These easy banh mi sliders are the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and sour goodness that’s delivered inside a warm toasty piece of bread.  I wanted to create an easy version that would be quick to assemble and great as an appetizer or finger food.  These were made for a birthday party last weekend to try on unsuspecting guests.   They are simple to make, tasty and the right size for serving at any gathering.  For example, that upcoming Super Bowl Party you might be planning next month.

Ingredients

2 bags of party rolls (24 count each)

48 fully cooked frozen meatballs

½ medium onion chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tbs oil

2 tbs sweet soy sauce (you can substitute with equal parts regular soy sauce and brown sugar)

1 tbs fish sauce

¼ cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped

mayonnaise

pickled shredded carrots (recipe below)

Directions

For the pickled carrots:

1 cup shredded carrots (about 2-3 carrots)

¼ cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

½ cup water

Stir sugar, water, and vinegar together until sugar is dissolved.  Add carrots and let soak at least one hour before using.

For the Meatballs:

Heat oil in skillet on high and add the garlic and onion.  Stir until lightly browned.

Add the sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and water into the skillet and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Reduce the temperature to medium and throw in the frozen meatballs.  They don’t look like much now.

But cover them with a lid and stir occasionally for 30 mins and they will transform into deliciously glazed nuggets.

To assemble the banh mi sliders, cut the rolls through the middle but leave a small hinge (kind of like a hot dog bun).  Spread mayonnaise on the top and bottom inside of the roll.  Add a slice of cucumber, a meatball and top with the pickled carrots and cilantro.  Once all the sliders are assembled, place in the oven and broil at 475 degrees F until the top is crusty and golden brown.  Serve immediately.