Enchilada Sliders
These cheesy, flavor-packed Enchilada Sliders are the perfect answer when you’re craving all the bold flavors of enchiladas but want something quick, easy, and fun to serve. Loaded with seasoned ground beef, colorful bell peppers, enchilada sauce, and melty pepper jack cheese, these sliders are guaranteed to be a hit at game day parties, family dinners, potlucks, and everything in between.
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple it is to make. Combining the flavors of ground beef enchiladas with Sloppy Joes, everything comes together in one skillet before being piled onto soft slider buns and topped with gooey cheese.
If you love easy, comfort-food favorites like these Sloppy Joe enchilada sliders, you have to try our slow cooker Italian beef sandwiches, crescent roll chicken pockets, or slow cooker chicken corn chowder.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy weeknight dinner recipe
- Ready in under an hour
- Loaded with cheesy enchilada flavor
- Perfect for parties and game day
- Family-friendly meal everyone loves
- Great make-ahead option
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Ground Beef: Makes the sliders hearty, filling, and packed with savory flavor.
- Bell Peppers: The mix of red, yellow, and green peppers adds sweetness, color, and a classic fajita-style flavor that pairs perfectly with the beef.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Gives the filling its rich, slightly spicy flavor and keeps everything juicy and saucy.
- Pepper Jack Cheese: Adds a creamy, melty texture with just the right amount of heat to complement the enchilada flavors.
- Oatmeal: An unexpected ingredient that helps thicken the filling and absorb some of the sauce, keeping the sliders from getting soggy.
- Cumin, Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Build the bold Tex-Mex flavor that makes the beef mixture taste like enchilada filling.
Variations
- Spicy: Add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce to the beef mixture.
- Make It Lighter: Ground turkey is a great lighter alternative.
- Extra Cheesy: Mix shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack into the filling for extra cheesiness.
- Southwest-Style: Top with diced avocado, cilantro, and sour cream before serving.
How to make Enchilada Sliders
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook beef, seasonings, and veggies until the meat is browned and the veggies are tender.
- Stir in the oatmeal, enchilada sauce, and brown sugar.
- Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.
- Slice the entire sheet of slider buns horizontally in half on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, then remove the tops. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom buns.
- Top with pepper jack cheese.
- Add the top buns. Then, slice the remaining cheese into thin strips and sprinkle them over the buns. Bake until the cheese is melty. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Drain the beef well to keep the filling from being greasy and the buns from getting soggy.
- If possible, use freshly shredded cheese for the best flavor and melting.
- Toast the buns for extra texture and drier buns.
- Don’t skip the oatmeal. It’s essential to the filling’s texture.
Enchilada Sliders FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Enchilada sliders are mini sandwiches filled with seasoned ground beef simmered in enchilada sauce and topped with melted pepper jack cheese. They combine the bold flavors of traditional enchiladas and sloppy joes with the convenience of a handheld slider.
The oatmeal acts as a binder, helping thicken the enchilada filling. It absorbs excess liquid from the sauce, creating a hearty, sloppy-joe-style texture.
Pepper jack cheese adds a creamy texture and mild heat, but you can also use cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend.
Drain the cooked ground beef thoroughly before adding the sauce, and avoid overloading the buns with filling. Lightly toasting the buns before assembling can also help.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat them in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes or until warmed through. This helps keep the buns from becoming soggy.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Enchilada Sliders
Equipment
- large skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring spoons
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- Cheese grater or knife
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 8 slices pepper jack cheese divided
- 12 slider buns
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions for topping
- Optional: Pinch of paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, diced onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender.
- Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Stir in the oats until evenly combined.
- Add the red enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Slice the slider buns in half horizontally, keeping them connected if possible. Place the bottom half on the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom buns.
- Lay 6 slices of pepper jack cheese over the meat mixture.
- Place the tops of the buns back on. Cut the remaining 2 slices of pepper jack cheese into thin strips and sprinkle them over the tops of the buns.
- Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the cheese. If desired, add a light sprinkle of paprika.
- Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sliders are heated through.
- Separate the sliders, serve warm, and enjoy.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
