1Tablespoonchopped fresh parsley or chives to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
For the meatballs:
In a large bowl add the ground beef (breaking the meat up a little).
To the meat add salt, pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, parsley, water, egg, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs.
Lightly mix until fully combined. I find this easiest to do with clean hands.
Shape into 12 meatballs (about the size of a golf ball).
Place meatballs onto the baking sheet (about an inch apart). Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 160F degrees when done.
While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce
For the sauce:
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, add the olive oil and chopped pepperoni. Cook for about 3 minutes or so.
Then add in the garlic, and cook 1 minute more (or until fragrant).
Next, add in the tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors. Take off heat and set aside.
To assemble the sliders:
Remove the buns from the package, and without separating them, use a long, serrated knife to cut the rolls in half horizontally to create two halves (a top and a bottom.)
Place the bottom half of the rolls in a 9x13-inch pan (you do not need to spray with nonstick spray)
Layer 6 slices of mozzarella cheese evenly onto the bottom half of the bread.
Spread about ½ cup of the sauce evenly over the cheese layer on the buns.
Place one meatball on each slider. Spoon another ½ cup of sauce on top, dividing evenly over the meatballs. You’ll reserve the remaining sauce for dipping. Note: you can add as much or as little as you prefer to the sliders.
Place the remaining 6 slices of cheese evenly over the meatballs. Top with the top half of buns.
Brush the top of the sliders with melted butter then evenly sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley or chives.
Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the buns are golden brown. Note: if you find them getting more brown than you would like, just cover with aluminum foil until they are finished.
Notes
Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
If you like a super firm meatball, just leave out the water.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure you don't overbake the meatballs (they should be about 160F degrees.
We cook the pepperoni to help flavor the sauce.
These can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept stored in the fridge.
A small onion can be grated and used in place of the onion powder.
Store leftovers wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
You can freeze them if needed. Wrap with plastic and foil and keep in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.