About this recipe

Juicy, tender mini meatballs simmered in a rich marinara sauce and piled into soft slider rolls with melted mozzarella — a crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly dinner that comes together in under an hour. Perfect for weeknight meals or casual get-togethers.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to ![400°F] and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, large egg, milk, garlic minced, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don't overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.

2. 2

   Roll the meat mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter (roughly 1 tablespoon each), and place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. You should get around 24 mini meatballs. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned on the outside.

3. 3

   While the meatballs bake, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, and white sugar (if using) in a large saucepan over ^[medium heat]. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Once the meatballs are done, add them directly to the sauce and let everything simmer together for 8–10 minutes so the meatballs absorb the flavors.

4. 4

   Split the slider rolls and place them open-faced on the baking sheet. Spoon 2 meatballs with sauce onto the bottom half of each roll. Top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven (or broiler on ^[high]) for 3–5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Close the rolls, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately.