Italian Meatball Sliders Recipe
These cheesy Meatball Sliders are a real crowd pleaser, made with flavorful and juicy meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with pepperoni and cheese inside Hawaiian sweet rolls, topped with a delicious butter and parmesan glaze on top!
Servings: 12 sliders
Calories: 143kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup finely chopped pepperoni
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Sliders
- 1 (12-pack) Hawaiian rolls or slider buns
- 12 thin slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1-2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- To make the meatballs, place the ground beef in a large bowl, breaking up the meat into small pieces.
- Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, parsley, egg, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs.
- Lightly mix until fully incorporated.
- Shape into 12 meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Place the olive oil and pepperoni in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or so. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more.
- Add tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Simmer for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors together. Set aside.
- Remove the buns from the package, and without separating them, use a long, serrated knife to cut the rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of the rolls in a 9”x13” pan.
- Layer 6 slices of mozzarella cheese on the bottom half of the bread.
- Spread about ½ cup of the sauce in an even layer over the cheese on the buns. Place one meatball on each bun. Spoon another ½ cup of sauce on top, dividing it evenly over the meatballs. Reserve the remaining sauce for dipping.
- Place the remaining 6 slices of cheese over the meatballs. Top with the remaining half of the buns.
- Brush the buns with melted butter and sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley or chives.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the buns are golden brown.
Notes
- Storage: Cover leftovers with foil or plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. They are best eaten within 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Allow the meatball sliders to cool completely. Wrap the meatball sliders tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in an airtight container or a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat them directly from frozen. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the sliders for 10-15 minutes, or until they're hot and the cheese is melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg