I’m usually unimpressed with potluck parties.
Not because I’m a picky eater or have a sophisticated palate. I just find that most people don’t put much effort into the whole ordeal of cooking for a large group.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m just as guilty.
I can’t even begin to count the times I’ve hurriedly popped into the prepared foods section of a grocery store to grab something last-minute on my way to a get-together. As a professional cook, I feel a twang of shame.
Then again, when I’m running around the kitchen zesting lemons like a mad woman and caramelizing onions for thirty individual shrimp wonton cups, my friends and family often remind me that this is why there’s nothing wrong with buying premade buffalo chicken dip for a party.
Since I adore cooking at home for small groups of friends, when it comes to making food for a crowd, I’ve accepted that it’s okay to take some shortcuts.
Unless we’re talking about sliders. In that case, forget everything I just said.
These petite handhelds are as party-friendly as could be. And I’m not just talking about these particularly outrageously buttery roast beef sliders, though they also fit the bill.
Sliders are generally a breeze to make in bulk. I look for the sweet Hawaiian rolls that come in a package all stuck together to save even more time.
Come on. I don’t have an hour to assemble twenty perfect sandwiches with homemade sourdough bread one by one!
What do I look like? Ina Garten?
With the help of a long serrated knife, I can make one smooth cut down the middle of my rolls, place them in a brownie pan, layer the toppings like I’m making a lasagna, and bake.
Making multiple sandwiches has never been so easy!
Now, back to being unimpressed at parties…
Years ago, probably around the time when Pinterest first landed in all of our laps, I tasted these roast beef sliders for the very first time. It was one of the only instances I can remember being pleasantly surprised at a potluck.
I walked into the empty kitchen to renew my beverage supply and there they sat. Fresh out of the oven. All by themselves.
A golden-brown lineup of mini beef-and-cheese sandwiches speckled with dark poppy seeds and laden with butter. As I plucked one from the bunch, the pungent, zesty fragrance of mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire wafted into my nose.
I bit down into the warm, juicy bun and sunk back into myself. Was it the richness of the butter that did it? The crackle of the poppy seeds? The sharpness of the cheese?
I didn’t care.
I had three more.
There was something memorably decadent about these sinful sliders, and I knew that this edible nostalgia would stick with me forever.
When I make these today, I don’t hold back. Not only do I double the recipe – they’ll go fast, trust me – but I use a touch of sweet onion for added flavor and crunch, opt for the boldest aged provolone I can find, and incorporate a hint of peppery horseradish just for fun.
Well, and to clear the sinuses, of course.
Go ahead. Eat four. Your secret’s safe with me.
Print
Roast Beef Sliders
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders 1x
Description
Need a memorable handheld for your next party? These buttery roast beef sliders with sharp provolone and horseradish will be a hit.
Ingredients
- 12 slider buns (like dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 pound thinly sliced deli-style roast beef
- 6 slices sharp provolone cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons finely minced sweet onion
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Split the buns down the middle (keeping them intact if they came stuck together) and place them into the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and horseradish. Spread evenly on the bottom side of each bun, and then top with the roast beef, cheese, and top portions of the buns.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and brown sugar together. Once the brown sugar has dissolved into the butter, remove the pan from heat and then whisk in the mustard, onion, Worcestershire, and salt.
- Spoon the butter mixture over the sandwiches and then sprinkle them with the poppy seeds. Loosely cover the sliders with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the top buns are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 8-10 more minutes. Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sliders
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Appetizer
Keywords: sliders, roast beef, mustard, horseradish, provolone cheese
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Split the Buns and Make the Horseradish Mayonnaise
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Split the buns down the middle, keeping them intact if they came stuck together. Place the bottom portions into the baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and horseradish.
Feeling confident? Have some time on your hands? Take the extra steps by going homemade with some of the ingredients. You can make homemade mayonnaise, and bake your own dinner rolls like our garlic knots.
Step 2 – Build the Sliders
Spread the mayo mixture on the bottom side of each bun.
Evenly top them with the roast beef, cheese, and top buns.
For a heartier take on this app, and to use up leftovers, you can also use thin slices of roasted prime rib if you happen to have it in your fridge!
Step 3 – Make the Butter-Mustard Mixture and Baste the Sliders
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter and brown sugar together. Once the brown sugar has dissolved into the butter, remove the pan from heat and then whisk in the mustard, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.
Spoon the butter mixture over the sandwiches, and use a pastry brush to make sure they’re evenly basted. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top.
Step 4 – Bake the Sliders
Loosely cover the sliders with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake until the top buns are golden brown and the cheese has melted, for about 8-10 more minutes.
If the buns came stuck together, use a serrated knife to separate the sliders. Serve warm on their own, or with a small salad or a side of bread and butter pickles to a crisp and tangy bite. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Roast Beef and Cheese Has Never Looked So Good
It’s not classified information that creamy horseradish and roast beef go together like, well, creamy horseradish and roast beef.
But the buttery mustard blend slathered onto these sliders is the covert ingredient that has everybody wondering why they just can’t stop at one.
If roast beef isn’t your bag, sub in honey ham for a sweeter, more delicate flavor. You might prefer our Ham and Cheese Sliders or our Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Pork Sliders over this recipe.
Forget the knife and fork. Wrap your hands around these other sandwich-style recipes next:
- Spicy Roasted Portobello Sandwiches with Bell Peppers and Camembert
- Grilled Shrimp Po’Boys
- Roasted Chicken and Fig Panini with Goat Cheese and Fresh Greens
Let your butter sauce run wild with other aromatic enhancements. Garlic powder, maple syrup, shallots? How will you make these sliders your own?
Share your condiment creations in the comments below! And don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it.
Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 16, 2011. Last updated September 2, 2020.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Fanny Slater
Fanny Slater is a home-taught food enthusiast based in Wilmington, North Carolina who won the “Rachael Ray Show” Great American Cookbook Competition in 2014, and published her cookbook “Orange, Lavender & Figs” in 2016. Fanny is a food and beverage writer, recipe developer, and social media influencer. She was a co-host on the Food Network series “Kitchen Sink,” was featured on Cooking Channel’s longtime popular series “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” and continues to appear regularly on the “Rachael Ray Show.”
Made a batch of these… and they are going on the must make list for football season (if we even have one, it is 2020).
★★★★★
Even without a football season, you’ll still get five cheers for these! Thanks for the love, Norm!
These are awesome. They are an absolute hit in my house – two young boys who can’t get enough of them, never any leftovers!
★★★★★
Sounds like a touchdown to me! So glad your family is enjoying them ????
These are the bomb!
★★★★★
I found this recipe and made them for a simple Boxing Day appetizer with our neighbor. They were perfect. I thought they would be oily to the touch but not so. Soft, easy to handle an ever so tasty. A winner and can’t wait to take them to Potlucks.
★★★★★
Can these be prepared the day before they will be baked in the oven?
Hi Karen! You can absolutely prepare these the day before, up until the butter-brown sugar brushing so the buns don’t get soggy. When you’re ready for them, preheat your oven and while you’re waiting, slather the prepped sliders in all that buttery goodness, sprinkle with the poppy seeds, and throw them in the oven.
These were nummy! I was craving a sandwich (and leftovers for lunches) and came across this recipe. I am so glad I found it. It was absolutely perfect. The combination of flavors exploded in my mouth and I inhaled several for dinner. I did not feel like cooking and this fit the bill and will be in my weekly rotation. Even my 15 year old son loved them so win-win! Thank you….
★★★★★
I’m looking forward to making these. In the photos, it looks like the rolls were cut in half and then toasted a little. Were they toasted?
Hi Linda! Might just be the lighting in the photos of the sliced rolls, but they’re not toasted. The outside of the sliders get nice and crisp in the oven and the centers stay gooey and soft, so need to toast the interior of the little buns. Hope you enjoy!
What if we don’t like Mayo, another idea for a already?
Lisa, you just want something creamy to mix with the horseradish so even sour cream or plain Greek yogurt would work!
If made without the poppy seeds, do you suggest something different? Or just leave them off entirely?
The poppy seeds add a nice crunch (and white or black sesame seeds are a great substitute), but you can absolutely leave them off if you can’t get your hands on either.
Made these last night for NYE party. My guests loved them! I thought the flavors boldly blended into a decadent mouth-full. Will definitely make these again and again. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks, Kathleen! Now WE want to make them again!
A neighbour of mine made these sliders for our neighbourhood Super Bowl party and everyone including me loved them.
What a great recipe.
I’ll be making these and not just for get togethers. These are great for anytime!
★★★★★
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joanna! Thanks for the feedback.
Can I do this without the sugar?
The brown sugar helps the tops to brown and caramelize a bit, but you could skip it.
Wow. Quick easy and delicious.
★★★★★
These were terrible. Too many flavours for the palate to deal with. The butter topping laced so heavily with dijon and Worchestershire (a teaspoon of each would have been plenty) was overwhelming and clashed with the provolone and horseradish. Bleh. Will stick to ground chuck and cheddar and leave it at that.
★
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy the sandwiches, Beverlie! But what great notes to make it a second time, with your own personal variations on toning down the stronger flavors.