King’s Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders Recipe
These King’s Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders feature savory meatballs topped with a rich marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese and then finished with zesty garlic butter.
Your entire family is going to go crazy for this quick and easy dinner!
The perfect finger food for the next big game, a holiday gathering, a family celebration, or a potluck, these sliders come together quickly and easily and will disappear in minutes. Whether you are entertaining or not, these sliders are a must.
Why you’ll love this easy meatball sliders recipe
Delicious – If you’re a meatball fan, you’re going to love the flavor combination of these sliders.
Quick and Convenient: In a time crunch? Meatball sliders are a quick and convenient option. Using premade meatballs streamlines the cooking process, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights when you want a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen. In fact, these homemade meatball sliders come together in just 30 minutes!
Versatile – This cheesy meatball sliders recipe makes a great appetizer, an easy weeknight dinner, or the perfect game-day snack.
Slider Ingredients
Find a complete list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Meatballs – Try this homemade meatball, use store-bought from the freezer section, or you can find premade fresh meatballs from your local butcher.
- Marinara Sauce – Any marinara sauce brand is good, or you can find my homemade easy marinara sauce here.
- Hawaiian Dinner Rolls – These sweet Hawaiian rolls are perfect for meatball sliders.
How To Make Meatball Sliders
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Add cooked meatballs to a saucepan with marinara sauce. Heat over low heat until the meatballs are warmed through.
Step 3: Slice the rolls lengthwise and layer the bottom half of the bun into a baking dish or onto a baking sheet. Using a spoon, make a dent in the middle of each roll. This will give the meatballs a place to sit.
Step 4: Top each bun with a meatball, a spoonful of sauce, and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Add the top of the bun onto each slider.
Step 5: Mix melted butter, garlic powder, and oregano in a small bowl.
Step 6: Spread the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Bake covered for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top of the bun is golden brown.
Step 7: Serve immediately!
Kitchen supplies to make meatball sliders
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → How to make meatballs from scratch
If you want to make Italian Meatballs from scratch, check out my recipe here.
They are delicious paired with both my spicy spaghetti arrabbiata and my classic homemade marinara sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Use all beef, all pork, or any other ground meat to make the meatballs.
- Change up the cheese and use provolone, cheddar, gouda, or whatever you have on hand.
- Try brioche buns instead of the Hawaiian dinner rolls.
- Instead of mozzarella cheese, use freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Season the meatballs with Mexican spices instead of Italian for a taco slider.
- Make a BBQ-seasoned meatball and substitute BBQ sauce for the marinara.
- Make vegetarian sliders using plant-based meatballs. If you want to make the dish vegan, use non-dairy cheese.
What to serve with meatball sliders
For me, we either serve these hearty sliders with other appetizers like mozzarella cheese sticks, artichoke hearts, or cucumber dip, or we pair the sliders with a green salad like my wedge salad or pear salad.
However you decide to serve the sliders, you’re going to want to make this one on repeat!
FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen meatballs to make sliders. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before assembling the sliders.
Hawaiian dinner rolls’ sweet flavor and soft texture complement the meatballs well, but you can also use a hoagie roll, or even a hamburger bun would work.
You can cook the meatballs beforehand, but it is best to assemble and bake the sliders right before serving so the bread does not get soggy.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Allow the sliders to come to room temperature, and then store leftover sliders in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They reheat really well in an air fryer.
Freezer: It’s best to freeze the sliders in separate containers. Add meatballs, marinara and bread to separate zipper bags and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Pull them from the freezer the night before and assemble them when ready to serve.
To reheat: Place sliders in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to reheat.
Tips
- Homemade meatballs taste best, but you can always use grocery store meatballs to save time.
- Your favorite slider buns or dinner rolls will work well if you can’t find Hawaiian buns.
- Line your casserole dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Make sure the meatballs are the same size so they cook up at the same pace.
More game-day snacks
- Cream Cheese Cucumber Dip
- Crab Rangoon Eggrolls
- The Best Honey Bourbon Meatballs
- Hot Taco Dip With Cottage Cheese
- Jalapeno Popper Pigs In A Blanket With Cream Cheese
Baked Italian Meatballs
Equipment
- Glass Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
- 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 pound Ground Pork
- 1/2 pound Ground Beef
- 3 cups Marinara Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.3 cups Marinara Sauce
- Add milk, egg, finely diced onion, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the ingredients are incorporated. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.1/4 cup Milk, 1 Egg, 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion, 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, 2 cloves Minced Garlic, 3/4 teaspoon Salt, 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Add pork and ground beef to the breadcrumb mixture. Use a cookie scoop to divide the meat mixture into 12 even portions and form each portion into a ball. Place the meatballs on a greased or parchment paper lined sheet pan in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes, turning the meatballs halfway through the cooking process.1/2 pound Ground Pork, 1/2 pound Ground Beef
- Step 4: Add meatballs to a saucepan with the marinara sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce is heated through.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and grated parmesan cheese if you like, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Ensure the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees f with an instant-read thermometer.
- If you don’t have any cookie sheets, you can bake the meatballs in a baking dish.
- Drizzle olive oil on the cookie sheet to ensure your meatballs bake with a crisp exterior.
