This delicious meatball sub recipe is the perfect family dinner idea. It comes together in a snap and with my Italian meatballs, you will be totally in love.
If you asked my kids each individually what is their very favorite family recipe, it would a a resounding, “Grandma’s meatballs!” It is actually their great-grandmother’s recipe, and it is one that gets a resounding happy cheer when it is on the menu.
My grandmother’s delicious meatballs are what make up the heart of this recipe. I suggest that you make a double batch for dinner with spaghetti and my easy spaghetti sauce. Then, save leftover meatballs in the freezer and keep them on hand for this fantastic meatball sub recipe.
How to Make Meatball Subs
Here is a brief overview of how this meatball sub sandwich recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Add sauce to the meatballs. This recipe starts with cooked meatballs, you can use homemade or store-bought. In a small skillet, combine some spaghetti sauce with the meatballs. Toss so the meatballs are fully coated and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. The goal here is to warm them up to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit because they will only be in the oven a few minutes.
- Put the sandwich together. Add four meatballs to each hoagie roll. Top with additional sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Broil the sandwich. Place the meatball subs on a baking sheet underneath the broiler. Remove from the oven when the cheese is melted and the subs are toasted. Be sure to watch them closely so they don’t burn. Enjoy!
How to Make Meatballs
You can make meatball subs with any cooked meatballs. I am partial to my homemade meatballs, but frozen meatballs, or even leftover meatballs, also work great. Here is a brief overview of how my homemade meatballs come together.
Be sure to click on the link in the box below for the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements. I also have a great recipe for turkey meatballs if your family doesn’t eat pork or prefers turkey.
- Soak the bread. Place the bread slices in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for five minutes. Then squeeze out as much of the liquid from the bread as you can.
- Combine the meatball ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, parsley, soaked (and squeezed) bread, bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic salt, and salt.
- Roll into balls. You can do this with clean hands or using a cookie scoop. I prefer a cookie scoop so the meatballs are uniform in size.
- Cook the meatballs. My grandma always fried her meatballs, but you can bake them, fry them, or use a combination of the two. I prefer to bake them because it’s mess free and easy.
The Best Italian Meatballs
What Rolls to Use
When you are picking out the bun or roll you want to use for this recipe, keep in mine that you want to choose something pretty hearty. You are looking for a bit of a crusty baguette or hoagie roll that will hold up to big meatballs, sauce, and melted cheese.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
If you’ve never made homemade spaghetti sauce because you think it will require lots of time and work over the hot stove, I have a treat for you. My spaghetti sauce recipe is made with canned tomatoes and has the best flavor! It is delicious in this meatball sub recipe, over a plate of pasta, or in lasagna.
Of course, you can also use a jar of your favorite store-bought sauce if you prefer to go that route. My marinara sauce would also be delicious int his recipe. It’s a quick tomato sauce like my spaghetti sauce but has a slightly different flavor profile. Additionally, rather than diced and crushed tomatoes it uses tomato sauce, making it a little more popular with kiddos and picky eaters.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Storing and Freezing Meatballs
Like I said above, you can easily make this recipe with leftover or frozen meatballs. If you make your own meatballs, they can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you want them to last longer than that, I recommend freezing them. I often make a double or triple batch and freeze the leftovers because it is easy to just reheat a few for a kiddo for lunch. Or make a double batch just so you have meatballs on hand to make this recipe! You can read my steps for freezing meatballs in my Italian meatball post.
Other Great Sandwich Recipes
If you make this meatball sandwich recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment letting me know how you enjoyed it!
Meatball Sub
Ingredients
- 4 hoagie rolls
- 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce read about my homemade sauce above, or use your favorite jar of store-bought sauce
- 16 Italian meatballs read about my five star meatballs above, or use your favorite store-bought variety
- 2 cups mozzarella shredded
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup of spaghetti sauce with the meatballs. Toss so the meatballs are fully coated and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If your meatballs are freshly baked, you can just toss them in sauce. (If using store-bought frozen meatballs, you will want to thaw them first.)1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, 16 Italian meatballs
- Add 4 meatballs to each hoagie roll. Top with additional sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.2 cups mozzarella
- Place the meatball subs underneath the broiler. Watch the subs closely, removing from the oven when the cheese is melted and the subs are toasted.
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