So delicious, these Easy Italian Meatball Sliders are simple to put together and make ahead. Great as an appetizer or party food, everyone will love these mini burgers served on Hawaiian sweet rolls.

Easy Italian Meatball Sliders on a black plate with skewers in them

Make-ahead party foods are one of my favorite recipes to create. If you love to entertain, then these Easy Italian Meatball Sliders are the perfect recipe to have on hand.

More Make-Ahead Party Food

Easy Italian Meatballs Sliders are a great party food! Parties can be stressful to pull together, but simple and easy recipes like this make it so much more enjoyable.

three Easy Italian meatball sliders on a plate with a bamboo stick in them

Another one of my favorite make-ahead party foods is Pesto Tortellini Skewers. Talk about simple and delicious, these little skewers get a helping hand from store-bought pesto and are fun and easy to eat. Another great option are Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels. These tasty pinwheels are so easy to put together. Just refrigerate and cut before serving cold.

A tasty warm appetizer is Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip. This dip is great for parties because the entire appetizer is made in the slow cooker. Which means less mess and less fuss to put together. Serve with chips and veggies and you are all set.

If you love the idea of sliders, another great option is Ham and Cheese Sliders on King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Assemble ahead of time and bake before serving. And, if you love sliders, be sure to try these Antipasto Sliders!

Ina Garten’s Roasted Shrimp Cocktail is one appetizer I always serve at my parties. By roasting the shrimp you bring out the flavor much more than boiling. Also, the entire dish can be made-ahead… that’s why Ina’s the best!

Looking for sweets to serve a crowd? A great option are my Large Batch Cookie Bars which are easy to put together. Make up to two days in advance. Yum!

Easy Italian Meatball Sliders

When it comes to parties, whether you’re hosting five or 50 people, make-ahead and do ahead is essential! Check out how easy it is to prepare these Easy Italian Meatballs Sliders for your next party.

Easy Italian Meatball Slider on a white plate

First, prepare the meat. This is a simple recipe requiring only one pound of lean ground beef. Note that this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled with excellent results. Perfect if you’re feeding a crowd.

Add all of the slider ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine… clean hands usually work best for this!

meat mixture in a blue bowl

Depending on how much room you have or how make-ahead you want to be, you could just store the meat in the refrigerator at this point or roll into balls.

meat flattened on a greased baking sheet

It is a good idea to use a muffin scoop. This ensures equal-sized meatballs. Flatten them slightly to form a 1 ½ inch patty. If making now, bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Easy Italian meatball sliders on a foil-lined baking sheet with sauce a mozzarella on top

Add on about a tablespoon of marinara sauce and a slice of mozzarella. Next, return the sliders to the oven. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about two minutes.

Sandwich in slider rolls and hold in place with a bamboo skewer or long toothpick. Serve warm or at room temperature.

easy Italian meatball sliders

Easy Italian Meatball Sliders

Super easy and crowd pleasing party food appetizer! You just can’t go wrong with Meatball Sliders. 
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Servings: 10 sliders
Calories: 240kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (96% lean)
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, slices or shredded
  • 10 sweet rolls, cut in half (such as King’s Hawaiian)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, set aside. 
  • In a bowl, combine the meat, panko, egg, parmesan, parsley, ketchup, milk, and salt. Roll into 10 evenly-sized balls and place on baking sheet. Press down slightly to flatten to a 1 ½ inch thickness. Bake for 15 minutes. 
    small meat patties flattened.
  • Remove from oven and top with marinara sauce and a cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sandwich in buns and serve warm. 

Notes

Make-ahead tip: Prepare the meat and roll into balls up to a day in advance then bake before serving. You can also freeze the cooked meatballs and reheat before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal
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Easy Italian Meatball Sliders

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These sliders would be perfect for a Superbowl party or a birthday party!!! Love the idea of the ice cream scoop to make sure all the sliders are the same size!