Saucy Meatball Sliders with Peppers and Onions

Delicious meatballs sliders with sautéed peppers and onions and gooey mozzarella cheese. Total crowd-pleasers. Makes 24 sliders.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: 24 sliders 1x

Ingredients

Scale

6 TBSP olive oil, divided

24 store-bought Italian style meatballs (from your grocer’s meat/pork section, not the frozen kind)

Salt and pepper, as needed

2 bell peppers (any color), sliced

1 large onion, half sliced and half diced

3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced

2 tsp dried oregano

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

24 Hawaiian rolls, split

16 oz. sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

For the Herby Garlic Oil

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried oregano

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust your rack to the middle position.
Add 2 TBSP of the oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides until nice and crusty; about 10 minutes total. Transfer the meatballs to a large baking sheet, cut them in half (see note) and set aside for now. Drain the drippings from the pan (no need to wipe it out).
Add another 2 TBSP olive oil to the skillet, followed by the sliced peppers and the sliced ½ onion. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until nice and tender; about 10 minutes. Transfer to the same baking sheet with the meatballs.
Add the remaining 2 TBSP olive oil to the pan, followed by the diced ½ onion. Saute for a few minutes, just until tender. Add the dried oregano and garlic and cook for one minute more, stirring. Add the crushed tomatoes and the sugar (this really helps mellow out their acidity) and add the meatballs back into the sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, over low heat for 30 minutes to allow the sauce to develop flavor and the meatballs to cook through.
To build the sliders, place the rolls on a large baking sheet(s) or large baking dish and pile some sautéed peppers and onions onto the bottom halves of each, followed by a slice of mozzarella (you can tear the cheese to fit your rolls, if needed). Top with a couple of meatball halves and a little sauce. Put the tops on each slider and brush with some of the herby garlic oil (see below).
Lay a piece of foil over the rolls as they bake to keep them from getting too brown. Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops are toasty and the cheese is melted (best part!). Serve with a bowl of the sauce on the side, for dunking.
To make the herby garlic oil, add the olive oil, garlic and onion powders, and dried oregano to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Allow it to heat for 5 minutes, so the flavors can bloom.

Notes

NOTE: Cutting the meatballs in half will help them cook through faster and will also help them lay still/flat once they’re on the rolls.

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2020/07/15/saucy-meatball-sliders-with-peppers-and-onions/