Southwestern seasonings, melty cheese, and a hint of heat. They’re phenomenal topped with my roasted tomato peach jam, which is more of a tangy-sweet relish than a true jam—but if you don’t want to bother, they’re also good with ketchup or salsa.
If you’d like to make standard-size burgers, go right ahead; the recipe makes five generous patties. To feed a crowd, the recipe can be doubled or tripled without any adjustments.
“Absolutely amazing burger recipe. I made these for my husband and I, and he literally kissed my hand.”
What You’ll Need To Make Southwestern Cheeseburger Sliders
- White sandwich bread & milk: These two come together to form a simple panade—a soft paste that keeps the burgers juicy and tender. Use soft white bread with the crusts removed so it blends right in.
- Salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic & Worcestershire sauce: A bold mix of spices and aromatics that gives the sliders their signature Southwestern flavor with a touch of heat and smokiness.
- Ground beef, jalapeño, scallions & cheese: The burger base—Jalapeño adds a subtle kick, scallions provide fresh, slightly oniony flavor, and melty cheese pulls it all together. Stick with 80 to 85% lean ground beef for burgers that are juicy, flavorful, and hold their shape nicely.
- Slider buns: Use soft, sturdy buns that hold up well to juicy burgers and toppings. Brioche-style or potato rolls work especially well—try King’s Hawaiian or Martin’s for a slightly sweet contrast.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Combine ingredients for the panade/seasoning mixture. In a large bowl, combine the bread, milk, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.
Pro Tip: Tearing the bread into small pieces before adding the milk helps it soften faster and blend into a smoother paste. If your bread is a little stale, even better—it’ll soak up more flavor.
Step 2. Make a paste. Use a fork to mash everything into a uniform paste. Take your time mashing the mixture so it’s smooth and cohesive, not chunky.
Step 3. Mix in the ground beef mixture. Add the ground beef, jalapeño, scallions, and cheese. Use your hands to mix until evenly combined.
Step 3. Shape the patties. Form the mixture into 8 thick patties slightly wider than your buns. The key with sliders is to make them thick so that they get a nice char without overcooking. Press a slight indentation in the center of each to help the burgers cook evenly and prevent them from puffing up on the grill. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 4. Grill and assemble. Grill the burgers, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip, add cheese (if using), and cook 2 minutes more for medium rare. Lightly toast the buns on the grill, then assemble with toppings. Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro Tip: For the best flavor and char, resist the urge to press down on the patties while they’re cooking—just let them sear undisturbed.
Little Burgers, Big Options
- Turn up the heat: Like it spicier? Swap the jalapeño for a serrano or add a pinch of cayenne to the seasoning mix.
- Milder option: For a less spicy version, use only half a jalapeño or skip it entirely. You can also substitute with chopped roasted red pepper for a sweeter flavor.
- Change the cheese: Pepper Jack adds kick, but cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even crumbled Cotija all work well.
- Try a different sauce: The tomato-peach jam is a fun twist, but classic burger condiments, guacamole or salsa verde make great alternatives.
- Greens: Add some color and nutrition with arugula, romaine, butter or iceberg lettuce.
Craving More tex-mex-Inspired Dinners?
Southwestern Cheeseburger Sliders
Big flavor, melty cheese, and a little kick—these mini burgers are always a hit.
Ingredients
- 1 piece white sandwich bread, crust removed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 2½ tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 lb 80-85% lean ground beef
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (see note)
- 2 scallions, dark and light green parts, thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup grated Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese, plus more for topping the burgers, if desired
- 8 slider buns
- Vegetable oil, for brushing the buns
- 1 batch Roasted Tomato Peach Jam, ketchup or salsa, for serving (optional)
- Arugula, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the bread, milk, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Using a fork, mash into a paste.
- Add the ground beef, jalapeno, scallions, and cheese. Using your hands, mix until well combined. Shape the beef mixture into 8 patties slightly wider than the diameter of the buns. Form a slight depression in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from puffing up on the grill. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Brush the cut sides of the buns lightly with oil and set aside.
- Grill the burgers, covered, until nicely browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip burgers and add cheese (if desired); continue cooking for about 2 minutes more for medium rare. Remove the patties from the grill and let rest on a plate. Add the buns to the grill, oiled side down, and grill for about 1 minute, or until lightly toasted with grill marks. Remove from the grill. Mound the arugula (if using) on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each bottom half with a patty, followed by a generous amount of the Roasted Tomato Peach Jam (or ketchup or salsa) and the upper half of the bun. Serve hot.
- Make Ahead: The burger patties can be formed, covered, and refrigerated 2 days ahead of time.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The uncooked burgers can be frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the burgers on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.). Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.
- Note: When handling jalapeño peppers, avoid touching your eyes and wash your hands well afterward.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slider (does not include toppings)
- Calories: 330
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Sodium: 335 mg
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi! Would regular chili powder work for this recipe?
Sure, Ciara, that’ll work. Hope you enjoy!
Loved this recipe. Honestly liked the burger better without the tomato peach jam (although the jam was very good.) Just topped with some extra cheese melted over the top and that was it. Delicious. Even my sister ate these, without ketchup! That’s unheard of.
Loved this recipe! Love your website!
I made 5 large burgers with the jam and they were by far the best burgers we have ever had! We love your recipes Jenn – they always turn out!
Made these last night and they were AWESOME! We topped with guacamole and some garlic aioli – this is definitely a call-back recipe!
These are delicious! I overcooked them yet they were still very juicy. I wish I had the tomato peach jam but alas, ketchup it was. Thank you!
These were absolutely amazing! Made the jam, and I’m so glad I did…perfect combination of flavors. Froze the leftover patties for an easy weeknight meal. Thanks for another wonderful recipe! Oh – I served these with your corn basil salad – delicious!
Made these sliders for a cookout last night and the whole family LOVED them. I was short on time and tempted to skip the tomato jam but am so glad I didn’t…the flavors all together were seriously delish. I can’t wait to make them again!
OH my – sounds delicious. Do you think ground turkey would work with this? Going to make it for dinner tonight – will let you know how it turns out! I have sooo much fun with your recipes – thank you!
Hi Alison, I haven’t tried these with ground turkey but I think it’d work. Please lmk how it turns out if you try it :).
Alison
How did this turn out with turkey?
Thanks
Janie
I don’t keep white bread in the house.. I substitute for another type (sprouted?)
Hi Vanisha, Any bread will work here. Enjoy!
This sounds like it could make a great meatloaf as well! Can you suggest modifications?
Hi Karen, I’d normally use more filler with meatloaf so that the loaf could be cooked well-done w/o being tough — but I think in this case I’d just leave the recipe as is and make mini loaves (that way you can leave them a little less cooked in the center, like a burger).