Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders Recipe

The Perfect Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders Recipe for Game Day Fun

Garlic pizza dip sliders bring a zesty twist to classic comfort food that reinvents ordinary meals into extraordinary experiences.

These handheld delights pack an incredible flavor punch with their irresistible combination of melted cheese and savory ingredients.

Our recipe captures the essence of crowd-pleasing appetizers that spark conversation and create memorable moments around the table.

The magic happens when traditional pizza elements merge with slider-style convenience, resulting in a dish that surprises and delights.

Crispy edges and soft centers make these sliders a textural wonder that keeps everyone coming back for more.

Rich, herbaceous notes dance across each bite, promising a culinary adventure that feels both familiar and innovative.

Your guests will be utterly captivated by this unexpected fusion of beloved flavors.

Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders That Disappear Fast

  • Flavor Explosion: Packed with robust marinara sauce, melty mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and zesty pepperoni, these sliders deliver a punch of classic Italian-inspired tastes in every single bite.
  • Herb-Infused Garlic Bliss: Roasted garlic mixed with butter and fresh herbs creates a luxurious, aromatic spread that transforms ordinary dinner rolls into extraordinary sliders with complex, mouth-watering depth.
  • Super Easy Party Pleaser: Ready in just over an hour with minimal prep work, these sliders are perfect for game days, movie nights, or casual gatherings where you want maximum flavor with minimal effort.
  • Customizable Comfort Food: Easily adaptable with different cheeses, meats, or herbs, these sliders offer flexibility for personal taste preferences while maintaining a consistently delicious result that everyone will love.

Ingredients for Cheesy Garlic Pizza Sliders

Bread Base:
  • Dinner Rolls: Soft and pillowy base for the sliders, look for fresh, slightly sturdy rolls.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Adds rich, salty flavor and helps create a crispy top layer.
Cheese Layers:
  • Mozzarella Cheese: Creamy and melty cheese that provides classic pizza-like stretch.
  • Provolone Cheese: Sharp cheese that adds depth and complementary flavor profile.
Flavor Enhancers:
  • Roasted Garlic: Sweet, mellow flavor that transforms when slowly baked, choose fresh whole garlic heads.
  • Olive Oil: Helps roast garlic and adds subtle fruity undertones.
  • Butter: Creates rich, smooth base for herb mixture, preferably unsalted.
Herbs and Spices:
  • Sage, Basil, Oregano, Parsley: Fresh herbs that provide aromatic Mediterranean-style seasoning.
  • Chili Flakes: Adds subtle heat and complexity to the overall flavor.
  • Marinara Sauce: Classic pizza-style sauce that provides moisture and traditional taste.
Additional Ingredients:
  • Pepperoni: Classic pizza topping that brings savory, spicy element to the sliders.

Assemble Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders Like a Pro

Step 1: Roast the Garlic

  • Slice off the top of the garlic head
  • Drizzle olive oil over exposed cloves
  • Wrap in aluminum foil
  • Bake at 400°F for 40-55 minutes until soft and golden
  • Let cool completely

Step 2: Prepare Slider Base

Ingredients for base:
  • Dinner rolls
  • Marinara sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Provolone cheese
  • Pepperoni
  • Parmesan cheese

Place bottom half of rolls on a lined baking sheet

Spread marinara sauce

Layer cheeses and pepperoni

Sprinkle half the parmesan

Top with remaining roll halves

Step 3: Create Garlic Butter Spread

Ingredients for spread:
  • Roasted garlic cloves
  • Butter
  • Remaining parmesan
  • Sage
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Chili flakes

Squeeze roasted garlic cloves

Mix with all herbs and butter

Step 4: Assemble and Bake Sliders

Spread garlic butter mixture over rolls

Cover with foil

Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes

Remove foil

Bake additional 10 minutes until cheese melts

Step 5: Final Touch

Brush with remaining garlic butter

Serve immediately while hot

Secrets to Melty, Gooey Sliders Every Time

  • Roast Garlic Perfectly: Choose fresh, plump garlic heads with tight, compact cloves for the most intense flavor and creamy texture when roasted.
  • Butter Blending Technique: Mash roasted garlic cloves into softened butter thoroughly to create a smooth, evenly distributed garlic spread with maximum flavor infusion.
  • Cheese Selection Hack: Use freshly grated mozzarella and provolone for better melting and richer taste compared to pre-shredded packaged cheese.
  • Herb Intensity Booster: Crush dried herbs between your fingers before adding to release more aromatic oils and enhance the overall flavor profile of the garlic butter.
  • Slider Assembly Pro Tip: Press down gently on the top rolls after spreading garlic butter to ensure even coverage and help the ingredients meld together during baking.

How to Reheat Garlic Sliders and Keep Them Juicy

  • Refrigerate: Place sliders in an airtight container, store up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Cover tightly to maintain freshness and prevent drying out.
  • Reheat Oven: Warm sliders at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, wrapped in foil to retain moisture and prevent bread from becoming too crispy. Unwrap last 2-3 minutes to restore crispness.
  • Microwave Option: Heat in 30-second intervals, checking after each to avoid soggy texture. Best used when you need a quick warm-up, but may slightly compromise slider's original crispness.

Pairing Picks for Pizza Dip Sliders

  • Pair with Crisp Italian White Wine: A chilled Pinot Grigio or Vermentino cuts through the rich, cheesy sliders and complements the herbaceous garlic butter perfectly.
  • Serve with Zesty Tomato Salad: Create a light side salad with fresh tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic drizzle to balance the heavy, savory flavors of the sliders.
  • Match with Chilled Beer: An amber ale or light lager provides a refreshing contrast to the intense garlic and melted cheese, cleansing the palate between bites.
  • Complement with Spicy Marinara Dipping Sauce: A small bowl of extra marinara with added red pepper flakes offers an extra kick and enhances the pepperoni's zesty notes.

New Slider Variations You’ll Want to Repeat

  • Spicy Jalapeño Popper Sliders: Replace pepperoni with crispy bacon bits and diced jalapeños. Add cream cheese to the garlic butter mixture for extra heat and creaminess.
  • Mediterranean Veggie Sliders: Swap marinara for pesto sauce. Top with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and crumbled feta cheese. Mix fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary into the garlic butter.
  • Buffalo Chicken Sliders: Shred cooked chicken and toss in buffalo sauce. Replace marinara with blue cheese dressing. Add chopped green onions to the garlic butter for extra zesty flavor.
  • Italian Sub Sliders: Layer salami, ham, and capicola instead of pepperoni. Use provolone and mozzarella. Drizzle with Italian dressing before adding the herbed garlic butter.
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Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders Recipe

Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders Recipe


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4.6 from 17 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

Garlic pizza dip sliders combine classic comfort with Italian-inspired flavors in one irresistible bite. Melted cheese, zesty marinara, and herbed garlic spread create a mouthwatering experience you won’t be able to resist.


Ingredients

Scale

Cheese:

  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 85 grams)
  • ¾ cup shredded provolone cheese (about 85 grams)
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (about 25 grams)

Main Ingredients:

  • 1 (12-count) package of dinner rolls, halved lengthwise
  • 11 ½ cups marinara sauce
  • ½ cup thinly sliced pepperoni
  • 1 head garlic

Herbs and Seasonings:

  • 3 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature or melted
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 pinch chili flakes

Additional:

  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Roast the whole garlic head at 400°F by carefully trimming the top to expose cloves, drizzling with olive oil, and wrapping securely in aluminum foil.
  2. Bake the garlic package for 40-55 minutes until cloves become golden, tender, and caramelized.
  3. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arranging the bottom halves of dinner rolls as the base foundation.
  4. Layer marinara sauce evenly across the roll bottoms, creating a rich tomato foundation.
  5. Generously distribute mozzarella and provolone cheeses over the marinara, ensuring complete coverage.
  6. Scatter pepperoni slices across the cheese layer for added flavor and texture.
  7. Sprinkle half the parmesan cheese over the pepperoni layer.
  8. Carefully place the top halves of dinner rolls over the prepared base.
  9. Once roasted garlic has cooled, extract the soft cloves and combine with melted butter, remaining parmesan, sage, basil, oregano, parsley, and chili flakes.
  10. Spread the aromatic garlic herb butter mixture thoroughly across the top of the assembled rolls.
  11. Cover the slider tray with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes to allow initial melting.
  12. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until cheese becomes fully melted and edges turn golden brown.
  13. Brush any remaining garlic butter over the tops for extra shine and flavor.
  14. Serve immediately while hot and bubbling.

Notes

  • Roast whole garlic heads beforehand to unlock deep, mellow flavor that transforms this slider recipe from ordinary to extraordinary.
  • Softened garlic blends seamlessly with herbs and butter, creating a rich, aromatic spread that elevates every bite of these cheesy sliders.
  • Use fresh herbs if possible for maximum flavor intensity, but dried herbs work perfectly fine as convenient alternatives.
  • Prep tip: Line baking sheet with parchment paper for effortless cleanup and preventing any cheese from sticking to the pan.
  • Make-ahead friendly: Assemble sliders in advance and refrigerate, then bake when ready to serve for stress-free entertaining.
  • Customize with your favorite cheese combinations or swap pepperoni for ham, salami, or vegetarian options to suit different preferences.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 65 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12
  • Calories: 260
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 450 mg
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 10 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg
Liam O'Brien

Liam O’Brien

Founder & Recipe Developer

Expertise

  • Traditional Irish Dishes
  • Farm-to-Table Cooking
  • Recipe Creation
  • Teaching Cooking Skills
  • Sustainable Food Practices

Education

Dublin Institute of Technology (now Technological University Dublin)

  • Program: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Hands-on training in cooking techniques, kitchen management, and exploring both Irish and international cuisines.

Ballymaloe Cookery School, County Cork, Ireland

  • Program: 12-Week Certificate Course
  • Focus: Farm-to-table cooking, emphasizing the use of fresh, local ingredients and traditional cooking methods.

Liam O’Brien is the co-founder and kitchen soul behind Good Tasting Meals, a chef who believes that cooking shouldn’t feel stressful or complicated.

He earned his culinary stripes at Technological University Dublin and polished his farm-to-table skills at Ballymaloe Cookery School. With over 15 years flipping pans and stirring up stories, Liam has worked in family cafés, bustling bistros, and everything in between.

At Good Tasting Meals, Liam brings you recipes that feel like home: cozy, simple, and full of flavor.

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