The second round in this National Sandwich Month series brings you a little somethin’ tiny. It’s little meatball sandwiches! Not in the mood for a full-sized sandwich? These little meatball sandwiches are a breeze to put together and super duper adorable. If you’re having a late-summer barbecue or party, or planning recipes for those impending football tailgating parties, this is the tiny, precious sandwich for you. A tender meatball covered in a tangy-smoky glaze, stacked atop some crunchy fried onions and topped with a melty slice of sharp cheddar cheese, all on a mini sized sesame seed bun is just what a fun summer (or fall!) day calls for.

Hooray, it’s National Sandwich Month! The whole month of August, I’ll be bringing you piles of sandwich recipes so you can celebrate to your stomach’s content. Come back every Sunday this month for a new, kickass sandwich recipe!

little meatball sandwiches with sharp cheddar + crispy onions

makes 8 tiny sandwiches

1 # 85 percent lean ground beef
1 c (55 g) panko bread crumbs
1/2 c (120 g) whole milk
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp soy sauce

2 slices sharp cheddar cheese, cut into quarters
16 Tbs (56 g) French Fried Onions
8 mini sesame seed hamburger buns (I got mine at Trader Joe’s)

meatball glaze

1 c (259 g) ketchup
1/4 c (38 g) light brown sugar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp smoked paprika

To prepare meatball glaze: Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Set aside

To prepare meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, milk, egg, minced garlic, salt, pepper and soy sauce. Mix by hand until everything is incorporated and the mixture feels somewhat sticky. Cover a shallow baking pan with foil and grease with a bit of oil. Shape the meatballs into eight 3-ounce balls and place on the greased foil. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the meatball glaze onto each meatball and coat evenly using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, reserving some sauce in the bowl. Bake the meatballs at 350 for 28-30 minutes, until their internal temperature reads 160 degrees. Brush with the remaining sauce and place under the broiler until parts of the sauce start to caramelize.

To prepare sandwiches: Toast the cut sides of the hamburger buns under the broiler of your oven until they’re light golden brown. Top each of the bottom buns with 2 tablespoons of the Fried Onions. Top the onions with a meatball, and top the meatball with one quarter of a slice of cheddar cheese. Place the top bun on the cheese and secure with a frilly toothpick.

One little meatball sandwich would be perfect for a small appetizer, or you can pair 2 of them with some potato salad or a veggie-packed salad, if you’re feeling a little more virtuous (and hungry). Don’t let looks deceive you, there’s lots of flavor in these tiny sandwiches!

More recipes for National Sandwich Month:
Steak Sandwiches with Arugula, Roasted Garlic + Horseradish Cream