Turkey Sliders with Roasted Tomatoes

Turkey Sliders with Roasted Tomatoes are made with a few simple ingredients and are an irresistible snack, appetizer, or light meal! Bill raved about them—I think they were our first ever turkey burgers. 

The only complaints about these Mini Turkey Burgers would be if I didn’t add them to our menu again soon! No worries. We’re going to have these again and again!

Why You Must Make

• Everyone loves a burger and these appetizer burgers are a fun twist!
• Turkey sliders are perfect for game day!
• The combination of seasoned mini burgers, soft Hawaiian buns, and roasted tomatoes will get rave reviews!

Recipe Tips

By now, most everyone knows what a slider is. Basically, a mini burger. Served on a cocktail bun, there are loads of varieties as well as toppings. Their origin is tied to White Castle restaurants where they served steam grilled burgers about 2 inches in diameter.

There are a few theories on how they got their name, from how they slid across the griddle to how the greasy burgers slid down the throat to how they slid out of their boxes at White Castle. Now almost any mini-sandwich on a bun is referred to as a slider. We also love these Philly Cheesecake Sliders, made with shaved steak instead of a burger.

In this case, with a few simple ingredients, ground turkey is transformed into irresistible miniature burgers. Adding a flavorful roasted tomato made a delightful alternative to ketchup. Here are some of my tips:

• The size of your slider buns will determine the size you make your slider patties. I found some nice brioche cocktail buns, and King’s Hawaiian Slider Buns are readily available in most supermarkets.
• Toast your buns in a skillet if desired.
• PRO-Tip: Purchase ground dark turkey meat. The extra fat in the dark meat will make moister, more flavorful sliders compared to making them with ground breast meat.
• Use a light touch as you mix in the cheese and seasonings, as your burgers won’t be as tender if the ground meat is packed tightly.
• I like using a 2 to 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter as a template for my sliders. By gently patting the ground meat into the round, you’ll get similar-sized patties. But I wouldn’t go out to buy these just for this recipe.
• Again, do not compress the meat too much as you mix in the cheese and seasonings to keep the burgers tender.
• You can cook the mini burgers ahead of time, then refrigerate until close to serving time. Gently rewarm in a skillet or in the microwave. Make sure to cook these burgers to 165º to prevent any foodborne illnesses.
• To make these Turkey Sliders in the Oven, place the patties on an oven-safe rack over a sheet pan. Roast at 350-400º until the internal temperature reaches 165º. The time will vary depending on the temperature of your oven and the size of your patties.
• PRO-Tip: Roasting plum tomato halves intensifies and concentrates their flavor. This is a great trick when tasty, summer tomatoes are out of season. These can also be made ahead and gently warmed before topping the sliders.
• PRO-Tip: Start by placing lettuce on the bottom bun. This will provide a barrier and prevent the juices from the tomato and burger from soaking into the bread.
• Serve with your favorite condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles although they’re delicious with just the lettuce and roasted tomatoes.

Mini Burgers for Game Day

Since game day gatherings are taboo in 2020, we gathered on our drive with some neighbors in early November. Sitting around a fire, we ate chili, sipped on beer and wine, and had a lot of laughs. I watched the tray of sliders disappear in no time at all! I seriously needed another dozen, but there was no shortage of food. The guys were especially enamored, asking about the ingredients and singing their praises!

If you need a man-friendly appetizer, these will do nicely! And they’ll also be a great snack while watching your favorite college or pro team at home! And for light eaters like me, they make a nice lunch!

Ingredient Notes

• Kitchen Staples – Kosher Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Sugar, Olive Oil, Onion (grated), Garlic (minced)
•  White Sandwich Bread – Pulse in a food processor to make bread crumbs for the burgers.
•  Ground Turkey – Use dark meat as it has more fat and will make moister burgers than white meat turkey.
•  Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Grated. It will also add moisture and flavor to the burgers.
•  Party-Sized Rolls or Buns – You can usually find these in packs of 12. Kings Hawaiian is a popular brand, but your grocery store bakery may also have its version.
• Plum Tomatoes – Sliced with seeds removed. I let the slices rest on paper toweling to soak up the excess juice as I wait for the oven to preheat.
• Balsamic Vinegar – Use a well-aged bottle as it will add sweetness and flavor to the tomatoes.

More Tasty Game Day Recipes

Sliders, especially a turkey burger recipe, are always wonderful for game day, and here are some more of our favorite game day recipes:

• Football Brownies from Love from the Oven
• Honey Garlic Chicken Sliders 
• Corn Beef Sliders
• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Black Bean Chili
• More Best Appetizer Recipes
• Plus check out more of my Party Food Ideas

This recipe was first shared in February 2013. Photos and text were updated in 2020.

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The Recipe:

Turkey Sliders with Roasted Tomatoes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Yield 12 sliders

Flavorful turkey sliders topped with all the fixings! Adapted from Martha Stewart and Ina Garten.

Ingredients

• 2 slices white sandwich bread, pulsed in food processor to make bread crumbs
• 1 pound ground turkey (dark meat)
• ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 party-size rolls

For tomatoes:

• 6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix turkey, bread crumbs cheese, onion, salt, and pepper. Mix just till combined.
2. Form about 12 patties, about 2 inches in diameter.
3. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook patties until browned and cooked through.
4. Serve on rolls with lettuce, roasted tomatoes, and condiments of your choice.

To make tomatoes:

1. Preheat the oven to 450º.
2. Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan with the cut sides up.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle tomatoes with the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and start to caramelize.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature on your sliders.

Notes

If desired, make 4 regular sized burgers. Grill or cook in a skillet until done.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slider
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 593mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 15g

Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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