I stole this recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Italian Meatball Sliders from carlsbadcravings.com. These sliders can be a tasty appetizer or part of an Italian dinner. Homemade meatballs are browned on all sides in a skillet. Then holes are cut in Hawaiian bread rolls and brushed with a garlic butter mixture and toasted in the oven. Next the meatballs are coated in marinara sauce and placed in the bread holes. Mozzarella cheese goes on top of the meatballs and the sliders are baked until the cheese is melted. This recipe is another delicious way to serve meatballs.
The ingredients for the homemade meatballs are: 1 large egg, 1 lb lean ground beef, ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup diced onion, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
Make the meatballs by whisking the egg in a large bowl. Add the remaining meatball ingredients. Then gently mix everything until well-blended.
Next roll the meat into 12 equal meatballs. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat.
Once cooked through, remove pan from heat and carefully add marinara sauce. Gently coat the meatballs in sauce.
Then in a small bowl whisk together 3 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp dried parsley and ½ tsp garlic powder. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place 1 package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in a baking dish. Cut a large hole in the top of each roll to create a space for the meatball. Next brush the insides and the outside of the rolls with the butter mixture. Bake rolls at 350 F for 10 minutes.
Next place a meatball and some sauce into each bread hole (the entire meatball will not fit, only the bottom will sit in the hole).
Top meatballs with more sauce and then evenly top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 F for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.
If you liked the recipe for Cheesy Stuffed Italian Meatball Sliders then you can try other meatball recipes like Meatball Tortilla Soup, Salisbury Steak Meatballs with Gravy, Eggplant Meatballs with Marinara Sauce or Italian Wedding Soup.
Cheesy Stuffed Italian Meatball Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Marinara Arrabbiata
- 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- ¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place rolls in a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
-
Cut a large hole in the top of each roll. Press dough on the hole and remove the hole to create a space for the meatball.
-
Whisk together melted butter, 1 tsp dried parsley and ½ tsp garlic powder. Brush the insides and the outside of the rolls with the butter mixture.
-
Bake rolls at 350 F for 10 minutes and then set aside.
-
Stir together the marinara ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Decrease to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes then keep warm on low until ready to use, stirring occasionally. Mash the tomatoes to reach desired consistency.
-
Make the meatballs by whisking the egg in a large bowl. Add the remaining meatball ingredients. Using clean hands gently mix everything until well-blended. Do not overmix. Roll meat into 12 equal meatballs.
-
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat. Add meatballs to skillet and brown on all sides. Once cooked through, remove pan from heat and carefully add the marinara sauce. Gently coat the meatballs in sauce.
-
Place each meatball and some sauce into each bread hole (the entire meatball will not fit, only the bottom will sit in the hole). Top meatballs with more sauce and then evenly top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 F for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Prep ahead: Prep the rolls and cool before storing. Make the sauce ahead and store in the refrigerator. Roll the meatballs ahead and store in the refrigerator. For the moistest meatballs, do not cook until ready to assemble so they are not “cooked” twice. For the meatballs measure 2 tbsp of meat to evenly make 12 meatballs. Jarred marinara can be used instead of making from scratch.