Some of you may or may not already know this but many years ago I wrote a cookbook all about sliders and to this day I’m still obsessed with them. Throughout the years I’ve shared many a slider recipe on the blog with some of my personal favorites being these fried zucchini sliders and of course these pot roast sliders. Today I’m taking it back to the days of when I was testing recipes for the book and decided to share a favorite that unfortunately had to be cut. These Pizza Sliders are basically a pepperoni pizza in between a garlicky parmesan bun and I tell you, they’re amazing.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1/4 cup parmesan, parsley, oregano, basil, fennel, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Divide into twelve even portions and then shape into patties about 1/2-inch thick. Place on a plate and set aside.
**Note: The fennel seed isn’t totally necessary but I like to add it because it gives the slider patties a bit of an Italian sausage taste. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to leave it out.**
Grill the patties on a stovetop grill pan until charred and cooked through. You’ll have to do it in batches. Then top with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices. Bake until the cheese has melted slightly, about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Place slider buns on a baking sheet and brush liberally with the garlic butter. Sprinkle the tops with plenty of the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.
To assemble, split open the buns and spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce onto the bottom bun. Place a patty on each and top with another tablespoon of sauce. Place top bun on and they’re ready to serve.
I love these because you can switch them up a bit by adding sautéed veggies like mushrooms, onions and bell peppers to give it that supreme pizza taste! Feel free to use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef if you’d prefer.
These are great warm obviously because of the melted cheese, but if you’re making these for a party, they would be just as delicious if they were served at room temperature as well.
Give these a try soon because I promise you, they’ll become an instant favorite. They’re fun, easy to make and super delicious. Let me know what you think below and as always, thank you so much for reading and following along.
Pizza Sliders
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Grill Pan
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef 85/15 is ideal
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes divided
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 12 slider buns
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- 36 slices pepperoni
- 1 cup pizza sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1/4 cup parmesan, parsley, oregano, basil, fennel, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Divide into twelve even portions and then shape into patties about 1/2-inch thick. Place on a plate and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Set a grill pan over moderate heat.
- Once the grill is hot, grease with cooking spray or brush with oil. Grill the patties, a few at a time, until charred and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and continue grilling the rest.
- In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Place slider buns on a baking sheet and brush liberally with the garlic butter. Sprinkle the tops with plenty of the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Top the grilled patties with a slice of cheese and three pepperoni slices each. Bake until the cheese has melted slightly, about 10 minutes.
- To assemble, split open the buns and spoon about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce onto the bottom bun. Place a patty on each and top with another tablespoon of sauce. Place top bun on and they're ready to serve. Enjoy!
great idea for a slider, love the mash-up of burgers and pizza, thank you!