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These Hawaiian roll pizza sliders are the best party appetizer or weeknight pizza dinner! I love how quick and easy they are to make with fluffy, garlicky sweet rolls layered and baked with pizza sauce, melty cheese, and my favorite pizza toppings.
Put a fun twist on pizza night with more tasty appetizers like crispy air fryer pizza rolls, cheesy pizza monkey bread, and these fun slider sandwiches! For another easy recipe, try this crescent roll pizza.
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I’m a little obsessed with sliders. They’re such a versatile dish, whether I’m making breakfast sliders for the family on Christmas morning or a big batch of Philly cheesesteak sliders for a game day get-together. These pizza sliders are another favorite. Cheesy, saucy, loaded with pepperoni and Italian sausage, and brushed with warm garlic butter, these Hawaiian roll sliders are packed FULL of flavor.
Why I Love These Cheesy Pizza Sliders
- Loads of flavor. Pizza sliders are layer upon layer of tangy pizza sauce, juicy meats, and three types of cheese on top of sweet, fluffy rolls. You’ll fall in love with the melty cheese strings at first bite!
- Quick and easy. Sliders are quick and easy to assemble. They’re a great time-saving variation on homemade pizza that you can have ready for the oven in just a few minutes. It’s perfect on weeknights or whenever we entertain.
- Customizable. I fill these pizza sliders with pepperoni and Italian sausage (we’re meat lovers around here), but it’s easy to change up the toppings. Get inspired by more pizza recipes like my cheeseburger pizza and taco pizza. See further on for more topping ideas.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The best part about these pizza sliders is that you don’t need many ingredients, and there’s no need to fuss with preparing a homemade pizza crust (even though I love a classic pizza, too!). I’ve included some notes here. Scroll to the printable recipe card for a full list with amounts.
- Slider Buns – I recommend any type of soft rolls, like Hawaiian rolls or similar. Slider buns usually come in packs of 12. I like to use pull-apart-style rolls since they stay together while baking.
- Pizza Sauce – Choose your favorite jarred pizza sauce or marinara sauce from the store.
- Provolone Cheese – I like Provolone because it comes sliced, but sliced or shredded Mozzarella works, too.
- Toppings – Any pizza toppings you’d like! I make meat lovers’ pizza sliders with juicy Italian sausage and sliced pepperoni. See further in the post for more ideas.
- Cheddar Cheese – Or another type of shredded cheese, like Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Gouda.
- Garlic Butter – For brushing over the top of the sliders before baking. I season melted butter with garlic powder and Italian seasoning and sprinkle over grated Parmesan.
How to Make Pizza Sliders
These pizza sliders are the party-ready version of a pepperoni pizza grilled cheese, baked all in one baking dish. Here are the steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable recipe instructions.
- Prepare the bottom buns. First, use a bread knife to slice the slider rolls in half and arrange the bottom halves in a greased 13×9” casserole dish. Afterward, spread a layer of pizza sauce over the buns.
- Assemble. Next, layer over the Provolone slices, pepperoni, and crumbled sausage. Finally, top everything with shredded cheese. Spread pizza sauce over the other half of the buns and place that sauce-side-down over the sliders.
- Add the topping. Whisk your garlic powder and Italian seasoning into melted butter, and brush that over the rolls. Give the sliders a generous sprinkle with parmesan.
- Bake. Bake the sliders covered with foil for 25 minutes at 350ºF. Once the cheese is melted, remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more.
Recipe Tips
- Use the right cheese. In my opinion, the best kinds of cheese for pizza pull-apart rolls are Provolone, Mozzarella, and cheddar. These are mild, melty cheeses that go perfectly with pizza toppings. I also love a sprinkle of Parmesan on top of the rolls for extra flavor.
- Get the layering right. If you’re using different toppings, layer them after the pepperoni. Otherwise, leave the pepperoni off altogether if you’re using a different combination of toppings.
- Cover the sliders while they bake. Baking these sliders under foil melts the cheese without over-browning the tops of the rolls. Only take the foil off in the last few minutes.
More Pizza Topping Ideas
Just like a traditional pizza, there’s more than one way to dress these pizza sliders. You’ll want to pre-cook any raw meat toppings and veggies, then just pile them in with the sauce and cheese! These are just a few of my favorite topping ideas:
- Vegetarian. Sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, and leafy greens like spinach or kale. Also, check out the toppings on my roasted veggie pizza.
- Hawaiian. Make Hawaiian pizza sliders with leftover cooked ham and pineapple.
- Greek. Black olives, crumbled feta, and cherry tomatoes.
- Tex-Mex. Borrow the toppings from a Mexican pizza, like black beans, taco meat, jalapeños, and salsa.
- Buffalo chicken. Make a mash-up of spicy Buffalo chicken pizza and Hawaiian roll sliders.
What to Serve With Pizza Sliders
I serve our pizza sliders with a side of ranch dressing or extra marinara sauce for dipping. They’re a delicious party appetizer next to more easy snacks like boneless chicken wings, classic bacon-wrapped smokies, and boat dip paired with homemade tortilla chips or a platter of crudités. Pizza sliders are also a great alternative to our favorite takeout pizza on pizza night! We love them next to a basket of breadsticks and a family-style Caesar salad.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover pizza sliders in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. After that, I find the sauce makes the buns a bit soggy.
- Reheat. Warm the pizza sliders in a 350ºF oven, wrapped in foil, for 10-15 minutes or until they’re hot throughout. You could also enjoy leftovers cold (if cold pizza is your thing) or use an air fryer if you have one.
More Sliders Recipes
- Turkey Sliders
- Pulled Pork Sliders
- French Dip Sliders
- Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
Pizza Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 slider buns
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 4 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 9 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and drained
- 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Slice the slider buns in half and place the bottom half into the baking dish. Spread ½ cup of pizza sauce over the buns.
- Arrange the provolone cheese and sliced pepperoni over the sauce. Sprinkle Italian sausage over the pepperoni and spread it into an even layer. Top everything with shredded cheese.
- Spread the remaining pizza sauce on the other half of the buns, and carefully place over the cheese with the sauce side down.
- Combine the melted butter with Italian seasoning and garlic powder and brush over the top of the buns. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove and serve with more pizza sauce or ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
- Use any filling you like! I used pepperoni and sausage, but you can use mushrooms, black olives, ham and pineapple, bell peppers, etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
