Meatball Subs Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Carol Barber

This is pretty darn close to my meatball recipe, so it's a good one. The one critique I have is to NOT use water as it has no flavor. Use broth of choice or milk. If you only have water, hopefully you will have a stock base of choice (such as Better Than Bouillon) -- mix a 1/2 tsp or so with the water (or milk, if using!) to help boost flavor.

babsymac

I would not use straight beef in this recipe. Use a mix of beef, pork and veal instead. Much more flavorful.

Eugene Ely

We mix ricotta cheese in our meatballs and stew the meatballs in our marinara sauce. Juicy, tender, flavorful meatballs. And provolone in lieu of mozzarella.

Brad

Broiling the meatballs is a fairly risky and difficult way to cook them. You have to really watch them, avoid the smoke it may create and it'll heat up your kitchen. It's easy enough to cook them on the stovetop.I would also add a teaspoon of oregano to the meat mix.

Steve

Always cut the meatballs in half, it will keep them from rolling out of the sandwich when you try to eat it.

Rizzo

Far be it for me to question a meatball recipe. I am in Calabria Italy and went to my butcher this morning. He grabbed a side of beef from the fridge and took off a slab of beef and into the grinder it went.2 lbs. of coarsely ground beef3 cups of chopped stale-ish bread2 cups Romano cheese course grate2 eggs, should have used 31 med coarsely chopped red onion1/4 lb. chopped prosciutto Black pepperSaltFry in 1/4 of olive oilEnjoy

Marto

I made a vegan version of this recipe, using Impossible Burger ground beef and Violife provolone sliced cheez, and a standard vegan parm mix. Delicious.

Allison

Whatever liquid you use, Would make part of it either wine or vermouth. I began to use this in my meatloaf recipe when I saw that many sausage makers do this to soften the meat.

Ann Hates Cooking

If you can remember not to touch the pan handle after it's come out of the broiler and is sitting on the stovetop, you're a better person than I am. Same if you can put rolls under the broiler for an entire minute without nearly burning down your house. If I ever make this again (and I might, if I can get over the trauma, because it was a hit w/the family members who got some before it was gone) I will use a sheet pan for the meatballs and the toaster oven for the rolls.

Jessica

I made this dish with Beyond Meat. It turned out great. I followed the advice of others and substituted ricotta for water. I added oregano and used about 1.5 x the written amount of spices to make up for the lack of flavor that you would get with ground beef. Fantastic dish. Even the non-vegetarian kids loved it.

Susan

For a year now, I’ve substituted ground turkey for ground beef everywhere. This works especially well in meatballs, creating a lighter, less fatty yet hearty and delicious meal. The result: I’ve lost 10 lbs and done my little bit in helping the climate.

Monsieur Jimmy

I now use 300g of ground beef, 300g ground fatty pork and 250g ricotta plus breadcrumbs and either fennel or oregano or just parsley (plus seasoning, obviously)

Mary W.

Vegan meatballs are great, as you don’t need to worry about cooking them all the way through, and the flavor is quite good. I brown them and then simmer them in red sauce. If you can do that a day in advance, all the better.

Anne H.

I slide a potholder over a hot pan handle so I don't grab it by accident. Congrats on your ultimate success.

andres

vegan meatballs are so much better than "meat" ones. !!!!

K Johnson

Made these vegan with Beyond grounds and vegan provolone. I seared the meatballs in a skillet then prepared Julia Moskin’s easy marinara and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce while it thickened. Toasted and melted the cheese in a 450 oven because using the broiler on vegan cheese will burn the bread before the cheese melts. Absolutely delicious!

Christa

Instead of beef, made it with 1lb turkey and 1/2lb pork (for more sandwiches). Accidently burnt the bread, next time I’ll turn off the broiler and just warm them up in the oven. Instead of rubbing the bread with a garlic clove, I made some garlic butter and spread a little on each roll. Yum! Might consider just baking the meatballs as they needed a longer cooking time on the stove with the sauce. But they were really delicious, everyone loved them.

Jeff B

This is how I make meatball subs, nice recipe. Using just ground beef, I'd season the meat more, some crushed fennel with red pepper flakes and parsley. Or, add half a pound of good quality Italian sausage to a pound of ground beef... additional bread to keep the meat/bread ratio the same. About a cup of bread per pound of meat makes a light springy meatball. We also like to serve the meatball subs with a side of chopped giardiniera mix, the crunch and acidity is a nice counterbalance.

Mark Carey

Used ground venison. Added chili flakes (crushed them to bring out the heat) and oregano, substituted milk for the water, and then used the oven in a pan with olive oil to cook the meatballs for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. Took them out, then added them to the saucepan on the stove and simmered in the sauce for about 20 minutes. Put the rolls on the pan, added the meatballs, some sauce and the cheese (provolone) and put in the oven for a few minutes to crisp the rolls and melt the cheese.

Jackie

Delicious! Used Wagu ground beef, 1/4 cup white wine plus 1/4 cup water for the bread crumbs. Used both (two) cloves garlic and added 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano and a big pinch dried pepper flakes to the meat mixture. My large cookie scooper made 14 meat balls. Used a 12" cast iron skillet, baked at 450 for 10 min, then broiled. Moved to stove top, spooned away excess fat, added sauce etc. Discovered a fabulous jarred marinara w/ whole cherry tomatoes - brand Sacla' Italia.

Taylor

Quick and easy but I wish I added some more spices, not flavorful enough for me personally.

LC

Excellent meatballs. Subbed ground turkey for beef and buttermilk for water to soak the bread. Added some additional spices (onion powder, burlap & Barrel’s pizza spice mix, dried basil for fresh, garlic powder for fresh), and microplaned garlic on the bread instead of just rubbing it over. All came out excellent! I recommend checking the meatballs with a meat thermometer because they look done before they are. Will make again

baylie

The meatballs seemed way too wet before I cooked them but they turned out delish! I would probably use less marinara sauce next time, but overall these subs were a hit.

Karen

Since this recipe came out I have adapted it somewhat (use half Italian sausage meat) and sometimes serve the meatballs with spaghetti too! Great, easy basic recipe you can riff on.

Rita K

Love this recipe! Thank you, Ali Only change we made was using equal parts chopped veal, pork, and beef because ourItalian Aunt Julie insisted on a mixture when she was still with us!

Liz

Bangin. In fairness I didn’t quite follow the recipe. I added in garlic powder, dried Italian mix, and the umami mushroom powder from trader joe’s as i didn’t have garlic and fresh basil. I cooked the meatballs in olive oil in a dutch oven, flipping to cook on both sides and covering the dutch oven in the meantime. To serve I split the meatballs in half and made these as half face open sandwiches on the NYT no knead bread. Used the ends of the loaf to make the bread crumbs needed. YUMMM.

Sage55

I needed a meatball recipe for spaghetti and this sure is a winner. The meatballs were perfectly browned and there was a satisfying sizzle as the marinara was poured in. I added some sage and crushed fennel seed to the mixture. They were delicious and of course even better the following day.

jjocarbone

Used leftover meatloaf and bottled pasta sauce… perfetto

Big Lar

Made with Impossible and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and it was great

Bnolen

I cannot remember a simpler recipe this tasty. We sprinkled chopped jalapeños and bell pepper at the end for a nice bit of color and cold crunch. Excellent.

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Meatball Subs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What sauce to put on a meatball sub? ›

These homemade Meatball Subs are topped with a simple Italian marinara sauce on a toasted bun with melted cheese. This warm comfort meal is perfect for feeding a crowd or as a freezer meal!

What goes well in a meatball sub? ›

Toast up your french bread, top with meatballs, sauce, peppers and onions, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. We like to add hot pepper rings.

