Here are five off-the-beaten-path slider recipes, including vegetarian options, to try this year.
Slider tips and options:
Options
- Although two recipes are specifically vegetarian, the other three have enough flavor to go meatless, too.
- You can swap beef for the chicken, and vice versa.
- Use other kinds of bread instead of Hawaiian rolls. Brioche slider buns, pretzel buns and whole wheat slider buns are at most grocery stores. One recipe below calls for focaccia and another brioche.
Tips
- Line your cookie sheet with aluminum foil to help with cleanup.
- Spray your foil with non-stick cooking spray to keep sliders from sticking.
- Slice buns so that slightly more of the bread is on the bottom than the top to keep them from getting soggy.
COWGIRL CHICKEN SLIDERS
Chiles, cumin and cilantro give these sliders the taste of the West.
Ingredients for sliders:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can green chiles
1 pound chicken breasts, sliced into small strips
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups French’s crispy fried onions
1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients for cowgirl slider butter:
¼ cup butter, melted
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick spray.
To make cowgirl butter: Whisk all ingredients into melted butter and set aside.
To make chicken mixture:
- In large skillet, saute yellow onion, jalapeno and bell pepper in olive oil for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken and stir-fry until cooked.
- Add green onions and garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add can of green chiles, Worcestershire sauce and spices and cook until heated through.
- Add cilantro and remove from the heat.
To assemble and bake sliders:
- Split rolls in half horizontally and place bottom layer on the aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
- Spread chicken mixture evenly across bottom layer of rolls.
- Top evenly with cheese.
- Sprinkle fried onions across buns.
- Add the tops of the buns.
- Brush the tops of the buns liberally with cowgirl butter.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
- Take off aluminum and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
CHEESESTEAK SLIDERS
Like a Philly Cheesesteak in a small slider package.
Ingredients for cheesesteak sliders:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 pound thinly sliced steak
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices of provolone cheese
1 12-package King’s Hawaiian rolls
Ingredients for cheesesteak butter:
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with non-stick spray.
To make cheesesteak butter: Whisk all ingredients into the melted butter and set aside.
To make steak mixture:
- In large skillet, saute onion, jalapeno and bell pepper in olive oil until onions begin to soften.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and mustard.
- Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Add sliced steak and stir-fry until steak is cooked.
- Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble and bake sliders:
- Split rolls in half horizontally and place bottom layer on aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
- Spread steak mixture evenly across bottom layer of rolls.
- Top with cheese slices.
- Add tops back to buns.
- Brush tops of buns liberally with cheesesteak butter.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
- Take off aluminum and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
PEPPERONI PIZZA SLIDERS
These pepperoni pizza sliders come together in no time.
Ingredients for pizza sliders
1 ½ cups pizza sauce
1 5-ounce package pepperoni slices
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 12-count package Hawaiian rolls
Ingredients for pizza slider butter
¼ cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick spray.
To make pizza slider butter: Whisk all ingredients into melted butter and set aside.
To assemble and bake sliders:
- Split rolls in half horizontally and place bottom layer on aluminum foil-lined pan.
- Spread pizza sauce evenly across bottom layer of rolls.
- Top with pepperoni slices.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese across pepperoni, then parmesan.
- Add tops back to buns.
- Brush bun tops with pizza slider butter.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
- Take off aluminum and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
RED-WINE MUSHROOM SLIDERS WITH GOUDA CHEESE
These vegetarian sliders are filled with a rich red-wine flavor.
Ingredients for mushroom sliders:
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, diced
8 ounces portabella mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup red wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces gouda cheese, grated
1 12-count package brioche slider buns
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for mushroom slider butter:
¼ cup butter, melted
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with non-stick spray.
To make mushroom slider butter: Whisk all ingredients into melted butter and set aside.
To make red wine mushroom mixture:
- Saute shallots and mushrooms in butter and olive oil for about 4 minutes.
- Add wine and garlic and cook on low heat until mushrooms are softened. Season to taste.
To assemble and bake mushroom sliders:
- Split rolls in half horizontally and place bottom layer on foil-lined pan.
- Spread mushroom mixture across bottom layer of rolls.
- Evenly sprinkle gouda cheese.
- Add tops to buns and brush with mushroom slider butter.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
- ake off aluminum and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
BRIE AND BALSAMIC VEGGIE SLIDERS ON FOCCACIA
Because the focaccia is already slightly oily, you won’t need a special butter for these sliders.
Ingredients for sliders:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ jalapeno, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 ounces Brie cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 loaf of focaccia bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray foil with non-stick spray.
To make balsamic veggies:
- Saute red onion, bell pepper and jalapeno in olive oil until soft.
- Add balsamic vinegar and saute 1 more minute.
- Add cherry tomatoes, garlic and parsley and saute 2 more minutes.
To assemble and bake sliders:
Split focaccia in half horizontally and cut into slider-size squares.
Place bottom layer of focaccia on foil-lined pan.
Dot Brie across bread in small pieces.
Spread veggie mixture evenly across bread.
Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top.
Add the top layer of the bread.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.
Take off aluminum and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
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