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In this Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders recipe, we turn meatball subs into cheesy bite-sized appetizers drizzled with hot honey. Not only are these sweet and savory sliders the perfect game day food, but they are equally as good for dinner.
These sweet rolls are stuffed with mozzarella, homemade easy meatballs, and marinara sauce, then brushed with garlic butter and drizzled with hot honey.
If you love game day appetizers, you have got to try my Spicy Italian Sausage Dip, Chicken Alfredo Garlic Bread, Street Corn Smash Burger Tacos, Dill Pickle Dip, Candied Bacon BLT Sliders, and Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Copycat Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders
Toasty sweet rolls. Juicy meatballs. Hot and bubbly cheese. Buttery garlic topping. Need I say more? Oh yes, we cannot forget the drizzle of hot honey, which takes it over the top.
The meatballs are thrown together in under 10 minutes, then they bake in the oven for convenience. Then all that’s left to do is assemble these sliders. If you’re short on time, you can use pre-made meatballs, but I highly recommend this easy homemade version. These store really well in the fridge, so you can make a double batch and freeze some for later.
Oven Baked Meatballs
I bet you didn’t know you could make the juiciest, cheesy meatballs that only need a few ingredients and are baked in the oven (preventing a messy cooktop full of splatter). This baking method yields succulent meatballs that are hard to resist eating before using them for these meatball sliders.
It’s All About the Hot Honey!
The addition of hot honey truly takes these miniature meatball subs over the top. I highly recommend Mike’s Hot Honey as it’s the most delicious one I have tried that’s readily available nationwide. The sweetness balances out a robust tomato sauce and also adds a kick of heat without making these sliders spicy. I don’t recommend skipping this step!
Ingredients You Need & Why
You’ll be surprised at how short this list is, considering we make homemade meatballs in this recipe. Please review the recipe card below for measurements and instructions.
Hawaiian Rolls – the classic 12-count sweet rolls are sweet and pillowy, making them the perfect delivery system for these meatball sliders.
Ground beef – choose a quality ground beef, and I recommend an 80/20 blend for juiciness.
Cheese – we use both mozzarella and parmesan in this recipe. The Parmesan gets added to the meatballs for flavor. The mozzarella is used as a topping in these meatball sliders.
Breadcrumbs – plain Italian breadcrumbs act as a binder for the meatballs. We use just enough to hold the meatballs together.
Egg – an egg acts as a binder for the meatballs.
Butter + Garlic – we mix these together with some fresh flat-leaf parsley and brush it all over the tops and insides of the Hawaiian rolls. We also use garlic in the meatballs!
Marinara – of course, we’ll use a pizza sauce for these meatball sliders. The sauce really shines so be sure to choose a delicious premade sauce like Rao’s or similar.
Seasonings – just a simple combination of salt, freshly cracked pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Homemade Meatballs on a Baking Sheet
If you ever felt intimidated by making your own meatballs, this recipe could not be easier. Just combine the ingredients, roll into balls, and bake. It’s super simple and easy:
- Start by combining the ground beef with the beaten egg, parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth.
- Divide the mixture into 1.5-inch balls using a cookie scoop or a spoon. Roll them into balls and place them on a baking sheet; this should yield 12-14 meatballs.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until they are no longer pink in the middle. Flip halfway through to prevent the bottoms from burning. Toss the cooked meatballs in a bit of marinara sauce, just enough to coat.
Assemble the Meatball Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Once the meatballs are made, it’s time to assemble the Hawaiian roll meatball sliders. Here is how:
Use a knife to cut a 1-inch circle out of the center tops of each roll. Remove the circle of bread and discard. Use the bottom of a shot glass to work into the opening to make room for the meatballs (see photos).
Combine 2 teaspoons of garlic with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and the parsley. Use a basting brush to brush it over the tops and the insides of each roll.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes or until the tops start to turn golden brown.
Add a generous pinch of mozzarella into each crevice, pushing it down. Add in a spoonful of marinara.
Stuff each roll with one meatball, and wedge them down into the hole.
Top the meatballs with another pinch of mozzarella and return them to the oven until the cheese has melted.
Brush a final coat of garlic butter over the tops of the rolls and serve with a drizzle of hot honey over each one.
Pairing Ideas
Whether you serve these mini meatball subs as an easy, crowd-pleasing finger food for parties or game days, or you make them for dinner, they are great paired with:
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- KFC Coleslaw
- Potato Salad
- Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
- Wingstop Cajun Corn
Looking for More Easy Appetizers?
Queso Spinach Dip
Viral Chicken Alfredo Garlic Bread
Baked Caramelized Onion Dip
Baked Corn Dip
Steak Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema
Jalapeno Popper Toasted Pinwheels
I hope you enjoy these Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders as much as we do! Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your cooking and baking accomplishments!
Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 count Hawaiian rolls
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella I like the mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce like Rao's roasted garlic pizza
- hot honey
Oven-Baked Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground beef 80/20 recommended
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Start by combining the ground beef with the beaten egg, parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth.
- Divide the mixture into 1.5-inch balls using a cookie scoop or a spoon. Roll them into balls and place them on a baking sheet; this should yield 12-14 meatballs.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until they are no longer pink in the middle. Flip halfway through to prevent the bottoms from burning. Toss the cooked meatballs in a bit of marinara sauce, just enough to coat.
- Assemble the Meatball Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
- Use a knife to cut a 1-inch circle out of the center tops of each roll. Remove the circle of bread and discard. Use the bottom of a shot glass to work into the opening to make room for the meatballs (see photos).
- Combine 2 teaspoons of garlic with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and the parsley. Use a basting brush to brush it over the tops and the insides of each roll.
- Bake in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes or until the tops start to turn golden brown.
- Add a generous pinch of mozzarella into each crevice, pushing it down. Top it with a spoonful of marinara.
- Stuff each roll with one meatball, and wedge them down into the hole.
- Top the meatballs with another pinch of mozzarella and return them to the oven until the cheese has melted.
- Brush a final coat of garlic butter over the tops of the rolls and serve with a drizzle of hot honey over each one.
