cheesy stuffed meatball sliders

This is totally a boy food. Although, like many boy foods, girls secretly like them too. I love making these for David after Church on Sundays while he’s watching the Lions play.

Cheesy Stuffed Meatball Sliders
Makes 12 sliders

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
a pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup bacon bits
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, cubed
10 ounces red sauce
12 slider buns

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine ground beef, egg, olive oil, 6 ounces of the mozzarella, garlic, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, Panko, and bacon bits. Mix together with your hands. (I found this fun and child-like). From the mix, make 12 meatballs. Roll each into a round ball, then flatten it slightly to wrap one of the cubed cheeses around it.

Pour the jar of pasta sauce into a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes left of bake time, sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella on top of the meatballs. I bake the meatballs in two phases, doing six at a time.

Serve on slider buns with additional sauce, if desired. These are so yummy! Three usually fill me up. Below is an actual response of a satisfied customer after a Saturday morning of basketball.

Cheesy Stuffed Meatball Sliders

 

Print

Author: Rachel Schultz

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup bacon bits
• 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, cubed
• 10 ounces red sauce
• 12 slider buns

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine ground beef, egg, olive oil, 6 ounces of the mozzarella, garlic, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, Panko, and bacon bits. Mix together.
3. From the mix, make 12 meatballs. Roll each into a round ball, then flatten it slightly to wrap one of the cubed cheeses around it.
4. Pour the jar of pasta sauce into a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes left of bake time, sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella on top of the meatballs.
5. Serve on slider buns with additional sauce, if desired. T

3.2.1230

Modified from How Sweet It Is.