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An overhead shot of 12 baked meatball sliders on a parchment-lined pan on a grey surface. One of the sliders is being pulled from the remaining slab of sandwiches. A striped white and red cloth sits alongside it.

Pull-Apart Meatball Sliders with Herbed Ricotta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 sliders 1x
  • Category: Sandwiches & Burgers, Meatball Recipes, Snacks and Appetizers
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italin-American

Description

Whether you’re hosting game day, a holiday party, or a casual family dinner, these Cheesy Pull-Apart Meatball Sliders are the ultimate crowd-pleaser!

Soft Hawaiian rolls are stuffed with creamy herbed ricotta, tomato sauce, melty mozzarella, and juicy meatballs—use store-bought, frozen, or homemade meatballs to suit your needs—and baked until golden and bubbly.

Perfect for grabbing, tearing, and sharing, these mini meatball subs are easy to make and impossible to resist!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 prepared meatballs of choice (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 cup Simple Tomato Sauce or jarred marinara sauce of choice, plus extra for serving
  • 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls or pull-apart dinner rolls of choice
  • herbed ricotta cheese (below)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

for the herbed ricotta cheese:

  • ¾ cup ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup finely chopped leafy fresh herbs (e.g. basil, parsley, oregano, etc.)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F, positioning a rack in the upper third. Prepare the meatballs according to your recipe or package directions. Once cooked, transfer the meatballs to a medium saucepan with the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat to keep warm.An overhead shot of meatballs in marinara sauce in a large saucepan atop a grey textured surface.
  2. Prepare the herbed ricotta cheese: In a bowl, combine all listed ingredients. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper as desired. Mix well. Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.An overhead shot of herbed ricotta cheese in a glass bowl atop a grey textured surface. Dishes of salt, pepper, parmesan and garlic powder sit alongside the bowl.
  3. Hollow out the rolls: Place the Hawaiian sweet rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a paring knife, hollow out each roll to create a cavity about 1½-2 inches in diameter, leaving the bottoms intact. Set aside.An overhead shot of a slab of Hawaiian rolls, 7 of them with the top scooped out, on a parchment-lined sheet pan on a grey textured surface.
  4. Assemble the meatball sliders: Spread about 1 tablespoon of herbed ricotta into each hollowed-out roll. Place a meatball in each cavity, top with a spoonful of tomato sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.An overhead shot of several assembled and partially assembled meatball subs on a parchment-lined pan atop a grey textured surface.
  5. Bake the meatball sliders: Transfer the sliders to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden and toasty. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.An overhead shot of a pan of meatball subs topped with melted mozzarella cheese atop a grey textured surface.
  6. Serve: Carefully transfer the sliders to a platter and serve immediately with extra tomato sauce for dipping. Enjoy!An overhead shot of 12 baked meatball sliders on a parchment-lined pan on a grey surface. One of the sliders is being pulled from the remaining slab of sandwiches. The tray is surrounded by dishes of parmesan cheese and marinara sauce and a glass of beer.

Equipment

Notes

  • Best meatballs to use: I love using my Italian-Style Beef and Pork Meatballs or my Easy Baked Chicken Meatballs for these meatball sliders. That said, feel free to use any meatballs you like best—store-bought, frozen, or homemade. Just make sure they’re about 1½-2 inches in diameter so they fit nicely in the rolls.
  • Storage and Reheating: Leftover meatball sliders will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the sliders on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, until heated through. You can microwave individual sliders in 30-second intervals, though the bread may lose some crispness.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/meatball-sliders/