Meatball Sliders Recipe

This meatball sliders recipe pairs sweet Hawaiian rolls with Italian meatballs, marinara sauce, plenty of gooey cheese, and a garlic butter sauce on top. It's the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Meatball Slider Recipe, Meatball Sliders, Meatball Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls, Meatball Sliders Recipe, Pull Apart Meatball Sliders

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 279kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

Italian Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef 85 to 90% lean
1 small yellow onion grated on the small side of a box grater
2 large cloves garlic crushed
1/4 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
2 ounces parmesan cheese finely grated (about 1 cup finely grated)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Garlic Butter Topping:

6 tablespoons salted butter melted
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning

Other:

12 ounce package King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls with 12 slider rolls
1 cup marinara sauce divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6 slices provolone cheese about 1 ounce per slice
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Add the beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, dried Italian herb seasoning, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Use your hands to combine the mixture.
Divide the meat mixture into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Arrange the balls on a baking tray so they’re not touching, and bake until fully cooked, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Make the Garlic Butter Topping:

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for now.

Assemble the Sliders:

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a small baking tray with foil.
Put the entire tray of rolls onto a cutting board and horizontally slice through them. You should be able to pick up the top of the rolls as a unit.
Place the bottom half of the rolls on the prepared baking tray. Spread on 1/2 cup marinara sauce, and then put 1 meatball on each roll. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly across the top, and then top with the provolone slices. Place the top half of the rolls on top. Spoon on the garlic butter sauce.

Bake the Sliders:

Cover the rolls with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, removing the foil during the last 3 to 5 minutes to brown the top.
Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley.

Notes

Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 12 sliders; if you're serving this as an appetizer, each slider is 1 serving. The nutritional information given is an estimate for 1 slider.
Storage: Store leftover meatball sliders covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: These reheat well in the oven or air fryer at 350F. Cover them with foil to prevent over-browning. In the oven it takes about 10 to 12 minutes, and in the air fryer it takes about 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition