Step into my kitchen, and let's whip up the most mouth-watering Meatball Subs you've ever tasted! This recipe combines tender, juicy meatballs smothered in a rich tomato sauce and generously topped with melted cheese, all nestled within a crusty sub roll. It's the kind of hearty, comforting dish that makes you feel like you're sitting in your favorite Italian restaurant, right at your own dinner table!
This Meatball Sub recipe is so rich and filling; it's like a hug on a plate. There's just something so cozy about the blend of flavors and textures.
The next time you're looking for a weeknight meal that will take away all the stress of your day, give these Homemade Meatball Subs a try!
Ingredients for Making Meatball Subs
- Ground beef —For the best flavor in this meatball recipe, I recommend buying 85% lean. If you prefer to make turkey meatballs, use ground turkey. You can also make this with Italian sausage or ground pork.
- Parmesan — I always recommend grating your own. Pre-grated comes with anti-caking agents that dampen the flavor.
- Seasoning — A blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper will bring out the natural flavors of the other ingredients. You could add in 1 to 2 cloves garlic, red pepper flakes or parsley if you like.
- Bread — Italian rolls are my go-to for the best Meatball Sub. To prevent the bread from getting soggy, toast it before assembling your meatball sandwich. We toast ours with garlic butter!
- Marinara — Use my slow cooker homemade marinara sauce for a full flavor spaghetti sauce that takes flavors from good to great. If you want to buy pasta sauce, I recommend a low-sugar brand like Rao's for maximum flavor without unwanted additives.
Sub, Hoagie, or Grinder?
Call it what you grew up calling it. A meatball sub. A meatball hoagie. A meatball grinder. A meatball bomber. This recipe makes all of them. Use whatever sturdy Italian roll you can get. I recommend my Bread Machine Hoagie Rolls.
The Sauce
Any good marinara sauce works here. I always use my Crockpot Marinara. I make a batch, and then freeze the leftovers in Souper Cubes. One batch is good for a few nights of meatball subs.
On a busy night, a quality jar like Rao's is good here. Spaghetti sauce works too. If yours runs sweet, add a pinch of salt and a little garlic and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Meatball Subs With Frozen Meatballs
Some nights you skip the scratch meatballs, and that's completely fine. This sandwich is just as good with good-quality frozen ones. Cook them according to package directions, and them simmer them in the marinara for 5 to 10 minutes.
Making Meatball Subs for a Crowd
This is a fantastic game-day sandwich. Bake the meatballs earlier in the day. Slide them into the slow cooker with marinara. When people are hungry, toast a tray of buttered rolls. Load them up, add cheese, and run the whole tray under the broiler for a few minutes. Everyone gets a hot, fresh sub at once.
Tips & Tricks
- If possible, season the meat 24 hours in advance. This will allow the flavors to meld and the salt to penetrate the fibers for juicer, more tender Italian meatballs.
- Lightly butter and toast the bread while the meatballs are baking. This will keep the bread from getting soggy when you add the marinara.
- You can substitute regular bread crumbs if you don't have Panko breadcrumbs on hand.
- For a fun twist, use garlic bread in place of the buns.
How to Make Meatball Subs
Meatball Sub Recipe with Homemade Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Sandwiches
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce divided; room temperature or warmed
- 6 Italian Sub Rolls split and butter toasted
- 6 ounces shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475° F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, soy sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Form into 24 meatballs.
- Transfer to a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and cook, turning once, for 13 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Transfer to a bowl and toss with half of the marinara sauce.
- Place the buns on a baking sheet and three to four meatballs to each.
- Top with the remaining marinara and cheese.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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