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Easy Meatball Sliders require just 4 ingredients and take 20 minutes to make, even if you make the meatballs from scratch! Serve them as a main course or a tasty party appetizer.

a slider roll with a meatball, sauce and cheese with several more in the background.

Easy 20 Minute Meal

Need something quick to make for dinner tonight? These Easy Meatball Sliders are tasty, filling and so simple to make. All you need are some meatballs, tomato based pasta sauce, cheese and mini slider buns. That’s it! Just 4 ingredients!

Usually when I make sliders, like Monte Cristo Sliders or Garlic Butter Ham and Cheese Sliders, I’ll use a whole package of rolls and bake the sliders in a whole loaf form. They still need to be cut into individual pieces and take a little longer to make and bake. What I love about these meatball sliders is they can be made in less than 20 minutes! Easy assembly and you can make as many or as few as you need. Feed a crowd or just feed yourself!

My kids love how they are hand held little mini sandwiches and they can even take leftovers in their lunches. You can serve them as a main course with a copycat Olive Garden Salad or some roasted broccoli on the side, or even as an appetizer like mini meatballs subs.

a hand reaching in and taking one of several meatball sliders

How to Make Easy Meatball Sliders

Meatball Sliders are super simple to make in just a few quick steps. You can make meatballs fresh from scratch if you like, or use frozen to simplify it even more.

  1. Make the meatballs. You can make turkey meatballs, ground beef meatballs, or even chicken meatballs. They all take about 20 minutes to make from scratch. You can also skip this step and use frozen meatballs.
  2. Coat meatballs in sauce. If using frozen meatballs, heat them up with some spaghetti sauce on the stove.
  3. Bake. Split the buns in half and place them open faced onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese and Italian seasoning on each half and bake until the cheese is melted and bread gets a little crispy around the edges. They only a few minutes.
  4. Assemble meatball sliders. Place a meatball onto the bottom half of each bun. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of each meatball and replace the top of the bun.
a collage of two images showing how to assemble meatball sliders

Top Tips for Meatball Sliders

  • What kind of bread is best? I prefer to use slider buns rather than Hawaiian rolls, although you can certainly use either. The Hawaiian rolls are sweet and don’t play as well with the meatballs.
  • Refrigerate leftover sliders for a couple of days and reheat in the oven. I don’t recommend microwaving because they can become soggy. Likewise, any more than two days and the bread will be soggy and not very tasty. Do not freeze whole sandwiches.
  • Use your favorite pasta sauce. I love Costco’s marinara personally, but anything you enjoy is fine.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Meatball Sliders either as a main course for lunch or dinner, or as an appetizer.

Appetizer: Serve sliders alongside lighter snacks, like Crab Dip Cheese Ball, Deviled Eggs, Southwest Caprese Bites and BLT Dip.

Main Course: Serve with some of our favorite sides like Garlic Green Beans, Caprese Pasta Salad, Carrot Salad or even just a big Veggie Pasta Salad.

an overhead image with 6 meatball sliders on brown paper and a wooden cutting board wit a small bowl of grated parmesan.
Recipe
a square image of a meatball on a slide bun

Easy Meatball Sliders

5
Easy Meatball Sliders need just 4 ingredients and about 20 minutes! Serve these bite-sized sandwiches as a main course, appetizer or snack!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 12 Meatballs medium size
  • 4 ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese about 1 cup
  • 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 cups Pasta Sauce
  • 12 Slider Buns or Small Rolls
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • Optional ingredients: melted butter, garlic salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Split rolls and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle each half with shredded Mozzarella cheese and a little Italian seasoning. (Optional step: you can also brush with melted butter and add a little sprinkle of garlic powder or salt before adding the cheese). Set aside.
  • Heat a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Add fresh or frozen meatballs and sauce. Heat until meatballs are heated through; about 5-10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bake rolls in the oven just until the cheese is melted and the edges of the bread are golden; 3-5 minutes.
  • Place one meatball on half of each roll and top with more cheese, if desired. Replace tops of the sliders the other half.

Notes

Use frozen meatballs or try my homemade meatballs.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 2slidersCalories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 17gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 626mgPotassium: 365mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 517IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 211mgIron: 3mg
Keyword meatball sliders

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Hello Kristin, do you still have the recipe for the fresh cut fries that are soaked in cold water and refrigerated prior to double frying? I made it once and I have know idea where I put the recipe. Thank you

  2. Um yum! I love this new series idea! Rachel who and her 30 minute meals have nothin on you! 😉