Description
These festive Reindeer Sloppy Joe Sliders are a fun and delicious holiday appetizer featuring seasoned ground turkey or beef on soft Kings Hawaiian rolls, creatively decorated with cherry tomatoes, black olives, cheese, raisins, and pretzels to look like adorable reindeer perfect for any Christmas party or family gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Sloppy Joe Mixture
- 1 pound ground turkey or beef
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Slider Assembly
- 12 Kings Hawaiian Rolls (split)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Black olives
- White sliced cheese
- Raisins
- Pretzel twists
Instructions
- Cook the Meat: In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the ground turkey or beef until no pink remains. Drain excess fat to keep the filling moist but not greasy.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Stir in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, brown mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until well combined with the meat.
- Simmer the Sloppy Joe Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors and thicken the sauce.
- Prepare the Sliders Base: Arrange the split Kings Hawaiian rolls on a serving platter, ready to be topped with the sloppy joe mixture and decorations.
- Create Reindeer Faces – Tomatoes and Olives: Cut the black olives’ tips and halve the cherry tomatoes. Place a tomato half on the front slider to represent Rudolph’s red nose, and place olive tips on other sliders for noses, securing with toothpicks if necessary.
- Add Eyes: Using a small round icing tip, cut out circles from the white cheese slices and place them on the front of each slider for eyes. Slice raisins in half and position each half circle on the cheese circles to form pupils.
- Make Antlers: Break pretzel twists in half and insert the pieces into the top sides of each slider to resemble reindeer antlers, completing the festive look.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey with lean ground beef for a richer flavor.
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the meat mixture.
- The sliders are best served fresh but can be warmed slightly before serving.
- To make it easier to assemble eyes, use small cookie cutters or piping tips to cut the cheese circles.
- These sliders make a fun and kid-friendly holiday appetizer or snack.
