Meatball Sub Recipe

This easy Meatball Sub Recipe is filled with baked meatballs that are made with two kinds of meat! They are filling, tasty and will please the whole family!

In high school, I worked at a sandwich shop. It was the local hangout for all of us, teenagers. I’d go to work from 4-8 pm. I’d then go home to change and go right back to hang out with my friends..

It was a great place to work. The management was lax to an incredible fault. We worked hard, but we also helped ourselves whenever we were hungry.

Whether we were working or not, we would munch on cheese, chips, cookies, and sometimes a meatball or two.

At the time I thought it was heaven, being able to munch on anything I wanted! As an adult, I realize that we did nothing but cost the poor owner money!

The owner may not have known that we were eating to our heart’s content, but homecoming dress that year knew all about it! I gained quite a bit of weight that year.

Once I quit, the weight came off but the memories of the job (and the food) stayed with me!

What Is A Meatball Sub

A meatball sub is an Italian-American Sandwich that features a sub roll or crusty bread filled with cheese, meatballs and marinara sauce. This sandwich is served warmed and the cheese is nice and melty!

What Do I Need To Make Homemade Meatball Subs?

Bread – This will be soaked in milk and then added to your meat mixture; this will keep your meatballs so incredibly moist. I used white bread, but any bread will do.

Italian Sausage – Spicy, Sweet, or Mild

Ground Turkey – Ground chicken or beef will work too.

Egg

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Olive Oil – Extra Virgin

Garlic – Minced fresh or Jarred

Onion, Diced

Marinara Sauce – This homemade marinara sauce recipe tastes perfect with these subs!

Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced

Sub Rolls

How To Make Meatball Subs

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Soak white bread slices in 1/2 cup milk, set aside.

In a small skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until softened, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine Italian sausage, ground turkey, egg and Parmesan cheese. Add onion mixture and mix to combine.

Strain bread slices and add to the ground meat mix.

Shape meatball mixture into 2″ meatballs.

Place meatballs on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Turn meatballs and cook an additional 5-10 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool

Place a little sauce in the bottom of each sub roll. Place 3-4 meatballs inside each sub roll. Top with more sauce and sliced cheese.

Broil the sandwiches on low for 1-2 minutes or until bread is toasted and cheese has melted.

Tips For Making Meatball Subs

• When it comes to kitchen tools, nothing compares to your own two hands! So get in there and mix the meat mixture by hand!

• On the topic of mixing, do NOT overmix your mixture. Fold ingredients in just until incorporated.

• Try to roll your meatballs into even-sized balls. This ensures that all the meatballs will cook at the same rate.

• Feel free to adjust the seasonings in this recipe!

• While I strongly urge you to try the soaked bread method for this recipe, bread crumbs will do in a pinch. Start by adding ⅓ a cup, adding more as you mix.

• Provolone cheese or white cheddar cheese slices make great substitutions for the mozzarella.

• I used prepackaged hoagie rolls, but you can use French bread cut into serving sizes.

What Goes On A Meatball Sub?

The truth is you don’t have to put anything more on these subs! But if you like to load up your subs, then you could top your subs with:

Black Olives

Green Olives

Banana Peppers

Cooked Peppers and Onions

Fresh Basil

Tomato Slices

Spinach

What To Serve With A Homemade Meatball Sub

These sandwiches are filling, so keep it simple! Serve an easy spinach salad, lemony kale salad, or these easy onion rings!

Continue to Content

Yield: 6

Meatball Sub

Print

This easy Meatball Sandwich Recipe is filled with baked meatballs that are made with two kinds of meat!  They are filling, tasty and will please the whole family!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 slices White Bread
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 pound Ground Turkey
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/4 cup Onion, Diced
• Marinara Sauce
• Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
• 6 Sub Rolls

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Soak white bread slices in 1/2 cup milk, set aside.
3. In a small skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until softened, set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine Italian sausage, ground turkey, egg and Parmesan cheese. Add onion mixture and mix to combine.
5. Strain bread slices and add to the ground meat mix.
6. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together just until incorporated. Do not over mix.
7. Shape meatball mixture into 2" meatballs.
8. Place meatballs on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
9. Turn meatballs and cook an additional 5-10 minutes.
10. Remove and allow to cool some.
11. Preheat oven to broil.
12. Place a large spoonful of sauce on bottoms of each bun.
13. Top each bun evenly with slices of cheese.
14. Add 3-4 meatballs over the cheese and spread with more sauce.
15. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Notes

I used this homemade marinara sauce for this recipe. I do not give amounts for sauce or cheese because I view this as a personal preference.

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