2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
3 tablespoons prepared pesto
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce
1 package (18 ounces) Hawaiian sweet rolls
12 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or shredded Italian cheese blend
Minced fresh basil
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, pesto and egg; mix lightly. Shape into 12 meatballs; place on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until browned and a thermometer reads 160°, about 35 minutes. Toss meatballs with sauce; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, without separating rolls, cut horizontally in half; arrange bottom halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Place half the cheese slices over roll bottoms; sprinkle with oregano. Add meatballs and sauce. Top with remaining cheese slices and bun tops.
3. Combine butter, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes; brush over buns. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
4. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle with basil before serving.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1 hour Bake: 30 min.
YIELD: 12 servings.
These meatball sliders are a fun way to serve meatballs at your party without using a slow cooker. Made on mini Hawaiian rolls, they have a hint of sweetness to balance out all the wonderful Italian seasonings.
Nutrition Facts
1 slider: 514 calories, 25g fat (12g saturated fat), 120mg cholesterol, 856mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 3g fiber), 33g protein.