Meatball Subs

5 from 1 vote

Our homemade meatball subs have juicy meatballs that are simmered in a tasty homemade sauce, placed in a soft sub sandwich, and coated with more sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: sub sandwiches

Calories: 851kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Meatballs

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs lightly beaten
½ cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon fresh parsley plus more for garnish
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Sauce

2 cans (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup sweet onion small diced (about 1 medium sized onion)
1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the sub sandwich

6 hearty sub rolls approximately 7-8 inches long each (I used 8”)
12 slices mozzarella cheese (from the deli section, not block of cheese)
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese divided
Additional chopped fresh parsley for garnish if desired

Toppings

Add sauteed bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms on top of your meatballs as extra toppings.

Instructions

In a 6-qt pot, on medium heat, add the olive oil, onions, garlic, dried basil, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine, then reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer the sauce while you move forward with making the meatballs. Make sure to stir your sauce every so often to make sure it doesn’t burn.
In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, egg, panko, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Using a large wooden spoon, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Pro tip: Be careful not to overwork the beef mixture because that makes a tough meatball.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom. Set aside.
Using a kitchen scale, divide the meatball mixture and weigh out 12 (1.5 ounces or 1.5-1.¾” diameter) meatballs. Shape your meatballs by lightly rolling them in your hands, then place the formed meatballs, in rows, on the prepared sheet pan.
In a large, heavy-duty skillet, heat the ¼ cup olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place 6 of your shaped meatballs into the skillet. You will brown your meatballs on all sides. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Once you have browned the meatballs on all sides, remove them from the skillet and return them to the baking sheet. Repeat this step with the remaining meatballs. When you are done you should have 24 bounce meatballs back on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place your baking sheet, with the browned meatballs, into the oven to finish baking for 30 minutes.
Once you remove your cooked meatballs from the oven, place them into your pot of simmering sauce for another 30 minutes on medium-low heat.
At this point, you can assemble your sub sandwiches by opening your sub roll lengthwise. Place 4 meatballs into each sub roll. Top your meatballs with 2 slices of the deli sliced mozzarella cheese. Place your assembly meatball subs onto the aluminum foil-lined sheet tray and put it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until your cheese has melted and your sub roll has crisped up slightly.
Garnish your subs with a couple of spoonfuls of additional sauce, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and any toppings you like.

Notes

Makes: 24 meatballs - 4 sub sandwiches

Storage:

To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze any extra meatballs and sauce together in a freezer safe, lidded container, for up to 2 months. When you are ready to use them you will need to thaw the container in your refrigerator.
To Reheat: You can place your leftover meatballs and sauce in a large pan and reheat them on medium-low heat on the stove. If frozen, you will need to thaw the leftovers first.

Tips:

Use a hearty sub roll for these meatball subs. Softer rolls will not hold up to the sauce and meatballs. The ones that I have found work best are from your local bakery or the bakery department at the grocery store.

Nutrition