Hawaiian Roll Sliders with Meat Sauce and Parm

Name: Hawaiian Roll Sliders with Meat Sauce and Parm
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 5 cloves garlic, finely grated; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter; 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for garlic butter; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garlic butter; 1 (12-count) package Hawaiian slider rolls; 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 24 ounces ground beef (85% lean); 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning; 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste; 1 cup water; 8 ounces sliced low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 8 slices)