Italian Sliders
Great for parties or game day, these Italian sliders are packed with flavor! They’re ready in under 30 minutes for an easy, crowd-pleasing bite.
Whenever we get a big group together, food is at the top of our planning list. We like to keep things easy with a big spread of dips and things you can nibble on without a knife and fork, like pigs in a blanket, ranch oyster crackers, and a selection of slider sandwiches.
These Italian sliders are great because they come together quickly, and you get all of the wonderful flavors of a sub sandwich in a party-friendly bite.
Spiced meats, melty cheese, and sweet Hawaiian rolls — what could be better?
Pair them with chicken bacon ranch sliders for watching the game, or whip them up for a fuss-free dinner option!
Ingredients for Italian sliders
Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Sweet Hawaiian rolls
- Sliced salami
- Large pepperoni slices
- Sliced ham
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Roasted red peppers
- Melted butter
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
There are many different varieties of salami, so use your favorite. Genoa salami is a classic with mild flavor. Hot soppressata or Calabrese are good options if you want things spicy!
Use your favorite Italian seasoning, or make your own Italian seasoning blend. You probably already have everything you need in the pantry, and you’ll save money.
Jarred roasted red peppers make things easy, but if you can’t find them, you can roast your own.
How to make this recipe
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grab a rimmed sheet pan or a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Both will work for this recipe. I like to use a sheet pan so it is easier to cut and serve the sliders; I recommend lining the pan with parchment or foil.
Use a bread knife or serrated knife to carefully cut the rolls horizontally through the middle so that you have a top half and bottom half. Set the top half aside and place the bottom half on your baking sheet or in the casserole dish.
Layer on the ingredients: Start with ham, then large pepperoni slices. Overlap the slices as needed to ensure the entire bread is covered.
Add sliced provolone, then salami. I like having the cheese in the middle, but you can arrange each layer how you prefer.
Top with sliced roasted red peppers. If you have pickier eaters among the group, you can use peppers on just half, but remember which half it is!
Whisk together the melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Brush half of the mixture onto the cut side of the top bread, then place the bread onto the stack.
Brush the remaining butter mixture over the top of the bread. You can use all of the butter on the outside, but having some on the inside adds more flavor and prevents the outside of the buns from getting too greasy.
Cover the sandwich lightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bread is browned.
Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe suggestions
These sliders are so easy to customize, so go ahead and mix things up!
Swap the red peppers for sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers. You can also add thinly sliced red onion.
Add a brushing of Italian dressing to the insides of the buns for more flavor.
Use mozzarella instead of provolone. Shredded low-moisture mozzarella will work best in these sandwiches.
Want to add more veggies? After baking, carefully remove the slider tops and add chopped iceberg lettuce dressed with a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Replace the tops, slice, and serve. You can always add the lettuce before baking, but I prefer keeping it crisp!
If you don’t like the sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls, you can use small dinner rolls or slider buns.
Serve these warm Italian sliders with a bowl of marinara sauce for dipping or enjoy alongside your other game day favorites!
Italian Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls
- 4 to 6 slices deli ham
- 9 large slices pepperoni
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 12 slices Genoa salami
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice the bread horizontally through the middle, creating a top and bottom half. Set the top half aside, and set the bottom half on a lined baking sheet or inside a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Layer on the ham, pepperoni, cheese, and salami, overlapping slices as needed to completely cover the bread. Scatter on roasted red pepper slices.
- Whisk together the melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Brush half of the mixture onto the cut side of the top bread.
- Place the top bread onto the sandwich, then brush the remaining butter over the top. (If you prefer, use all of the butter on top.)
- Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melty and bread is golden brown. Slice and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate based on online calculators and provided as a courtesy. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
