Did you know: Although the origin of the term ‘slider’ (or miniature burger) is not known with certainty, there is some evidence to suggest that the term was first used in the US Navy in the middle of the 20th Century, referring to burgers that were greasy enough that they would slide around on the plate! 

Miniature burgers have exploded in popularity in the UK over the last two years, appearing as gourmet bites in trendy pubs and bars all across the country.

Though wonderful, barbecues are usually pretty overindulgent affairs. They’re the embodiment of the ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’ ideal – heaps of grilled meat, sticky sauces, butter drenched corn on the cob…Maybe it’s just me, but I always end up slightly too full after a barbecue!

Mini burger recipes

These mini burgers, or sliders, are a great way to make sure you can give guests at your barbecue a full food experience without filling them with a big, boring burger and a sausage in a roll. Actually, they make killer nibbles to pass around at any party – pick out the two or three recipes below that you like the look of the most (our personal fave is the Indian Summer Spiced Lamb Burger…) and serve up the selection at your next get together!

*To make these sliders, use the full recipes in the links below, but divide the patty mix into 4 instead of 2 portions and use miniature buns (you can order these online easily enough)

1. Mediterranean Turkey Salsa Burger Sliders

At under 250 calories per slider, this turkey and Mediterranean salsa combination is a rare healthy treat in the burger world!

2. Double Chipotle Burger Sliders

With two patties in each slider, this mini burger is secretly a full size burger (n.b. this means you’ll need to make 8 patties in the recipe below, not 4!) – that, plus the chipotle mayo makes this a tiny twist on a powerhouse of a beefburger.

3. Balsajo Black Garlic Burger Sliders

One of our most popular burger recipes ever, this slider uses the tangy, balsamicky taste of Balsajo black garlic to stand out from the crowd. Black garlic’s quite a unique flavour, so it’s not a bad idea to try it out in mini burger form, so people can get used to it’s personality without committing to a full meal of it!.

4. Melty Mushroom Burger Sliders (V)

For the vegetarians, or anyone looking for a juicy, flavour-packed bite – this cheesy mushroom mini burger gives the meat sliders on this list a real run for their money. We’ve swapped in 4 chestnut mushrooms per slider, in place of the portobello mushrooms used in the full size recipe. You’ll also want to cut the mozzarella cubes extra small for the mini burger version, so the cheesy mix can fit onto the smaller mushrooms when you pop them in the oven!

5. Indian Summer Spiced Lamb Burger Sliders

It might look unassuming by comparison to some of the other mini burgers on this menu, but this Indian Summer Spiced Lamb slider is absolutely packed with flavour thanks to the addition of ginger and our home blend curry powder, giving it a really fragrant kick!