Kings Hawaiian Sliders Recipe

With over 1,000 recipes shared online and millions of views across platforms, I only share the ones that are tested in a real home kitchen—mine. And this one? It’s always a hit with my family and friends. The whole pan disappears in seconds. This is the easiest method to make sliders. My recipe tips and tricks do the heavy lifting for you. You’ll get this right on the first try.

Kings Hawaiian Sliders Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Mustard
• Cheddar Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Butter
• Sesame Seeds
• Sliced mushrooms (Optional)
• Burger Rub Seasoning

What Type of Buns to Use

I used King Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, often referred to as Hawaiian rolls or Hawaiian bread. It's a type of soft, sweet, and slightly savory bread roll that is known for its fluffy texture and subtly sweet flavor.

Any buns you like, including slider buns will work for this recipe.

What Type of Meat to Use

• Ground Beef: Ground beef is a classic choice for sliders and what I use in the recipe.
• Pulled Pork: Pulled pork sliders are a delicious alternative. Check out my Pulled Pork Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls recipe.
• Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken: Ground poultry is a leaner option and can be used to create turkey sliders. If you aren't planning to serve the sliders immediately, these are likely a better option than beef because it usually won't leave your bun soggy.
• Grilled Chicken: Grilled chicken sliders are a lighter choice. Grill or cook your chicken or buy fully cooked store-bought chicken.
• Fish or Seafood: Consider using fish or seafood, like salmon or shrimp, to create seafood sliders. These can be grilled, fried, or baked, and they pair well with a variety of sauces and toppings.

How to Season the Meat

I use my Homemade Burger Rub and Seasoning. You can also use a store-bought burger rub if preferred.

What Type of Cheese to Use

I use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella. Here are more options:

• Cheddar: Sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, or even extra sharp cheddar can add a rich and tangy flavor to your sliders. Cheddar cheese pairs well with beef, turkey, and pork sliders.
• American: American cheese is a classic choice for cheeseburgers and sliders. It has a creamy, mild flavor that melts well and provides a smooth, gooey texture.
• Swiss: Swiss cheese adds a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. It melts beautifully and pairs nicely.
• Pepper Jack: If you like a little kick, pepper jack cheese with its spicy peppers and creamy texture can add a zesty flavor.
• Provolone: Provolone cheese is known for its mild and slightly sweet taste.
• Blue Cheese: Blue cheese lovers can add crumbles of blue cheese to their sliders for a bold, tangy, and savory flavor. It pairs especially well with beef or buffalo chicken sliders.
• Mozzarella: Mozzarella cheese is known for its mild, milky flavor and its excellent melting properties. It's a great choice for a classic, gooey cheese experience.
• Gouda: Smoked or regular Gouda cheese can add a slightly smoky, sweet, and creamy flavor.

How to Make Kings Hawaiian Sliders Recipe

Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. In a large skillet or pan, cook ground beef breaking it into small crumbles. Season the ground beef with spices and garlic.
2. Add in mushrooms, diced tomatoes, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and grated cheddar cheese. Stir and cook until the meat is fully cooked.
3. Remove the Hawaiian Rolls from the packaging and slice.
4. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the baking dish. Add the drained ground beef mixture to the bottom rolls. Top with grated cheese. Place the top half of the rolls over the ground beef.
5. Combine melted butter and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the top of the rolls.
6. Bake.

How to Avoid Soggy Buns

Using ground beef in this recipe will make it hard to not experience some sogginess. Ground beef has more fat than a lot of cuts of meat and that fat produces grease. The grease will soak into the bottom bun if these sit for too long. I like to use lean ground beef.

Here are some tips to try to prevent as much as possible:

• Toast the Buns: Lightly toast the Hawaiian sweet rolls before assembling the sliders. This helps create a barrier that prevents moisture from the beef or other ingredients from soaking into the bread. I don't do this because I always serve them immediately and don't mind a soft bottom bun, but I highly recommend this if you know sogginess will both you.
• Use a Barrier: Spread thick, sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, etc) onto the bottom buns before adding ground beef. This acts as a barrier to help repel the moisture from the filling. (Again, this is not something I do, but I recommend it if you're concerned. )
• Pat Dry: Drain excess fat from the beef after it cooks. If your meat still has excess moisture, pat it dry with a paper towel before placing it on the buns.
• Layer Ingredients Carefully: Arrange your ingredients thoughtfully. Place the meat and any juicy toppings like tomatoes or pickles in the center to minimize direct contact with the bun.

How to Make Hawaiian Sliders Ahead of Time

1. Prepare the Meat: Cook and season the meat ahead of time. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container. When you're ready to serve, reheat the meat in a microwave, oven, or on the stovetop.
2. Assemble Later: Complete all of the steps noted below in the recipe card for assembly.

