Easy Italian Meatball Subs
This Meatball Subs Recipe is perfect for game day, a quick dinner, or anytime you get a meatball craving. Make this sub-shop classic at home!
Shake up your dinner menu with this easy Meatball Sandwich. Use frozen meatballs when it’s a busy weeknight or my tasty homemade meatballs when time isn’t so tight. This is pure comfort food!
Why You Must Make
- If you love meatballs, you’ll fall hard for this meatball sandwich topped with gooey, melted Provolone cheese.
- The large meatballs flavored with Italian seasonings were tasty on their own, but they truly shined served on a brioche bun with a simple marinara and cheese.
- Perfect for a game-day meal around the TV, but easy enough for a delicious weeknight dinner!
Expert Tips
Meatball subs are a super easy dinner recipe that your family will request again and again. Here are a few tips for making them.
- For a lighter version, serve a mini version of these easy Italian meatball subs on small whole wheat rolls.
- Look for those lobster roll brioche buns that are sliced from the top down instead of horizontally. But traditional hot dog buns work fine, too.
- Mozzarella would be a delicious topper, as would any melty cheese you love. Feel free to put your cheese on first and let the hot meatballs do the melting for you.
- You could definitely use ground dark-meat chicken or a meatloaf mix (beef, pork, and veal) to make your meatballs. Or even purchase already-made meatballs found in the frozen foods section of your market, though they may be smaller. Just pile on more!
- You can use jarred marinara or homemade. If I make marinara, I like to make a double batch and freeze half for later. It’s great for Chicken Parmesan or Spaghetti Pie.
- Instead of just topping your sub with marinara, you can also simmer the meatballs in marinara for an extra boost of flavor!
- Leftover spaghetti sauce would also work in a pinch instead of marinara.
Frequently Asked Questions
This version was topped with marinara and slices of Provolone Cheese. Mozzarella is another tasty option.
You can also add Alfredo sauce, Parmesan cheese, sliced red bell peppers, sliced onions, and even add fresh herbs like basil to the marinara or just sprinkle over the top.
Think of dishes you’d serve with hot dogs or hamburgers. Coleslaw, pasta salad, a tossed green salad, french fries, sweet potato fries, chips, or a fruit salad would all be delicious.
You May Also Like:
- Easy Mongolian Beef from Spend with Pennies
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
- Flank Steak Roulades with Spinach, Mushrooms
- Pot Roast with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Red Wine
- Plus, check out all my Best Beef Recipes
Easy Italian Meatball Subs
Cheese topped meatball subs are a deli classic you can make at home!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck
- ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 eggs, whisked slightly
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Sandwiches:
- 8 sub rolls or hot dog buns
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 slices Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside (for easier cleanup).
- In a mixing bowl, add all the meatball ingredients. Mix gently with your hands till well combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop out rounds of meat and shape them into balls. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or till cooked through.
- Warm marinara sauce and toast buns if desired. Add the meatballs to the warmed sauce.
- To make subs, spoon 3 meatballs and sauce onto buns. Top with cheese and return to oven for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
May also use frozen meatballs instead of homemade.
Allow the meatballs to simmer in the sauce if you have time before assembling the sandwiches. This will add more flavor to the marinara as well as keep the meatballs juicy.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 938mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 35g
22 Comments on “Easy Italian Meatball Subs”
Those meatballs are gigantic and look awesome!
This is also an amazing recipe for leftover meatballs. Plus, we can use your recipe both for meatballs with pasta as well as for the sandwiches:) Drooling over those photos Liz, excellent work!
Have a great week ahead dear!
xoxoxo
A mini for me and maxi for my guys! I’m a bit weary of my routine menu and this is the perfect choice for shaking things up a bit.
aghhh I so so so need to make meatball subs at home! I love ’em and these ones look amazinggg
Meatball subs turn up here every once in a while if I have leftovers from a spaghetti and meatball dinner. They are always a huge hit.
Can a meatball sandwich be sexy? Because those certainly look amazing! Yum!
Meatball subs are a regular when we have a big group of friends over. It’s so easy to just fill the crock pot with meatballs and let everyone build their own. Yours look fantastic!
Your meatball subs look fantabulous! Better even than the ones I remember from childhood when visiting my mother in Cambridge, MA. (And that’s a big compliment!)
I am a fan of meatball subs too!. These look yummy. I could go for one right now.
Hi Liz, these look delicious, my husband would go crazy if I prepared something like this for him. Love that you served these on a brioche bun.
After reading your recipe for meatballs, Liz, I would swear that you grew up with these meatball sandwiches just like I did. I’m sure that your Bill was just as happy to eat them as mine was . . . seriously heavy man-food. Maybe they are related! I like how you prepared yours for a lighter version! This was a fun theme!
xo
Roz
I’m not sure why I don’t make meatball subs more often. They’re SO good!
I would love to pick that up and sink my teeth right into it!!
These look SO delicious, Liz! My husband orders meatballs a lot too and I can’t wait to make them at home for him now. Love that melty cheese!
I’ve never had a meatball sub, but that melty cheese is luring me in!
I love making spaghetti and meatballs and having enough leftover for subs the next day.
It’s sad to admit that I do eat meatball subs, something I consider a sin, calorie wise. I sometimes order one when I’m out as a real treat. Now, I can be good to myself and make my own. Rather that’s a good idea or bad one, I’m still happy to have your post today.
Nothing like a great meatball sandwich! Love that cheesy top!
You know I don’t think I have had one either but these look good!
I love that you enjoyed a mini version! Meatballs are a favorite of ours around here and we’d love your version of a meatball sandwich!
Meatballs are one of my favorite things to eat. Olivia adores them now too. I add them to subs when Mr. J decides that he is all meatballed out. Somehow the sandwich version makes it better.
Wow, I could have used this round-up back when my PIGskin Challenge was 17 weeks of meatballs! Your sandwich sounds great and I’m sure the boys will love it:@)