Description
These BBQ Turkey Meatball Sliders are an easy and healthy answer for busy nights when you need quick dinner ideas with plenty of flavor. Tender turkey meatballs bake until lightly browned then get coated in smoky barbecue sauce and tucked into soft slider rolls with melted cheese. This simple recipe is one of the best choices for weeknight dinner and meal prep while also fitting a holiday potluck or brunch party because every pull apart slider feels warm and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground turkey
- 1/2 cup Plain breadcrumbs
- 1 Large egg
- 1/4 cup Finely grated yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 cup Barbecue sauce
- 12 connected rolls Slider rolls
- 6 slices Sliced provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Dried parsley
Instructions
- Place the ground turkey with the breadcrumbs and egg and grated onion and garlic powder and smoked paprika and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Fold everything together until the crumbs and seasonings are distributed through the turkey. The mixture should change from separate ingredients into a moist speckled mixture with visible onion threads and uneven breadcrumb flecks. Stop mixing once it holds together so the meatballs remain tender.
- Divide the turkey mixture into twelve portions and shape each portion into a loose meatball. Arrange all twelve meatballs across a baking tray with irregular spacing so hot air can move around them. The loose mixture should now become twelve rounded structures with slightly uneven surfaces and small differences in shape. Avoid pressing them perfectly smooth because a light touch keeps the centers juicy.
- Bake the twelve meatballs until their surfaces become firm and lightly browned and their centers reach a safe cooked temperature. Turn several meatballs during cooking so new sides face the hot tray. The pale raw turkey should become opaque and lightly golden with darker caramelized patches around the lower edges. The meatballs may release a little juice and each one should retain a naturally irregular shape.
- Transfer the twelve browned meatballs into a saucepan and pour the barbecue sauce over them. Gently turn the meatballs until the sauce clings to every side while some browned patches remain visible. The dry browned surfaces should become glossy and deep reddish brown as the sauce warms and thickens. Let the meatballs shift toward the center while the sauce gathers in uneven pools around them.
- Slice the connected rolls through the middle and place the bottom half in a baking dish. Set one sauced meatball in each of the twelve roll sections and spoon small amounts of remaining sauce between them before layering six provolone slices over the top. The separate components should become a connected slider structure with the meatballs sitting unevenly in the rolls and the cheese overlapping across several sections. Replace the roll tops and brush them with butter before scattering dried parsley.
- Bake the assembled sliders until the provolone melts around the meatballs and the buttered roll tops turn lightly golden. Let the sliders rest briefly and then pull one portion away from the connected group. Place one slider on a white plate and cut it through the center so the juicy turkey meatball and glossy barbecue sauce and melted cheese are visible. The roll should look softly compressed with uneven browning and a little sauce escaping near the cut edge.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Grate the onion finely so it adds moisture throughout the turkey mixture without leaving large pieces that weaken the meatballs.
- Shape the meatballs with a light touch because tightly packed ground turkey can become dense and less juicy after baking.
- Use a thick barbecue sauce so it clings to the meatballs instead of soaking through the bottom of the slider rolls.
- Cover the sliders loosely during the first part of baking when the tops brown quickly and uncover them near the end.
Storage: Allow leftover sliders to cool before placing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate them within two hours and keep them chilled for up to three days. For the best texture reheat the sliders in a covered baking dish until the centers are hot. Uncover them during the final few minutes so the roll tops regain a little crispness. The cooked meatballs can be frozen separately for up to two months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and warm them with barbecue sauce before assembling fresh sliders. Fully assembled sliders can also be frozen although the rolls may become softer after thawing. Wrap individual portions tightly so you can reheat only the amount you need.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American