Description
These Meatball Sliders are a crowd-pleasing appetizer or meal, featuring juicy homemade meatballs baked to perfection, nestled in soft slider buns, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Easy to prepare and bursting with Italian flavors, they make the ultimate party snack or family dinner treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Assembly
- 1 cup marinara sauce (plus extra for serving)
- 8 slider buns
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, aiming for around 16 meatballs in total.
- Bake Meatballs: Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked and browned on the outside.
- Warm Marinara Sauce: While the meatballs bake, heat the marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
- Assemble Sliders: Place meatballs inside the slider buns, spoon warm marinara sauce over each, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Melt Cheese: Return the assembled sliders to the oven for 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Drizzle Olive Oil: Remove sliders from the oven and drizzle a little olive oil on top for added flavor and shine.
- Serve: Serve the sliders warm, with extra marinara sauce on the side for dipping, making them perfect for sharing and enjoying immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with a beef-pork mix for a richer flavor.
- If you want a spicier kick, add red pepper flakes to the meatball mix or marinara sauce.
- Using fresh mozzarella instead of shredded can also work well but may change melting time.
- Use fresh slider buns if possible for the best texture and taste.
- These sliders can be prepared in advance and reheated; just add cheese and bake until bubbly before serving.
