Cheesy and delicious Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sliders are perfect for entertaining a crowd on game day or during the busy holiday season.
Warm and toasty Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sliders are perfectly portioned versions of the classic meatball sandwich– only stuffed with more cheese! Everyone will go wild for these perfectly seasoned turkey meatballs stuffed with melty mozzarella cheese and served in a saucy, cheesy slider bun.
THE STAR OF THE PARTY
These Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sliders are seriously perfect for hosting because they’re the perfect-sized bite to satisfy your hunger, but not leave you stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey! I always make these warm and melty sliders in the fall when football season starts back up and they usually make an appearance at my winter festivities too!
If you want more crowd-pleasing finger foods then you need to try Chicken Parmesan Sliders or Crack Chicken Sliders.
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH MOZZARELLA MEATBALL SLIDERS
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges – These easy-to-make potato wedges are perfect for entertaining a crowd.
- Grandma’s Potato Salad – Creamy and cool potato salad is a perfect side for this mozzarella meatball slider.
- Dill Pickle Dip – This surprisingly tasty dip is always a hit at the snack table!
INGREDIENTS
Meatball Mix-ins: These meatballs are made with Italian seasoned ground turkey mixed with parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper, oregano, parsley, and an egg.
Cheese: You’ll need 1-inch cubes of mozzarella cheese to stuff the meatballs. I like to use string cheese because it’s so easy. Grab ten sticks. They’re about 3 inches long, so you’ll get three pieces per stick for a total of 30 pieces. You’ll also need slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese to finish each meatball slider.
Buns: You can use whichever slider buns you like. Sweet Hawaiian rolls are usually a favorite for sliders, but I find that dinner rolls or regular/butter slider buns pair better with the Italian flavors.
Marinara: Use your favorite marinara sauce to dress these meatballs. It can be homemade or store-bought, whichever you prefer. When I’m in the mood for homemade, I make this 15-minute spaghetti sauce without the ground beef.
HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL SLIDERS
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grab a large bowl and add the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and the beaten egg and then mix that all together. Then add the Italian seasoned ground turkey to the bowl and mix everything together, but don’t overmix.
STEP TWO: To form meatballs, scoop two tablespoons of meat and form it into a ball. Next, push a cube of mozzarella cheese into the center of each meatball and reshape it into a ball, sealing the cheese in the center.
STEP THREE: Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place half of the meatballs into the skillet and cook the meatballs until they are browned on all sides, turning them as needed. Repeat with the other half of the oil and meatballs and then drain any excess grease. Add all the meatballs back to the skillet and pour in half of the marinara. Then stir to coat the meatballs.
STEP FOUR: Place the bottom half of the slider buns into a 9×13 baking dish or on a large baking sheet. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of marinara on each bun. Add 1 meatball on each bun and place 2-quarter pieces of mozzarella on top of the meatball. Then place the top of the buns over the meatballs. Brush the buns with melted butter and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
STEP FIVE: Bake the sliders for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the buns are golden brown. Carefully take them out of the oven and serve warm.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- When making meatballs, be sure not to overwork and overmix the meat mixture. This can cause the turkey to get tough instead of staying tender once cooked.
- If you want your sliders to be extra saucy, go for it. You can coat the meatballs in extra marinara sauce once they’re on the buns.
CAN I MAKE STUFFED MEATBALL SLIDERS AHEAD OF TIME?
Though you definitely don’t want to assemble these sliders in advance, you can make the meatballs ahead of time! Once the meatballs are cooked and cooled, place them into an airtight container and store them in the freezer. When ready to reheat, place the meatballs on a baking sheet in a single layer and cover them with foil. Reheat the meatballs at 300 degrees F until fully heated through.
HOW LONG ARE COOKED MEATBALLS GOOD FOR?
Whether you store leftover meatballs in sauce or not, they will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the meatballs are stored in sauce, you can reheat them in the sauce directly on the stovetop. If they were stored without sauce, I recommend reheating them in the oven at 300 degrees F. Spread them into a single layer on a baking sheet and cover them with foil to prevent them from drying out. To make them last longer, you can always freeze your meatballs for up to 2 months.
OTHER FAN FAVORITE SLIDERS
- Roast Beef and Horseradish Cheddar Baked Sliders
- Baked Jalapeno Popper Chicken Sliders
- Mini Chili Cheese Dog Bake
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Baked Reuben Sliders
- Baked Club Sliders
*This post was originally posted on 01/20/2014.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 1.25 pound Italian seasoned ground turkey (see note)
- 10 sticks string cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Sliders
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 30 slider rolls
- 15 slices mozzarella cheese cut into quarters
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- Italian seasoning for garnish
- Garlic powder for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg. Add the ground turkey to the bowl and mix everything until combined. (Don't overmix.)
- Using a measuring spoon, portion the turkey mixture into 2 tablespoons scoops. Holding the scoop of turkey in your hand and press a mozzarella cube into the center. Then use your hands to wrap the turkey around the cheese (sealing it inside) and form a meatball.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in half of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place some meatballs in the skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, turning the meatballs as needed. (You will need to cook in batches so the skillet is not overcrowded. Add more oil to the skillet before the second round.)
- Take the skillet off the heat andy drain any excess grease. Add all the meatballs to the skillet and then pour in half of the marinara sauce. Stir to coat the meatballs in sauce.
- Place the bottom half of the slider rolls into a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish or large baking sheet. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of marinara on the bottom of each bun, please one meatball on each bun, and then top with 2 quarter pieces of mozzarella.
- Place the top half of the slider rolls over the filling. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and then sprinkle with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the rolls are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
- If you can’t find pre-seasoned ground turkey, add 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to the turkey mixture.
- Once the meatballs are cooked you can cool them and then store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container for later.
Sheila Clark says
GREAT FINGER FOODS FOR NASCAR RACES!
Mikasha says
I’m making these tonight!!
nettie moore says
Looks perfect for our football parties! Nettie
admin says
Thanks Nettie!
Teri Block says
These look yummy, I found my dish to make for the Super Bowl party! Think I’ll flatten them a bit so they stay on the rolls better, will make for easier traveling! Haven’t made them yet, but giving 5 stars, what’s not to love 🙂
admin says
Thanks Terri! 🙂
Sylvia says
My husband loves the typical hamburger slider, but I think this meatball slider is right up my alley. I’d go for almost anything with Italian flavors. I think I will be making these for Superbowl.