Description
So you know that moment when you’re at a food truck festival and you can’t decide between the burger stand and the elote cart? Well, some genius (me) decided to solve that problem by cramming both into one ridiculously good slider. These Street Corn Cheeseburger Sliders are basically what happens when Mexican street corn crashes a backyard BBQ and they decide to become best friends forever.
Picture this: a perfectly seasoned mini beef patty topped with melty cheese, then piled high with all the good stuff from elote — sweet corn kernels tossed with lime, cilantro, cotija cheese, and a creamy mayo-based sauce that’ll make you question every other condiment you’ve ever used. It’s messy in the best possible way, and honestly? You’re gonna want to make these for every single gathering from now until forever.
Ingredients
For the Beef Patties:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend is your friend)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cumin
For the Street Corn Topping:
- 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned — whatever works)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or queso fresco)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat lovers)
For Assembly:
- 8 slider buns (brioche if you’re fancy, regular if you’re practical)
- 8 slices of cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, or pepper jack)
- Extra lime wedges
- More cilantro for garnish
- Hot sauce for the brave souls
Instructions
If using fresh corn, cut kernels off 2-3 ears. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly charred and golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. In a bowl, mix together mayo, crema, lime juice, chili powder, and cayenne. Toss the corn with this mixture, then fold in cotija cheese and cilantro. Taste and adjust — more lime? More spice? You’re the boss.
Mix all the beef seasonings together in a small bowl. Gently combine with the ground beef — don’t overmix or you’ll get tough patties, and nobody wants that.
Divide into 8 portions and shape into patties slightly larger than your buns (they’ll shrink when cooking). Make a small indent in the center of each patty with your thumb — this prevents them from puffing up into little beef balls.
Heat your grill, grill pan, or regular skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 2-3 minutes per side for medium doneness. In the last minute, top each patty with a slice of cheese and let it get all melty and gorgeous.
While patties cook, lightly toast your slider buns if you want that extra texture (totally optional but recommended).
Bottom bun gets a burger patty with melted cheese. Top generously with that amazing street corn mixture — don’t be shy, this is not the time for restraint. Add the top bun and gently press down.
Serve immediately with lime wedges, extra napkins, and maybe some wet wipes because things are about to get deliciously messy.
Notes
Make the corn mixture ahead of time — it actually gets better as it sits and the flavors meld.
Don’t press down on the patties while cooking — you’ll squeeze out all the juicy goodness.
If corn mixture seems too wet, drain it a bit before serving.
These are best eaten immediately, but the corn topping keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Want to prep ahead? Form patties in the morning and keep them covered in the fridge
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~320 kcal
- Fat: ~22g
- Carbohydrates: ~15g
- Protein: ~18g