Meatball Sub Recipe
This Meatball Sub Recipe packs juicy homemade meatballs simmered in marinara, stuffed in a toasted bun, and topped with melty Italian cheese. So delicious!
Servings: 6 servings (about 4 meatballs per sub)
Cost: $8.93
Equipment
- Large pan nonstick
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup yellow onion grated on a cheese grater
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated (on a zester if possible)
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced (on a zester if possible)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground beef
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more for brushing on the rolls
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 6 crusty sub rolls
- 1-1/2 cups shredded Provolone cheese or Italian 4-cheese blend; or to taste, add as much cheese as you’d like
- Shredded basil optional
Instructions
- Using the large holes on a cheese grater, finely grate the onion. Add to a large bowl along with milk, panko, Parmesan, 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 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.
- Measure out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and gently form a ball. Repeat with all the meat mixture. You should get around 22–25 meatballs. Make sure they are all about the same size so they’ll cook evenly.
- In a large, nonstick pan, add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat to medium high, then add in about half 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. Add another 1 and 1/2 tablespoons oil and repeat with the rest of the meatballs. Remove all meatballs to the plate.
- In the same pan, 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°F).
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°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.
- Remove subs from the oven and set the oven temperature to high broil. Pile meatballs and sauce onto sub rolls, 3–4 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.
Notes
Storage: Keep meatballs and sauce separate from the bread to avoid sogginess. To reheat, if already assembled, wrap in foil and reheat in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes to prevent further toasting.
Nutrition
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