Meatball Sub

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This Meatball Sub is filled with juicy, tender homemade meatballs that have been simmered in a delicious marinara sauce, loaded into a toasted bun and topped off with melty Italian cheese.

Pair these subs with this Italian salad, a fruit salad, or this cucumber salad.

A plate filled with mouthwatering meatball subs, where the buns are overflowing with meat and flavor, topped with cheese and fresh herbs, all set for a delightful meal.

The Best Meatball Sub

Meatball subs, a favorite of my boys, are versatile and crowd-pleasing. Ideal for group meals, they can be made with beef or turkey meatballs.

Using store-bought marinara and making a big batch of crockpot meatballs simplifies preparation, making them a convenient choice for various meals throughout the week.

The process of mixing seasonings into ground meat, creating a perfect combination of flavors for the recipe.

Ingredients

  • Yellow Onion & Garlic: Add flavor and moisture to the meatballs.
  • Milk & Panko Crumbs: Help to bind the meatballs and keep them moist.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Adds a savory, cheesy flavor.
  • Dried Oregano & Fresh Parsley: Provide herbs for seasoning.
  • Egg: Acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together.
  • Ground Beef: The main ingredient of the meatballs.
  • Salt & Pepper: Enhance overall flavor in your meatball sub.
  • Olive Oil: Used for cooking meatballs and brushing rolls.
  • Marinara Sauce: Adds a rich, tomato-based flavor to the dish.
  • Sub Rolls: Serve as the base for the sandwich.
  • Provolone or Italian Cheese Blend: Adds a creamy, melted topping.

Raw meat being skillfully rolled into balls, ready to be cooked.

Expert Tips

Stuffed buns arranged on a sheet pan, prepared for baking with cheese added on top, setting the stage for the final step in making this delicious meal.

STORAGE

Storage And Reheating Your Meatball Sub

  • Store Separately: Keep meatballs and sauce separate from the bread to avoid sogginess.
  • Reheat Assembled Subs: If already assembled, wrap in foil and reheat in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes to prevent further toasting.

A mouthwatering meatball sub on a plate, showcasing a perfectly toasted bun stuffed with meatballs, sauce, and cheese, representing the ultimate comfort food.

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Meatball Subs

5 from 8 votes
This Meatball Sub is filled with juicy, tender homemade meatballs that have been simmered in a delicious marinara sauce, loaded into a toasted bun and topped off with melty Italian cheese.
A plate filled with mouthwatering meatball subs, where the buns are overflowing with meat and flavor, topped with cheese and fresh herbs, all set for a delightful meal.
Print Recipe

Meatball Subs

A plate filled with mouthwatering meatball subs, where the buns are overflowing with meat and flavor, topped with cheese and fresh herbs, all set for a delightful meal.
5 from 8 votes
This Meatball Sub is filled with juicy, tender homemade meatballs that have been simmered in a delicious marinara sauce, loaded into a toasted bun and topped off with melty Italian cheese.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword meatball subs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings (about 4 meatballs per sub)
Chelsea Lords
Calories 604kcal
Cost $8.93

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup yellow onion grated on a cheese grater
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 cup panko crumbs
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated (on a microplane if possible)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced (on a microplane if possible)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated (plus more for brushing on the rolls)
  • 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
  • 6 crusty sub rolls
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Provolone or Italian 4-cheese blend (or to taste, add as much cheese as you'd like)
  • Shredded basil optional

Instructions

  • MEATBALLS: Using the large holes on a cheese grater, finely grate the onion. Add to a large bowl along with the milk, panko, Parmesan cheese, ground beef, minced garlic, dried oregano, fresh parsley, egg, and salt and pepper to taste (I add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper). Mix until ingredients are combined. Add in the ground beef and fold with your hands until combined. Handle as little as possible and don't overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough.
  • MEATBALLS, CONTINUED: Measure out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and gently form a ball. Repeat with all of the meat mixture. You should get around 22-25 meatballs. Make sure they are all about the same size so they'll cook evenly.
  • COOK: In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat to medium high and then add in about 1/2 of the meatballs. Gently turn the meatballs over and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until they are browned all over (but not cooked through). Remove to a plate. And another 1 and 1/2 tablespoons oil and repeat with the rest of the meatballs. Remove all meatballs to the plate.
  • COOK CONTINUED: In the same skillet, add the entire jar of marinara sauce. Return the cooked meatballs to the pan and stir to cover them with the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer for 8-12 minutes, turning every now and again, or until completely cooked through (food thermometer registers 165 degrees F).
  • ROLLS: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the rolls in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil. Place on a large tray and bake for 3-5 minutes or until lightly toasted.
  • ASSEMBLE: Remove subs from the oven and set the oven temperature to high BROIL. Pile meatballs and sauce onto sub rolls -- 3 to 4 meatballs per sandwich. Top with shredded cheese and place under the broiler to melt cheese (watch carefully-- it only takes 1-2 minutes). Top with shredded basil and enjoy hot.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 773mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 364mg | Iron: 13mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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17 Comments

  1. These are excellent! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I want to make these and freeze them to have one hand once my second baby comes in a few weeks, but I’m trying to figure out if I should freeze them prior to cooking them in the sauce or just freeze them after that?

  2. 5 stars
    I made these for supper yesterday. They were excellent. My son said he didnt even like meatballs but loved these. Left with some for his supper tonight. Your shrimp tacos are also excellent. Look forward to trying more of your recipes!!

    1. So thrilled to hear these were a hit and glad you enjoyed the shrimp tacos 🙂 Thanks for the comment and review!

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