Italian Meatball Subs
These Italian meatball subs are filling, hearty and crazy delicious. The meatballs can be made ahead of time and it makes the dish a snap to throw together.
Oooh, I love meatball subs. And this particular version is the best. Ever.
This meal makes a monthly appearance in our home, at least, thanks to my wonderful friend, Mariann, who passed it along to me several years ago.
A surefire hit for a meal my kids and husband will devour with no complaining, these subs are filling, hearty and the flavors are crazy delicious.
The great thing is that the meatballs can be made ahead of time and the sauce is a snap to throw together and heat through.
I use the amazing and versatile French Bread roll recipe for the buns and the combination of the soft, homemade bread, creamy mozzarella cheese and out-of-this-world tender and flavorful meatballs smothered in rich tomato sauce is a meal made in heaven.
This is one of my go-to meals for company or when I am taking dinner to someone.
Just last week, I made the meatballs subs and served them with a large green salad, fresh fruit and vegetables, baked chips and a trifle dessert I’ll be posting next week that is so stunning and tasty, it’s a wonder I shared it with the guests at all (I’m quite territorial over good food, I must admit).
What To Serve With This:
French Bread Rolls (for the bun)
An awesome side like this: Barbecue Macaroni Salad, Coleslaw, or these Boston Baked Beans
Fresh vegetables and/or green salad
Italian Meatball Subs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs or crushed saltines
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
To dredge the meatballs:
- 1 ½ cups flour in a shallow baking dish
For the sandwiches:
- 1 recipe French Bread Rolls, shaped into sub rolls and baked according to the recipe
- Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
For the sauce:
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar, this helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients together EXCEPT the meat. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so the breadcrumbs/crackers can soak up the liquid a little bit. Add the meat and mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil. Form golf ball-sized meatballs and dredge them in the flour until lightly coated. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet about one inch apart. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until the meatballs are completely cooked through.
- When the meatballs come out of the oven, let them sit for about 15 minutes. Gently scrape off any fat and place the meatballs in a 9X13-inch baking dish (or similar size). Pour the hot tomato sauce over the meatballs.
- To assemble the sandwiches, slice the buns in half. (If desired, lay the buns flat open on a baking sheet and top one side with cheese – toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes at 400 degrees until the buns are toasted and cheese is melted.) Place 3-4 meatballs on each bun and top with desired amount of sauce. Serve immediately with lots of napkins.
- For the sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low. Keep warm until the meatballs are finished baking.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from my friend, Mariann
Just made a batch of these meatballs for a freezer meal. They smelled heavenly while cooking. The cheese and seasonings make this meatball fabulous!
Is there anything I can use instead of parmesan (not cheese) or leave them out? Does the cheese hold them together?
Ava, the cheese helps with flavor and texture. If you leave it out. I’d suggest using more bread or cracker crumbs and maybe slightly more liquid.
Mel! I just have to tell you – we made the meatball portion of your recipe to go with spaghetti and THEY WERE AMAZING. Thank you so much for such a sure-fire incredible recipe!
Big hit with the family! Served with your baked potato soup. I used leftover buns, but next time I will try your french bread rolls. The meatballs were very tender and had great flavor. Will definately make again!
Hi Theresa – I like to dredge the meatballs in flour because it kind of helps give them a nice crust and helps them to keep their shape a bit better. You could do it without the dredging, though, if you prefer it that way.
Hi,
This recipe looks awesome….my question is, is there a reason why you dredge the meatballs in flour before baking? Is it a necessary step that adds to the recipe? I bake my, but have never done that, and it intrigues me.
Thank you!
Theresa
Made these yesterday to add to your baked ziti recipe and they were super yummy! I replaced the bread crumbs with panko, the garlic cloves with garlic powder, omitted the parsley, and used ground turkey (a mixture of 99% fat free and regular); otherwise, stayed true to the directions. I baked them on parchment paper to make cleanup a snap. The recipe made 48 oz of meat mixture (I made 1 oz balls but had some mix leftover so next time I’m going to make 32 1.5 oz balls). Thanks again for another winning recipe!
Hello Mel
I am new to your website but have already shared it with a friend after trying your vanilla pudding cinnamon buns. Kids loved them and so did I.
I tried these meatballs today after deliberating what to make with ground beef. My son said to look at your website as he loved my first attempt! “Look for a sauce without onions” he said. I was pleased to find this recipe and the testers will let me know after their soccer practice if I can make these again or not. I will probably serve with pasta and green salad for veggies. But if any left overs, into bread they will go…yummy! I am serving your blue ribbon apple pie for dessert…my first ever attempt with an apple pie, and pâte brisée!
