Grilled Hawaiian Burger Sliders Are the Two-Bite Hit of Your Summer Cookout

Every great cookout has two things: really good burgers and really good sides. One of our favorite ways to serve those burgers is in slider form so guests can enjoy a mini burger and still have room for the other delicious things on the table. These fun and easy sliders feature soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls as a base for grilled pineapple, juicy teriyaki beef patties, and Swiss cheese. It’s a sweet–and–savory combination that’s sure to be the hit of any summer grilling gathering.

Budget-friendly, versatile ground beef is the heart of these sliders, and all you need to do for prep is season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. As Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff advises, use a gentle touch when seasoning and shaping the patties so they don’t get overworked and cook up too firm. And rather than shaping the ground beef into small individual slider patties, shape it into four square patties and cut them later. This will save you time and effort, and the patties will be easier to cook and flip on the grill. You can even season and form them up to a few hours ahead so that they’re ready to pack for a cookout.

1. Prep the toppings. Drain a can of sliced pineapple and cut the Hawaiian rolls in half. Instead of separating the rolls, just cut the whole slab in half so they’re easier to grill.
2. Make the burger patties. Season ground beef with garlic and onion powder, then form it into four (4-inch) square patties. If you have an 8-inch square baking dish, an easy way to do this is to gently press the ground beef mixture into it, then flip it out of the pan before you cut it into four perfectly square patties.
3. Toast the buns. Toast the Hawaiian rolls on the grill first. They’ll toast up quickly, so keep a close eye on them.
4. Grill the patties and pineapple. Grill the pineapple and patties at the same time if your grill is large enough. After the first side is cooked, flip them over and brush them with some teriyaki sauce. When the patties are almost done, top each with a slice of Swiss cheese.
5. Assemble the sliders. Brush some more teriyaki sauce on the top half of the rolls, then layer the beef patties and pineapple on top. Insert a toothpick into each slider to hold it together before you cut the whole thing into individual sliders.

• Keep the beef cold. Don’t take the ground beef out of the refrigerator until you’re ready to season it. Once formed into patties, refrigerate or store in a cooler until ready to cook.
• Line the baking dish with foil. If you’re forming the patties in the baking dish, line it with aluminum foil first so that it’s easier to take the slab out.
• Use a thin spatula. A thin metal spatula works best for sliding under the patties and pineapple to loosen them from the grill before flipping.
• Wait to brush the rolls. Brush the rolls with teriyaki sauce right before assembling the sliders so that they don’t get soggy.
• Use a serrated knife. A large serrated knife works best both for splitting the Hawaiian rolls and cutting the assembled sliders.

These sliders require very little prep and just a few ingredients, but they deliver plenty of flavor. Served on a hot summer day, perhaps with a tropical drink, they might just make you feel like you’ve armchair-traveled to a beautiful Hawaiian island.