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Meatball Sliders

Meatball Sliders

  • Makes: 40 sliders  
  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours 

Ingredients

Sauce:

1 tbsp15 mL olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp1 mL hot red pepper flakes, optional

2 cans28 oz/796 mL whole tomatoes, with juices, pureed

Meatballs:

3 cups750 mL coarse fresh bread crumbs (6 slices sandwich bread)

2/3 cup150 mL Carnation® Regular, 2% or Fat Free Evaporated Milk

2 lbs1 kg lean ground beef

1 cup250 mL grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp30 mL Dijon mustard

2 eggs

20 small soft dinner rolls, split and cut in half horizontally

Directions

  Sauce:

  1 Heat oil in a large, deep non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add next 5 ingredients and cook gently for 5-8 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.

  Meatballs:

  2 While the sauce is cooking stir together breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and let sit 10 minutes. Add meat, cheese, mustard and eggs. Blend until combined. Shape into 40 balls (about the size of golf balls). Gently add meatballs to thickened sauce. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 1 hour, or until meatballs are cooked. Stir occasionally to coat with sauce.

  Assembly:

  3 Assemble sliders with a meatball and 1 tbsp (15mL) sauce per bun, securing each with a pick.

Tip(s)

To make fresh bread crumbs place bread in food processor or blender. Pulse on/off until you have crumbs. Don not over process.


Make the sauce and meatballs ahead and freeze. Defrost and heat up before your party.


All you will have to do is assemble the sandwiches.


Serve the meatballs and sauce as a main course with rice or pasta.


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