Topping Suggestions for Hawaiian Sliders

• Lettuce: If you want crispy lettuce, I recommend adding it right before serving.
• Tomato Slices
• Pickles
• Bacon
• Avocado
• Fried Onions
• Coleslaw
• Pineapple
• Fried Egg
• Jalapeños
• Ketchup
• Mayo
• Hot Sauce
• BBQ Sauce

How to Store Hawaiian Sliders Recipe

How to Reheat

To preserve the texture as much as possible, reheating them in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees until warm will work best.

You can also reheat them in the microwave or on the stove. This will likely soften your buns.

Freezer Tips

When properly stored, fully assembled sliders can typically be frozen for up to 1-2 months without significant loss of quality. When you're ready to enjoy them, thaw the sliders in the refrigerator before reheating them using the tips above.

Pair With These Recipes

Air Fryer French Fries
Southern Coleslaw
Soul Food Potato Salad
Southern Style Soul Food Baked Mac and Cheese
Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob

Kings Hawaiian Sliders Recipe

Brandi Crawford

This Kings Hawaiian Sliders recipe is crafted with juicy and seasoned ground beef, nestled within the warm embrace of gooey melted cheese and the sweet rolls we all love. Serve these an appetizer for the holiday season, parties, events, or even on game days. Load them up with your favorite toppings and sauces for the best flavor.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 12 sliders

Calories 262 kcal

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Equipment

• 9x13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms Optional; omit them if you don't want them.
• 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes Drained
• 1 tablespoon mustard Adjust to taste or omit if desired.
• 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese You can also use slices of cheese. See notes.
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls Or slider buns.
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter Melted.
• sesame seeds
• cooking oil spray

Homemade Burger Rub Seasoning (You can use store-bought if preferred and season to taste)

• 1 teaspoon brown sugar or sweetener
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika Regular paprika is fine.
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried minced onions
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional for spicy.
• 2 garlic cloves Minced (or ½ teaspoon of garlic powder)

Instructions

 

Cook the Beef

• In a large skillet or pan, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks using a meat chopper, wooden, or silicone spoon. Season the ground beef with the spices and garlic.
• Add in the mushrooms, diced tomatoes, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ cup grated cheddar cheese. Stir and cook until the meat is fully cooked, no longer pink, and the mushrooms are soft. Taste the ground beef and add additional spices if necessary.
• Drain any excess fat from the beef and pat the meat dry using towel(s). This is important to avoid soggy buns. Excess grease will soak into your rolls/buns.

Assemble the Sliders

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove the Hawaiian Rolls from the packaging and slice the entire set of rolls in half (horizontally) so that you have 2 separate sections, the top and bottom half of the rolls. I use a serrated bread knife.
• Spray the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking oil spray.
• Place the bottom half of the rolls in the baking dish. Add the drained ground beef mixture to the bottom rolls. (Alternatively, if you are using sliced cheese you can add it first before the beef. See notes).
• Top with the remaining grated cheese. Place the top half of the rolls over the ground beef.
• Combine the melted butter and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the top of the rolls.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted. Be careful not to overbrown.

Air Fryer Instructions

• Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil spray.
• Add the assembled sliders to the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-7 minutes at 370 degrees. Keep a close eye to ensure the buns don't over-brown.

Notes

I use lean ground beef to avoid greasy meat in the recipe.

Worcestershire sauce adds a complex, rich flavor to beef dishes. It contains a subtle sweetness along with its savory notes, which can help balance the overall flavor of the beef. Feel free to omit it if you wish, but note the benefits you may lose if you do. You can use soy sauce or balsamic vinegar as well.

How to Avoid Soggy Buns

Using ground beef in this recipe will make it hard to not experience some sogginess. Ground beef has more fat than a lot of cuts of meat and that fat produces grease. The grease will soak into the bottom bun if these sit for too long. I like to use lean ground beef.

Here are some tips to try to prevent as much as possible:

• Toast the Buns: Lightly toast the Hawaiian sweet rolls before assembling the sliders. This helps create a barrier that prevents moisture from the beef or other ingredients from soaking into the bread. I don’t do this because I always serve them immediately and don’t mind a soft bottom bun, but I highly recommend this if you know sogginess will both you.
• Use a Barrier: Spread thick, sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, etc) onto the bottom buns before adding ground beef. This acts as a barrier to help repel the moisture from the filling. (Again, this is not something I do, but I recommend it if you’re concerned.) 
• Pat Dry: Drain excess fat from the beef after it cooks. If your meat still has excess moisture, pat it dry with a paper towel before placing it on the buns.
• Layer Ingredients Carefully: Arrange your ingredients thoughtfully. Place the meat and any juicy toppings like tomatoes or pickles in the center to minimize direct contact with the bun.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliderCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 17gFat: 14g

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Nutrition Data

Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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