Game Day Pizza Sliders

Name: Game Day Pizza Sliders
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 2 packages Hawaiian sweet rolls; 6.4 oz pepperoni slices; 3/4 lb mozzarella cheese; 1.6 cups pizza sauce; 3/8 cup unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 7/8 tbsp dried oregano; 3/8 cup Parmesan cheese; 7/8 tsp red pepper flakes; 1.6 cups marinara sauce

Pepperoni slider buns with melted cheese for ten

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Hawaiian rolls are split, layered with pepperoni, mozzarella, and pizza sauce, then baked until the tops turn golden and cheese pulls in long strings. Brush with garlic butter and serve with extra marinara for dunking.

Why crews like it: Sliders feed a crowd without plates or forks. One sheet pan makes twenty bites, they reheat fast, and everyone knows exactly how to eat them without a briefing.

420Cal

18gProtein

42gCarbs

20gFat

Ingredients

2 packages Hawaiian sweet rolls
6.4 oz pepperoni slices
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese
1.6 cups pizza sauce
3/8 cup unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic cloves
7/8 tbsp dried oregano
3/8 cup Parmesan cheese
7/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1.6 cups marinara sauce

Instructions

Prep the roll base: Slice entire roll packages horizontally without separating individual rolls. Place bottom halves in two foil-lined 9x13 pans so they fit snugly side by side.
Layer the filling: Spread pizza sauce on bottom halves, then layer pepperoni and mozzarella evenly so every slider gets cheese and meat—not just the center pieces.
Cover and bake covered: Replace top halves, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until cheese melts and rolls soften into one connected block. Target oven/smoker temperature: 350°F.
Garlic butter finish: Mix melted butter with garlic, oregano, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Brush over tops and bake uncovered 8–10 minutes at 375°F until golden brown. Target oven/smoker temperature: 375°F.
Slice and serve hot: Rest 3 minutes, then slice along individual roll seams with a serrated knife. Serve with warm marinara for dunking while cheese is still stretchy.

Tonight's spread

Two pans of pizza sliders with warm marinara and a green salad.
Garlic knots or breadsticks from the store for extra carb coverage on long games.

Hall tips

Add a layer of cooked sausage crumbles if the crew wants meatier sliders.
Line pans with parchment plus foil so melted cheese releases cleanly.
Hold baked sliders covered at 200°F— they stay soft up to 45 minutes for late arrivals.

Meal prep

Assemble sliders in a foil-lined pan up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate. Add 5 minutes bake time from cold. Garlic butter can be melted and held warm in a squeeze bottle.

Leftovers

Reheat covered at 325°F until cheese remelts—good next-day lunch between shifts.
Cube and bake into a pizza bread pudding with eggs and more cheese.

Two 9x13 baking pans
Aluminum foil
Serrated knife
Basting brush
Mixing bowl