Easy Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders are a delicious and easy-to-make party appetizer or quick meal. These sliders use sweet Hawaiian rolls as the base, adding a soft and slightly sweet contrast to the savory filling of meatballs, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese! Topped with seasoned butter and parmesan – they are the best!

Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

My family loves sliders. Specifically, we’ve mostly made ham and cheese sliders for parties, an easy weeknight dinner, or even church potlucks for years. Then a few months ago, one of my boys asked if we could make “meatball subs” like they have at Subway.

When tossing around the idea, it hit me… make them as sliders! Meatball Sub Sliders! And since I had King’s Hawaiian Rolls already on hand, we rolled with it and made Meatball Hawaiian Roll Sliders.

I realized after the fact that my idea was not original – but that’s okay. meatball sliders on Hawaiian rolls are delicious nonetheless and my kids declared this recipe a winner! 

Video

Why You’ll Love Pull Apart Meatball Sliders

Crowd Pleaser. Meatball Sliders are a hit at gatherings, offering a balance of sweet, savory, and cheesy flavors in every bite! They are a great appetizer or main dish! My favorite way to serve them? They are a great party appetizer or the perfect game day snack!

Only 3 Main Ingredients! There are only three main ingredients for Hawaiian Rolls Meatballs Sliders that are very versatile. Here’s an overview:

• Hawaiian Rolls: Hawaiian rolls are soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet, ideal for mini sandwiches.
• Meatballs: Juicy, flavorful meatballs (homemade meatballs or store-bought) are used. Beef, pork, chicken, or turkey meatballs will all work for this recipe.
• Cheese: A layer of melted cheese, such as mozzarella, provolone, or cheddar, is added for gooeyness. Top with Parmesan cheese for an extra punch of flavor.

Ready in 25 minutes or less. Meatball Hawaiian rolls come together really quickly – with only a few minutes of prep and a short cook time, these little sandwiches are  perfect for a busy weeknight or quick party food for the big game!

Tools Needed

This Easy Meatball Sliders recipe only requires a few common kitchen tools.

• Large Sheet Pan or Baking Dish
• Small Bowl
• Spoon
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

These simple ingredients for Hawaiian Roll Sliders can be found at any local grocery store.

Hawaiian Rolls. I usually buy the brand-name Hawaiian buns but I’ve bought store-brand and nobody in my house complained. If you don’t like the sweetness of soft Hawaiian rolls, you could use any dinner roll or slider buns that you do like.

Meatballs. I made meatball sliders with frozen meatballs (store-bought frozen Italian meatballs, specifically) for ease, but you could certainly use homemade meatballs if you like. I have a recipe for hearty meatballs made from ground beef here if you don’t already have a recipe you love.

Marinara Sauce. Again, I use a store-bought sauce for convenience but if you make your own marinara sauce, I’m sure it would be great in this meatball sliders recipe. You could also use spaghetti sauce or any other pasta sauce. Some even use barbecue sauce on their meatballs. The best sauce to use is your favorite sauce.

Mozzarella Cheese. To make my sliders similar to the meatball subs at Subway, I used sliced mozzarella, but you could also use American cheese, provolone cheese, or even cheddar cheese. 

Garlic Butter Topping

• Butter – salted butter is my preference
• Garlic Salt – if you want to cut the salt, you could use garlic powder
• Italian Seasoning – you could use some fresh basil and oregano or skill this altogether. 
• Parmesan Cheese

Find the complete recipe with ingredients measurements in the recipe card below.

Substitutions

You can change up meatball sliders Hawaiian rolls if you need to with some easy substitutions.

Meatballs. We really love frozen Italian meatballs but you could use any both variety of frozen meatballs or make them homemade for these Mini Meatball sliders.

Hawaiian Bread Rolls. Seriously… please try meatball sliders with Hawaiian rolls before you decide against them. But if you must, any other rolls would do.

Mozzarella. Provolone would be a great substitution for mozzarella.

Seasonings. I love the flavors of Italian Meatball Sliders with the Italian meatballs and Italian seasoning (plus garlic), but if you want different flavors, use your favorite seasoning.

How to Make Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders

These Italian Meatball Sliders are so easy to make and can be ready in half an hour or less!

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
2. Prepare the frozen meatballs according to the package directions until fully cooked and hot. The fastest way to do this is in the microwave. 
3. Cut the cooked meatballs in half.
4. Slice the Hawaiian sweet rolls in half lengthwise to create a top and bottom section.
5. Place the bottom half of the rolls into the prepared pan. Arrange the halved meatballs on the bottom buns (approximately three halved meatballs per bun section).
6. Spread the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Adjust the amount of marinara to your preference, using 1–2 cups total.
7. Lay cheese slices over the meatballs, ensuring they cover the entire bottom section of rolls.
8. Place the top half of the rolls over the cheese.
9. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. You could also do this in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
10. Add the garlic salt and Italian seasoning to the melted butter and whisk together.
11. Brush the top of the sliders generously with the garlic butter mixture.
12. Add shredded parmesan cheese to the tops of the rolls.
13. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the rolls are golden brown.
14. Serve warm, and enjoy these easy meatball sliders!

Pro Tips

• We love approximately two cups of marinara, but your family may like more or less.
• If you bake these in a baking dish, you will need to add a few minutes of time to the baking for best results.
• You can bake the siders on parchment paper instead of foil.
• I like to heat the meatballs in the microwave but you could also heat them in the oven or make air fryer meatballs. Another option is to heat the meatballs in the sauce and skip a step.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re making these homemade meatball sliders for the Super Bowl or another party, serve them with any other easy recipes and you’ll be set. Here are some of our favorites:

If you make meatball sliders as a dinner recipe, add a green salad or another side dish for a well-rounded meal. Here are some of our favorite sides:

Storage Directions

Refrigerator. Store leftover meatball sliders in an airtight container, wrapped I plastic wrap, or in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Having said that, the best way to enjoy these is to eat them the day they are cooked – right out of the oven. After storing them in the fridge, the bottom of the sliders tends to be soggy.

Reheating. If you have leftover sliders, reheat them in a 350°F oven until warmed all the way through.

More Amazing Appetizers

• The Ultimate Guide to Super Bowl Meatballs
• Sweet & Tangy Make Ahead Meatballs
• Hawaiian Rice Salad (Cold Brown Rice Salad with Chicken & Pineapple)
• Cold Veggie Pizza with Crescent Rolls (An Easy Appetizer)
• Cranberry BBQ Meatballs (made from scratch or from frozen!)
• 3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip (Quick & Easy)
• Cheesy Loaded Tater Tots (Totchos)