Meatball Sub Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/19/22
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Meatballs subs

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 6 sandwiches

Whether for family meals, parties, or potluck events, meatball sandwiches are always a hit, and even the pickiest eaters love them. This recipe is ready in just under an hour, making it an excellent weeknight meal. You can make them even faster if you make the meatballs in advance, then all you have to do is warm them up in the sauce, assemble the sandwiches, and stick them under the broiler for a few minutes. It couldn't be easier!

The delicious baked meatballs are the star of this dish. They're made with ground beef and sweet or hot Italian sausage, while Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasonings balance the flavors perfectly.

The simple homemade marinara sauce takes just minutes to throw together, and you can speed the process up even more by using a jar of your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce. While it's hard to beat homemade meatballs for texture and flavor, feel free to swap them out with good-quality premade meatballs. Provolone cheese is a good substitute for the mozzarella, or skip broiling the sandwiches and finish them with fresh Parmesan cheese.

For bread, hoagie rolls, sub rolls, or baguettes cut into bun-size lengths are excellent choices. If the bread is thick and somewhat sturdy, hollow it out a bit to make room for the meatballs. Too much bread can overwhelm the tasty meatballs and sauce.

"Tasting as if they came from a sub shop, the recipe makes top-notch meatball subs. The flavor of both the sauce and meatballs is outstanding, and they’re so easy that I’ll be using them for pasta dishes, too. Super filling, one sub is likely enough per person." —Colleen Graham

Meatball Sub Recipe/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

For the Sauce:

For the Sandwiches:

  • 6 medium hoagie buns

  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make meatball subs

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.

    A bowl of blended ground beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Position a rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet pan. Shape meat mixture into 18 equal size meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on the rack.

    Raw meatballs on a rack over a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Bake in pre heated oven until golden brown, and they reach 165 F on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes.

    Baked meatballs on a rack

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

    A pot of tomato sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and turn to coat. Set the oven to broil.

    A pot of meatballs in tomato sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. To assemble sandwiches, on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, place the hoagie rolls. Place 3 meatballs in each hoagie roll.

    A foil-lined baking sheet with sub rolls filled with meatballs

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Top with sauce to taste, reserving some for the table, if desired. Divide the cheese evenly between the sandwiches.

    Meatball subs on a baking sheet topped with tomato sauce and cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Broil the sandwiches until the cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side, if desired.

    Meatball subs on a serving platter with extra tomato sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • The recipe makes pretty large meatballs that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Weighing the meat ensures they're all about the same size. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can use a medium-sized cookie or ice cream scoop.
  • Homemade meatballs are the best choice for sandwiches, but a good-quality frozen meatball may be substituted if you're short on time.
  • You may make and bake the meatballs in advance and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
  • Create a meatball sandwich buffet for a game day gathering or make meatball "monster" sandwiches for a Halloween party. Serve the meatballs and sauce from a chafing dish or slow cooker and encourage everyone to make their own. Offer cheese and garnishes on the side, such as fresh basil, thinly sliced onions, ripe olives, and thinly sliced peppers.
  • Make an extra batch of meatballs and store them in the freezer to use in a future meal.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of Italian sausage, use 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef, or use a blend of ground beef and ground pork or ground veal.
  • Swap out the ground beef and sausage with ground turkey.
  • Substitute French or Italian bread, cut into bun-size lengths.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Refrigerate leftover meatballs within 2 hours and eat within 3 days.
  • To freeze the meatballs and sauce, put them in a freezer container (or several small containers for individual servings) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the meatballs reach 165 F.
  • Use leftover meatballs with their sauce in sandwiches or serve them with pasta.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
773 Calories
34g Fat
66g Carbs
49g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 773
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 13g 64%
Cholesterol 173mg 58%
Sodium 1998mg 87%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 13mg 65%
Calcium 349mg 27%
Iron 8mg 46%
Potassium 1019mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)