These Italian meatballs sliders are like your favorite meatball sub in a bite-sized package. With mini homemade meatballs, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and garlic butter topping, they’re cheesy, savory, and beyond delicious. And you can make them on either Hawaiian rolls or dinner rolls so there’s plenty of servings for a crowd!

A white pan of Italian meatball sliders next to glasses of white wine, a cream-colored linen, and white bowls of tomato sauce, parmesan, and red pepper flakes.

The first thing that Marc cooked for me was his Sicilian-style pizza. And the second was his famous meatball subs.

At the time, I was under the impression that his cooking capabilities were that of most men in their early 20s. That is, can boil pasta, throw stuff in a crockpot, and pour cereal. But as it turns out, the man was just holding out on me.

So without further ado, meet my slider version of the sandwich Marc made me all those years ago! The meatballs are based on his grandma’s recipe, but I did switch up a few ingredients and techniques from the one I learned in culinary school. (And also, because like most Italian grandmas, the measurements in her recipe are based more on *vibes* than anything.)

These sliders are super easy, have a good dose of cheese, and a garlic butter topping because obviously. They’d make a good meal, but I like serving them as an app with other Italian-inspired snackies like tortellini Caprese skewers and these amazing pizza scrolls. Hope you love them too! xx.

Dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls

White and brown bowls of rolls, meatballs, red sauce, basil, cheese, and spices on a white counter.
White bowls of onion, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, spices, and milk next to ground beef on a white counter.

You can use either dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls here. But, when I tested this recipe with Hawaiian rolls, they absorbed a lot of the sauce and got a bit soggy. If you’re going Hawaiian, I would probably add a layer of cheese to the bottoms of the rolls to keep that from happening. That said, I like to use a crustier dinner roll because they hold up better with the sauce and cheese!

Also, you can make my homemade meatballs or use pre-made. Feel free to swap the homemade recipe with 28-32 ounces of frozen bite-size meatballs instead. Just make sure to heat them up first!

Homemade meatballs

A white bowl of breadcrumbs and milk on a white counter.
Start by mixing the breadcrumbs & milk in a big bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
A white bowl of ground beef, parmesan, eggs, and spices on a white counter.
Add the ground beef, onions, garlic, parsley, eggs, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Hands using a rubber spatula to mix meat in a white bowl.
Mix the mixture just until it’s nice and combined. Don’t over-mix or the meatballs will be dense!
A white bowl of meat with a scoop on a white counter.
Use a #60 scoop to divide the meat mixture into mounds.
A sheet pan of raw Italian meatballs.
Then, roll each portion into balls with clean hands.
A sheet pan of cooked Italian meatballs for sliders.
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 14-15 minutes.

To make the sliders a little easier to eat, you can form the meat into small pucks instead. That’s what my husband’s family does when they’re making subs!

Make the sliders

A pot of red sauce and meatballs on a tan counter.
Warm the red sauce & add the meatballs. Toss to combine.
A white pan of rolls and meatballs on a tan counter.
Split the rolls and place 3 meatballs on each bottom.
A white pan of rolls, meatballs, cheese, and basil on a tan counter.
Top with mozzarella, parmesan, and 1-2 basil leaves.
A hand using a pastry brush to brush a white pan of Italian meatball sliders with garlic butter.
Brush the tops of the sliders with garlic butter.
Italian meatball sliders in a white pan.
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-25 minutes.

Reheating tips

If you want to reheat large portions, it’s easiest to do in the oven! Wrap the top of the pan with foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 25-30 minutes, or until the meatballs reach 165°F (74°C) in the middle. Surprisingly, these also heat up well in the microwave! Just microwave the sliders for 1-2 minutes, until hot.

A speckled plate with Italian meatball sliders on a tan counter next to white bowls of parmesan, red sauce, and pepper flakes.

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Italian Meatball Sliders for a Crowd

Yield: 20 sliders
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
These Italian meatballs sliders are like your favorite meatball sub in a bite-sized package. With mini homemade meatballs, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and garlic butter topping, they're cheesy, savory, and beyond delicious. And you can make them on either Hawaiian rolls or dinner rolls so there's plenty of servings for a crowd!
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Ingredients

Italian Meatballs

  • 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (50 grams)
  • 1/3 cup whole milk (80 milliliters)
  • 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (908 grams)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onions (70 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (14 grams/3 big cloves)
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley (8 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (40 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, more to taste

Meatball Sliders

  • 2 cups marinara sauce (500 grams)
  • 20 dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls
  • 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, roughly torn (340 grams)
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (20 grams)
  • 20-40 fresh basil leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (28 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic (1 big clove)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley (4 grams)

Equipment

  • 9×13 pan

Instructions 

Italian Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Stir the breadcrumbs and whole milk together in a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs have rehydrated.
  • Add the ground beef, onions, garlic, parsley, eggs, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt, and black pepper to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix the meat mixture with a rubber spatula until it's well-combined. Don't over-mix or the meatballs will be dense.
  • Use a #60 scoop to divide the meat mixture into 1 Tablespoon portions. Then, roll each portion of meat into a ball with clean hands. You should have about 60 small meatballs.
  • Line the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, leaving space in-between each one. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain off any extra grease.

Meatball Sliders

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 pan with neutral oil or cooking spray. Heat the sauce gently on the stove until it’s hot. Toss the hot meatballs in the warmed sauce.
  • Next, cut the rolls in half and line the bottom rolls in the prepared pan. Add 3 meatballs per roll. Top the meatballs with any leftover sauce. Then, evenly sprinkle the meatballs with the torn mozzarella and grated parmesan. Top each slider with 1-2 fresh basil leaves. Place the top rolls on the sliders.
  • Whisk the melted butter, grated garlic, garlic powder, and parsley until smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the rolls with garlic butter. Cover the sliders with foil & bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Notes

Depending on the size of your rolls, you may need to bake the sliders in 2 separate pans or on one big sheet pan.
I personally like to sauté the onions before adding them to the beef to give the meatballs a deeper flavor. But raw still works great, so just do whatever you like best.
To make the sliders a little easier to eat, you can form the meat into small pucks instead. That’s what my husband’s family does when they’re making subs!
If you’re using Hawaiian rolls, please see my note in the blog post to keep the rolls from coming out soggy.
Feel free to swap the homemade meatballs with 28-32 ounces of your favorite frozen meatballs. Just make sure they’re bite sized, you’ll need about 60 small meatballs total.
Cuisine: American, Italian
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1slider, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 788mg, Potassium: 295mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 226mg, Iron: 3mg
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