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.
Course
Appetizer, Sandwich
Prep Time25minutes
Cook Time15minutes
Servings12sliders
Ingredients
1package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
3tbspbuttermelted
2tbspolive oil
1tspdried parsley
½tspgarlic powder
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
Meatballs
1large egg
1lblean ground beef
½cupItalian seasoned breadcrumbs
½cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
½cupdiced onion
2tbspmilk
1tspdried parsley
1tspdried basil
1tspgarlic powder
½tspdried oregano
½tspdried rosemary
½tspsalt
½tsppepper
Marinara Arrabbiata
14.5ozcan fire roasted diced tomatoesundrained
15ozcan tomato sauce
1-2tspsugar
1tspdried parsley
1tspdried basil
1tspgarlic powder
½tspsalt
½tsppepper
¼tspdried thyme
¼tspdried rosemary
¼ to ½tspcrushed 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.