Back-to-school nights can get hectic fast, so dinner needs to be simple without feeling like another thrown-together meal. These School Night Smoked Pizza Sliders pack everything you love about pizza into buttery Hawaiian rolls that can go straight onto the smoker.
Each slider is layered with pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and crumbled Italian sausage before getting brushed with a garlic-Parmesan butter. A short trip through the smoker melts everything together while giving the rolls just enough wood-fired flavor to make them different from ordinary oven sliders.
These are also easy to customize. Leave a section pepperoni-only for the kids, add jalapeños for some heat, or pile on additional smoked meats if you have leftovers in the refrigerator. They are especially good with leftover smoked sausage, pulled pork, or chopped brisket.
Serve the sliders straight from the pan with warm pizza sauce or ranch on the side. They work for a quick school-night dinner, after-school snack, football night, or any time you need something everyone can grab without plates and silverware.
Sliders
- 1 package Hawaiian rolls, 12 count
- 0.5 lb Italian sausage
- 24 pepperoni slices
- 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.5 cup pizza sauce
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic Butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Optional Additions
- Sliced jalapeños
- Sliced black olives
- Banana peppers
- Chopped bacon
- Diced bell peppers
- Crushed red pepper
- Extra pizza sauce for dipping
- Ranch dressing for dipping
Prepare the Smoker
- Preheat the smoker to 300°F.
- Use a mild wood such as apple, cherry, pecan, or a light amount of hickory.
- Place a cast-iron skillet or foil pan nearby for assembling the sliders.
Cook the Sausage
- Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
- Break the sausage into small crumbles as it cooks.
- Cook until no pink remains.
- Drain any excess grease.
- Set the sausage aside.
Assemble the Sliders
- Keep the Hawaiian rolls connected and slice the entire package horizontally through the middle.
- Place the bottom half of the rolls into a cast-iron skillet or foil pan.
- Spread the pizza sauce evenly across the rolls.
- Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the sauce.
- Add the cooked Italian sausage.
- Arrange the pepperoni evenly across the sliders.
- Add any optional toppings.
- Cover everything with the remaining mozzarella.
- Place the top half of the rolls back into position.
Make the Garlic Butter
- Combine the melted butter, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and Parmesan.
- Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Brush the garlic butter generously across the tops of the rolls.
Smoke the Sliders
- Place the uncovered pan onto the smoker.
- Smoke at 300°F for 20–30 minutes.
- Check the sliders after about 20 minutes.
- Loosely cover with foil if the tops begin browning too quickly.
- Continue cooking until the cheese is fully melted and the center sliders are hot.
- Remove from the smoker.
Serve
- Rest the sliders for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle additional Parmesan over the top if desired.
- Slice between each individual roll.
- Serve hot with warm pizza sauce or ranch for dipping.