Tender meatballs and cranberry sauce in slider buns, topped with melted cheese, ideal for holidays or parties.
# Components:
→ Meatball Preparation
01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/4 cup milk
→ Cranberry Sauce
10 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
11 - 1/4 cup orange juice
12 - 1/3 cup sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon orange zest
14 - 1 pinch salt
→ Assembly
15 - 12 slider buns
16 - 6 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese, halved
17 - 1 tablespoon butter, melted
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, parsley, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and milk. Mix gently until just incorporated.
03 - Shape mixture into 12 equal meatballs and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and salt. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and sauce thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Slice slider buns horizontally and place bottoms in a baking dish. Position one meatball on each bun, spoon over warm cranberry sauce, and place half a cheese slice atop each meatball.
06 - Cover with bun tops. Brush melted butter over buns and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
07 - Bake assembled sliders in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted and buns are golden. Serve warm.
