Meatball Sub Sandwich (Print Version)

Tender meatballs in rich marinara on toasted rolls with melted provolone cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - ½ lb ground pork
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
05 - 2 tablespoons milk
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ For the Marinara Sauce

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ For Assembly

16 - 4 long sandwich rolls (sub rolls or hoagie rolls)
17 - 8 slices provolone cheese
18 - 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for toasting rolls)
19 - Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
03 - Shape mixture into 16 meatballs (about 1¼ inch each).
04 - Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
06 - Pour in marinara sauce and bring to a simmer.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs to the sauce. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - If desired, cut the sandwich rolls lengthwise and lightly butter the insides. Toast under the broiler or in a pan until golden.
09 - Arrange 4 meatballs with sauce inside each roll. Top each with 2 slices of provolone cheese.
10 - Place assembled subs on a baking tray and broil for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The beef and pork blend creates meatballs that stay incredibly juicy, never dry or rubbery like so many takeout versions
  • Simmering the baked meatballs in sauce lets them soak up all that marinara goodness until every bite is bursting with flavor
  • Melting the provolone right on top creates that gorgeous cheese blanket everyone secretly fights over
02 -
  • Overmixing the meat mixture makes tough, rubbery meatballs, so stop as soon as everything is combined
  • The meatballs will continue cooking in the sauce, so don't worry if they seem slightly underdone when they come out of the oven
  • Letting the assembled subs rest for just a minute after broiling helps the cheese set slightly so it doesn't slide right off when you take that first bite
03 -
  • Dampen your hands with water or a little oil before rolling meatballs to keep the mixture from sticking
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your sauce if you like things spicy, but start small and taste as you go
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