Pizza just got even better!
Homemade pizza is a delicious family favorite, but it’s kind of a pain to make. It’s really the dough that’s the problem. You have to mix it up, knead it, then put it in a bowl and let it rise for a couple of hours before it’s ready to go into the pan.
So basically, if you want to have pizza for dinner, you have to get it started in the middle of the afternoon. Who can plan that far ahead?
These Easy Pepperoni Pizza Sliders are the solution. There’s no need to mess with dough, because it’s served on a base of ready-made tray buns. You just cut the whole tray in half horizontally – keeping all the buns attached – and you’ve got your “crust” all laid out, ready to be topped with sauce and cheese and all your favorite fixings.
For this batch of Pizza Sliders, I used pepperoni and pickled pepper rings, which my family loves. But you don’t have to limit yourself to that. If you love your pizza with onions and peppers, or olives, or even anchovies, go ahead and add them.
Once you’ve got all your toppings in place, slide the top half of the buns right on top. I like to brush them with melted butter, Parmesan, and Italian seasonings, so it’s like having a loaf of garlic bread along with your pizza. Except instead of being separate, it’s baked right in.
Then all you have to do is pop them in the oven and let the cheese melt. When they’re done, slice them up and dish them out. As a bonus, the little hand-sized sliders are a lot easier to slice and serve neatly than a big pizza pie.
Ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Dinner Rolls or Hawaiian Sweet Rolls: These rolls serve as the base for the pizza sliders. Dinner rolls are soft and fluffy, while Hawaiian sweet rolls have a slightly sweet flavor, adding a unique twist to the sliders.
- Pizza Sauce: Pizza sauce is a tomato-based sauce seasoned with herbs and spices. It adds the characteristic pizza flavor to the sliders.
- Pepperoni Slices: Pepperoni is a type of salami, known for its slightly smoky and spicy flavor. It’s a popular pizza topping and adds a meaty texture to the sliders.
- Pickled Pepper Rings: These can be hot and spicy or just pickled, depending on preference. They add a tangy and spicy kick to the sliders, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is a mild and creamy cheese that melts well, making it a favorite for pizza and sliders. It adds a gooey texture and cheesy flavor to the dish.
- Melted Butter: It adds a subtle garlic flavor to the sliders, complementing the other ingredients. We’ll be mixing this in with the melted butter to make a garlic butter!
- Garlic Powder: It adds a subtle garlic flavor to the sliders, complementing the other ingredients.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan is a hard, aged cheese with a sharp and savory flavor. It’s sprinkled on top of the sliders for an extra layer of cheesiness and a slightly crispy texture.
- Sprinkling Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a blend of dried herbs, typically including oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary. It adds a herby flavor to the sliders, reminiscent of traditional Italian pizza.
Yes, feel free to customize your pizza sliders with your favorite pizza toppings. Some popular additions include sliced olives, diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or cooked sausage. Any of your favorite pizza flavors will work!
You can assemble the sliders ahead of time and store them covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply bake them according to the recipe instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed.
This Pepperoni Pizza Sliders Recipe make for either an easy appetizer for a party or game day…. or light dinner. If you are serving these as dinner, you can pair them with a big green salad.
You sure can! Either will work out great. So grab your favorite jar of pizza or marinara sauce for this easy meal. You can also use a homemade pizza sauce or marinara sauce if you have one.
Easy Pizza Sliders
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tray buns in half horizontally, while keeping them all connected.
- Spread the pizza sauce on the top of the bottom half of the buns.(At this point, it would be a good idea to place the buns in a slightly greased or cooking sprayed 9 x 13 pan)
- Layer on the slices of pepperoni so they cover the entire surface of the buns. Layer on the pepper rings.
- Layer on the mozzarella cheese. Replace the top section of the buns.
- Mix the butter, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning together. Brush over the top of the rolls, getting into the nooks and crannies of the buns.
- Bake for approximately 10 – 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
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Pizza Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 12- pack of dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce
- 35 pieces pepperoni slices
- as desired pickled pepper rings hot and spicy or just pickled
- 2 cups mozzarella shredded
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- sprinkling Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tray buns in half horizontally, while keeping them all connected.
- Spread the pizza sauce on the top of the bottom half of the buns
- (at this point, it would be a good idea to place the buns in a slightly greased or sprayed 9 x 13 pan)
- Layer on the pepperoni pieces so they cover the entire surface of the buns. Layer on the pepper rings.
- Layer on the mozzarella cheese. Replace the top section of the buns
- Mix the butter, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning together. Brush over the tops of the buns, getting into the nooks and crannies of the buns.
- Bake for approximately 10 – 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Video
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Jackie Chapman says
Love your slider recipes. I freeze the leftover sliders that my husband and I don’t eat and take them out for another meal on a day I don’t want to cook. We are senior citizens.
Ashley says
What side would you pair with this for dinner?
Corey says
I would serve it with a big beautiful salad 🙂