Remember the jerk meatballs I made?! Well… introducing… my jerk meatball sliders. Tender, juicy jerk meatballs paired with pepper jack cheese, and a refreshing mango salsa. Sandwiched between buttery brioche slider rolls.
These sliders are such a great game day, party appetizer or weeknight meal. Anytime really. Simple ingredients, but bold in flavor.
Let’s get into the deets…
I’m a huge fan of St. Pierre Brioche rolls. They’re soft yet sturdy. Buttered, and just the perfect roll. Oh and they’re gorgeous. haha I’m not sure if I can refer to rolls as gorgeous but look at how beautiful they are. Literally perfect. *Chef’s kiss* They soak up all the delicious BBQ glaze without getting soggy. For this recipe, I highly suggest a sturdier roll because of the saucy meatballs and the mango salsa.
The recipe has a few steps but is so worth it. You can cut the time in half by prepping the meatballs and salsa in advance if you wish.
The recipe starts with my juicy, tender jerk meatballs. I paired them with a fresh mango salsa with mango, jalapeño, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper and Tajín. I sliced the slider rolls in half, added some of the glaze from the meatballs, sliced pepper jack cheese and the meatballs. Brushed with butter and baked until the cheese was melted and bubbly. Once the rolls cool a bit, I add the mango salsa on top of the melted cheese and served them up.
What you’ll need
Slider Buns- I highly recommend St. Pierre brioche slider rolls.
Jerk Meatballs- you can find the recipe for these meatballs here.
Mango- I love fruity salsa. They’re the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and acidic. So flavorful and paired great with the jerk meatballs. Feel free to try pineapple.
Cilantro- diced.
Jalapeño- Adds the perfect amount of heat. Deseed the jalapeño if you want the salsa to be mild.
Red Onion- I love the color and flavor red onion brings to salsa.
Lime- fresh is best.
Salt, Pepper & Tajín- this trio adds the perfect amount of seasoning to this fruity salsa.
Pepper Jack Cheese- if you don’t like spicy, Monterey jack would be a good alternative or provolone.
How to store?
I would recommend storing everything separately. So that the buns don’t get soggy. It doesn’t take much effort to assemble the sliders as you go. Store the mango salsa and meatballs in an airtight container up to 3-4 days. “IF” they last that long haha!
Looking for more delicious game day snacks?
Rangoon
Spinach Dip Chicken Sliders
Chili Garlic Oil Wings
Air Fried Mango Habanero Wings
Jerk BBQ Meatball Sliders
Ingredients
- Slider Buns
- meatballs
- 2-4 slices pepper jack cheese
- melted butter or oil for brushing the top of rolls
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp green seasoning optional
- 2 tsp jerk seasoning
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 yellow onion diced finely
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 green onions minced
BBQ Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tsp jerk seasoning
Mango Salsa
- 1 mango peeled and diced
- 1/2 jalapeño diced (deseeded if you don't want it too hot)
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 red onion diced
- salt+ pepper to taste
- Tajín to taste
- 1 lime juiced
- Chipotle garlic seasoning optional
Instructions
Jerk Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, jerk seasoning, green seasoning, diced onions, bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, chicken bouillon, and 1 egg. Mix until just combined. Coat hands with oil, and roll meat mixture into balls. The mix will be sticky.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sear meatballs on all sides until browned. Reduce heat to medium low, cover the pan with a lid and cook until the meatballs are cooked through. About 8-10 minutes. (with an internal temp of 165) Tossing/ flipping occasionally.
- To make the BBQ glaze- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, bbq sauce, honey, pineapple juice, jerk seasoning, and garlic. Mix well. Once the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat and allow to simmer until it thickens slightly
- Add meatballs to the sauce and shake/ toss until the meatballs are fully coated. OR pour sauce over the meatballs until fully coated.
Salsa
- In a bowl, mix diced mango, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and fresh lime juice. season with salt, pepper and Tajín to taste. Toss well.
To Assemble
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- While the oven preheats, cut the slider rolls in half through the middle and place the bottom half on a baking sheet. Spoon a layer of BBQ glaze from the meatballs to the bottom half. Add a layer of pepper jack cheese, the meatballs to each roll, then more cheese (if desired).
- Place the top layer of the slider rolls on top and brush with melted butter or oil. Cover the sliders in foil and pop in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before adding the mango salsa. Use a knife to separate the sliders. Enjoy!
Did you make it?
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