How many meatballs is enough? ›

If you are making 1-ounce meatballs for a main course you should make 6 meatballs per person. If you have some big eaters at the party I suggest making 6-10 bite sized meatballs per person. As you can see, the number of meatballs you need depends on their size.

Do you put mayo on a meatball sub? ›

Slice the sub buns in half, then spread some spicy mayo on each. Add the meatballs, then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and add cucumbers, carrots, green onion, basil and a drizzle more sauce. Enjoy!

What veggies go on a meatball sub? ›

What veggies are good on a meatball sub? Zucchini, spinach, kale, arugula, onion, sliced tomatoes, fermented jalapeños, sautéed mushrooms. You could also serve it with a side of fermented carrots or crispy potatoes.

Are pasta sauce and marinara the same? ›

In short, marinara sauce is a type of pasta sauce. It's likely the one that most people are familiar with — a simple, tomato-based pasta sauce without a lot of fuss. What distinguishes marinara as its own signature sauce is its unfussy ingredient list and quick cook time.

Do people put veggies on a meatball sub? ›

I like my veggies to be pretty cooked and browned, but you can cook them to your desired doneness. Add the marinara sauce to the vegetables, mix together and then add the thawed/browned meatballs. Allow everything to cook together for just a few minutes. Assemble your meatball subs.

Do meatball subs get soggy? ›

One of the keys to this recipe is simmering the meatballs in the sauce for at least an hour to help thicken the sauce and develop tons of flavor. Having a thicker sauce helps to keep things from getting too soggy and messy…and nobody wants a soggy sandwich!

What toppings to put on a meatball marinara sub? ›

Warm up the meatballs and sprinkle them generously with parmesan and add a piece of sliced cheese on top to melt. Cut the sub roll and spread with the spare tomato sauce. Add the spinach, peppers, meatballs, and top with sliced onions.

Are pickles good on a meatball sub? ›

In the spirit of fusion cuisine, we're mixing up cultures with a delicious twist in this satisfying meatball sub. Don't skimp on the spicy pickles: they're easier to make than you might think, and they pack a powerful flavor punch.

What is the perfect size meatball? ›

Typically, meatballs will be somewhere between the size of a large cherry and a golf ball. Recipes such as Swedish meatballs and Italian-inspired meatballs are often made with a mixture of both beef and pork, but meatballs can be made with any red meat, game, poultry or a mixture.

How many meatballs do I need for 12 people? ›

(So helpful if you're serving a huge crowd and doing the math about how many frozen meatballs for 50 or more people!) Here's how many meatballs per person you'll need: One serving = 4 meatballs. Party of 12 = 2 pounds.

Can I cook raw meatballs in sauce? ›

YES! I do this every time I make meatballs. You can freeze the meatballs after you fry them, but before you cook them in the sauce. Let them cool and then store them in a ziploc bag.

What cheese goes best on subs? ›

For cheeses, provolone is standard and what I like best, but Swiss is nice too! Besides loads of meats and cheese on an Italian sandwich, it usually has a chopped mix of pickled and crunchy vegetables to round out the sandwich.

What is the best cheese for a sub sandwich? ›

The 9 Best Cheeses for Grilled Cheese
  • Cheddar. For most of us, our first grilled cheese sandwich was made with American cheese. ...
  • Mozzarella and Pepper Jack. Every now and then, it's nice to change things up a bit. ...
  • Gouda. ...
  • Fontina. ...
  • Gruyère. ...
  • Havarti. ...
  • Provolone. ...
  • Swiss.
Feb 21, 2024

What cheese comes on a meatball sub at Subway? ›

6 tasty meatballs in marinara sauce topped with melted mozzarella. Some items may not be available in all markets.

What is the best cheese for hot subs? ›

It will create a nice golden crust too, but we prefer the flavor of butter for our sandwiches. You can use your favorite cheese. Sharp cheddar, Gouda, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Pepper Jack, and brie are all good options.

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