This easy burger skewer recipe has everything you love about burgers in a bite-sized package. Tender, juicy, bite-sized beef patties are topped with cheese, lettuce, pickles, and tomato for a burger bite that everyone will love.
I love serving easy gluten-free appetizers for any event or special occasion. From backyard barbecues to Christmas holidays, bite-sized treats, whether sweet or savory, always make any gathering so much more fun!
From savory bites like fire roasted salsa with chips to hand-held sweets like these eggless blueberry muffins, finger foods are the backbone of any get-together.
With summer finally here, I was inspired to make an appetizer version of a cheeseburger. These burger bites are everything we all love about burgers, but they're on a skewer instead of sandwiched between a bun. They're delicious, fun, and perfect for any event. I especially love pairing them with these charcuterie cones for a fun, hand-held spread.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Like my air fryer turkey burgers, these burger bites are made with simple ingredients found in your kitchen or your local grocery store.
- Quick and Easy: These bites only take a few simple steps and have a total cook time of about 15 minutes.
- Classic Burger Flavor: These bites really are little cheeseburgers on a toothpick, and they have all the classic burger flavor you love.
- Perfect for Dipping: Dip these mini burgers in your favorite sauces that you'd normally spread on your burger.
- Great for Any Occasion: These are perfect for any kind of party or event. Everyone loves burgers!
- Versatile: It's easy to adjust these bites by adding your favorite ingredients to create a personalized flavor profile.
- Diet-Friendly: These are great for people with dietary restrictions because they're gluten free, low carb, and can easily be made dairy free.
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and their exact amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Variations
- Ground Beef: Use ground turkey or chicken for a healthier version similar to this healthy chicken burger recipe. You could also use Italian sausage or chorizo.
- Cheese: Use your favorite cheese for these bites. Any cheese you'd put on a burger will work here.
- Pickles: Use dill pickles for a classic flavor or sweet pickles for something a little different.
- More Burger Toppings: Add classic toppings like onions, mushrooms, and bacon.
- Dairy-Free: If you don't eat dairy, use plant-based cheese, or just leave the cheese off.
- Full-Size Burgers: The meat mixture used for these bites also makes delicious full-size burgers.
How to Make This Burger Skewer Recipe
Step 1: Combine the beef and spices in a large bowl.
Step 2: Place the meat between two pieces of wax paper and use a rolling pin to flatten it into an 8x8 square. Then, cut the meat into 1-inch squares.
Step 3: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the squares in olive oil until browned on both sides and cooked through.
Step 4: Add the sliced cheese to each mini burger just before they're done, allowing the cheese to melt slightly before removing the burgers.
Step 5: Allow the mini cheeseburgers to cool slightly, then place them on a skewer, followed by the lettuce, pickle, and tomato.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Mix the burger mixture until combined, but avoid overworking it. Overmixing can make the burgers tough.
- It's important to let the burger squares rest for two to three minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. You don't want to skewer them and have all that juiciness go to waste by leaking out of the hole.
- I used lean ground beef. If you choose a fattier mix or a meat like Italian sausage, be sure to place the burgers on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
- You may want to refrigerate your meat mixture for about 30 minutes after mixing it. This chilling time makes the meat hold its shape more readily.
- A pizza dough cutter is the best way to easily cut the ground beef into even squares.
Burger Skewer Recipe FAQ
Sprinkle the ground beef with salt and your chosen seasonings. Then, place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Mix the meat and form it. The salt dissolves myosin, a protein in the meat. This helps the meat hold its shape better.
The biggest mistake people make when preparing any ground beef is overworking the meat. Overmixing causes the proteins to "activate". Then, when you cook the beef, it contracts too much, squeezing the juice out of the ground meat and making your dish dry.
The key to keeping your burger patties whole is temperature. Your skillet should be hot enough to begin searing the outside of the burgers immediately. This not only traps the juices inside the burgers, but the seared exterior also helps the burger patties retain their shape.
📖 Recipe
Burger Skewer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon hickory smoke flavor
- ½ teaspoon applewood smoked salt
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 25 cheese slices 1-inch square
- 10 grape tomatoes sliced - amount may vary
- dill pickles sliced
- 2 leaves romaine lettuce
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef, paprika, garlic powder, hickory powder, applewood smoked salt, and thyme in a large bowl.
- Add 1 teaspon of olive oil to a large nonstick pan on medium heat.
- Place the meat mixture between two large pieces of parchment paper and roll it out into an 8x8 square. Then, use a pizza cutter to cut the meat into 1-inch squares.
- Cook the beef squares for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add a slice of cheese to each square just before removing them, allowing them to melt a bit first.
- Cool the mini beef squares for about three minutes.
- Top each burger square with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. Then, press a skewer through them to secure them.
Notes
- Refrigerate the squares and toppings separately. All the ingredients will keep for up to three days in an airtight container.
- Wrap individual cheeseburger bites in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Mix the burger mixture until combined, but avoid overworking it. Overmixing can make the burgers tough.
- It's important to let the burger squares rest for two to three minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. You don't want to skewer them and have all that juiciness go to waste by leaking out of the hole.
- I used lean ground beef. If you choose a fattier mix or a meat like Italian sausage, be sure to place the burgers on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
- You may want to refrigerate your meat mixture for about 30 minutes after mixing it. This chilling time makes the meat hold its shape more readily.
- A pizza dough cutter is the best way to easily cut the ground beef into even squares.
Andrea says
These are fun to put together and taste just like classic burgers, only smaller and easier to serve. Great for a group—especially when everyone wants to snack and chat at the same time.
Tisha says
This burger skewer recipe is a fun, crowd‑pleasing twist on classic burgers—easy to assemble, delightfully flavorful, and perfect for parties or casual dinners
Elizabeth says
These burger skewers are so fun and delicious! Adding this recipe to my 4th of July menu!
Leslie says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. These bite sized skewers are so fun and delicious!
Michele says
These were the cutest finger foods ever! Served themm at a baby shower and they were super popular.
Marie-Pierre Breton says
I made these burger skewers finger food for my daughter's birthday this weekend, and it was all gone in minutes! This is a party food keeper!
Swathi says
Burger Skewer is delicious I have tried my family loved it, asked me to make it again.
Tisha says
I love this recipe! Such a fun way to eat a bit sized burger
Paula says
These burger skewers were so much fun! My kids love to eat anything "on a stick" and this was such a cute way to serve one of their favorites.