Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 for juiciness)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 mini slider buns or small dinner rolls
- 6 slices American cheese, halved
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
- 12 dill pickle slices
- For the special sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Substitution tips: If you don’t have American cheese, cheddar or a mild Swiss works well. For the buns, small brioche sliders add a nice buttery touch, but any soft roll will do. If mayo isn’t your thing, Greek yogurt makes a tangy, lighter swap in the sauce.
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or skillet over medium-high heat. While it’s heating, mix the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Don’t overwork the meat; just combine gently.
- Divide the beef mixture into 24 small, thin patties. Yes, the key to these Mini Big Mac Cheeseburgers is thin patties that cook quickly and stack neatly.
- Cook the patties in batches for about 2 minutes per side. You want a nice sear but keep them juicy—watch closely to avoid overcooking.
- During the last 30 seconds of cooking, place half a slice of cheese on each patty and cover the pan or close the grill lid to melt the cheese.
- While the patties cook, toast the slider buns lightly on the grill or in a toaster oven. That little crunch makes a world of difference and keeps the buns from getting soggy.
- Mix all the special sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. This sauce is the heart of your Mini Big Mac Cheeseburgers, so taste and tweak it as you like—my kids love it a little sweeter, while I sometimes add an extra dash of vinegar for tang.
- Assemble the burgers: spread a teaspoon of special sauce on the bottom bun, add a patty with melted cheese, a few pickle slices, some diced onion, shredded lettuce, and then the top bun with another smear of sauce.
- Serve immediately while the cheese is melty and the buns are still warm. I’ve learned from many dinner battles with kids that timing is everything—serve too late, and those mini burgers lose their magic fast!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Mini Big Mac Cheeseburgers, recipe, cooking, food
