Two of my favorite things today!
Burgers and friends.
It’s Monday. I’m in a chocolate–peanut butter egg haze, juggling a full day of work, sporting a bruise on my knee from an ill-timed tumble in a Target parking lot, and there’s half a coconut cake in my fridge calling my name. I also need to tell you why Andie Mitchell’s new cookbook has me absolutely obsessed — it makes you want to eat all the things, and these meatloaf sliders are proof.
The main reason I’m sharing these burgers today:
Last fall Max had his very first burger with Andie at Shake Shack. She hadn’t even offered it when he snatched it from her hand and started devouring it. He ate at least a quarter of that burger and covered another third in baby slobber, which, unless you’re his mother, makes it impossible to eat. Now? Cheeseburgers rank among his favorite foods — and honestly, who can blame him.
So, the good stuff.
This recipe comes from Eating in the Middle, Andie Mitchell’s cookbook, which debuted recently and is absolutely worth a place on your shelf. Andie is genuine, funny, and disarmingly relatable. She champions a sensible approach to food — nothing extreme — showing how to enjoy what you love while living a balanced, healthy lifestyle. That philosophy resonated with me instantly: I’ve always swung between extremes when it comes to food, and her message of “eating in the middle” feels like a welcome, sustainable reset.
Growing up, my family practiced this middle-ground mindset as a normal way of eating, and I hope to pass that perspective on to my kids. Andie’s book reinforces the idea that real food — all food — can fit into a happy, healthy life.
These meatloaf burgers instantly broke us out of our burger rut. Yes, we get stuck in burger ruts — simple, real-life habits — and these sliders are the perfect shake-up. They’re loaded with deep, savory flavor and literal comfort-food satisfaction. I made mine as sliders because small things are adorable and also because you can eat two without feeling too guilty.
The exterior browns into a satisfying crunchy crust while the interior stays moist and juicy. I added extra BBQ sauce, used melty pepper-jack for a little heat, and topped them with lightly fried, crispy frizzled onions. A few pieces of bacon add smoky crunch and the finished sliders are entirely addictive. This is exactly how I want to start every week.
Meatloaf Sliders with Frizzled Onions
Yield:
5 to 10 sliders
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Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 pound ground sirloin (I used 93% lean)
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup smoky BBQ sauce, plus extra for serving
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces pepper-jack cheese, sliced
- 8 to 10 slider buns (I used multigrain dinner rolls)
Frizzled onions
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced into very thin rings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- peanut oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
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In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Once cool, break it into pieces to fit the sliders. Pour away most of the bacon fat, leaving just enough to cook the sliders in.
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In a large bowl, combine the beef, panko, Worcestershire, Dijon, BBQ sauce, honey, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Form the mixture into 8 to 10 equal patties depending on bun size.
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Heat the same skillet over medium-high. Add the sliders and cook until browned and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low, cover each slider with cheese, and cover the skillet until the cheese melts.
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To serve, spread a bit of BBQ sauce on the bottom buns. Top with the meatloaf patty, a few pieces of bacon, the frizzled onions, and the bun tops.
Frizzled onions
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Whisk together the egg and buttermilk in a bowl. Add the onion rings and make sure they’re fully submerged. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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In a shallow dish, whisk flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper. Heat a large saucepan with several inches of peanut oil to 375°F (190°C).
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Remove the onions from the buttermilk, shake off excess, dredge in the seasoned flour, and fry in batches until golden and crispy, about 2–3 minutes, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt while hot.
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Tip: Start the burgers and heat the oil while the onions are marinating to make the meal come together quickly.
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Bring.it.on.spring.