Thanks for all the hard work you put into this site,
Monique
I came across your blog and after reading through, I decided I had to try one of your recipes. I made these meatballs yesterday with just the sauce part of your “Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – Perfected” and it was divine! The meatballs were the most tender I have ever had. I had my mother-in-law over for dinner and she raved about them as well. Thanks for the recipe!
Lorie – I think you could sub chicken broth. It might be slightly less depth of flavor but should still work fine.
Hi Melanie,
Just realized I don’t have beef broth! I do have the tablets or chicken broth (and I realize this is a beef recipe!)…could I sub either of these?
Diane – it may be that you like your subs a bit more saucy than we do. I usually don’t freeze half the meatballs so maybe next time increase the sauce accordingly. Good luck!
Hey! I finally made these and they were tasty. First bite tasted like pizza and that is a-ok in my book! Question though: I only had one pound of beef so I halved everything, and it looks like there may not be enough sauce to do my meatballs justice. Do we just like saucy subs, or was the intent to freeze half the meatballs?
These were SOOOOO delicious! Like Kathy, I am also not a meatball fan but these were SOOOOO good! Once again, thank you for the easy recipe. 🙂
So, I’ve just been going through a bunch of your recipes and saving them… it’ll be nice to finally have a bunch of new things to try, with only a minimal list of “new” ingredients to go out and buy. I’m pretty sure I’ve left you two or three other comments like this, but I just love your style of cooking! Thanks for being such a diligent blogger, even with your new little bundle, because I love trying your recipes. (Also, my last meatball attempt was not a success, and I have much higher hopes for these. Yum.)
Yummy! Plus my little guys ate their dinner without me poking and prodding. That’s a huge success in my book.
Oh my! These were amazing. I have never been a fan of meatballs but everything I have made from your site has been good so I thought I would give them a try. So glad I did!
Thank you. I have been reading a story about a baby gobbling up spagetti and meatballs to my kids….and now they want it….and I am making it! 🙂
DEO – yes, you could definitely make these meatballs for spaghetti (and the sauce, too, I suppose). I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I bought all the ingredients….and am making this tonight!!
Since I don’t have a bread maker/knead-er thing….I might have to forgo the rolls…..sigh. Can I make the meatballs, sauce and serve it with spagetti?
Did I tell you this….I owe you BIG time….for turning me from someone who loves to cook to someone who can make a decent devourable dish (ohhh no….they are NOT the same thing!)
Thank you!!!!
I made all this last night after work. Including the fabulous french bread roll recipe which I doubled. I told my husband that dinner would be a little later than usual because I needed to account for all the rise time for the sub rolls. Finally finished and he got his first meatball sub at about 8:00 pm. He couldn’t stop raving. He couldn’t hardly stop oohhing & ahhing over them! I garnished with some sliced black olives, since that’s how he eats the meatball subs from Subway. He proclaimed that we no longer needed to go to Subway! Thanks Mel for yet another amazing recipe that will now become a staple in our home! I just need to figure out a better way of shaping the rolls so they come out looking like a submarine sandwich!
I’ve never made a meatball sub before… or even meatballs, and these did not disappoint!! The whole family loved them. This is definitely going in the rotation of meals! Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
Made these this weekend and they were a hit! My boyfriend LOVED them and told me I can add this to the list of things to make again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Mel,
I wanted to know if you would suggest freezing the meatballs before or after cooking them or either! This make quiet a few and I wanted to save some for later. Which way do you think they would turn out best?
Lynn
Hi Lynn – I would suggest freezing the meatballs after baking them. I usually freeze the baked, cooled meatballs in freezer ziploc bags and then reheat on low in the oven or stovetop to use them again. Hope that helps!
These have become a favorite at my house. Even my pickiest eaters love them. My older kids also love to take the leftovers in their thermos for lunch the next day! YUM!
Danielle – glad you love these…we do, too! In fact, we are having them tonight!
These were SO good. I’ve made meatballs before, but these were the best I’ve ever made or tasted. They stayed moist and juicy after baking, and froze really well. I added some italian sausage (casings removed) I had on hand to the mix, and the flavor was great. Served on warm rolls with cheese, but also plan to make half the batch into smaller meatballs next time to serve in spaghetti, etc.
lb – glad you loved these!
Jen R. – I love the sound of BBQ meatball subs and I know my husband would go crazy for them. Thanks for the idea!
Just found your website…. can’t wait to try out MANY of your recipes, they all look DELISH! Since you seem to love BBQ sauce, or at least your husband does, what about BBQ meatball subs?
Hi Mel, I’m a big fan and have been following you for about a year now. I made these meatballs and they were terriffic, my tots 3yr and 1yr have nasal passages that can smell food from miles away! It was no sooner had I pulled out these from the oven that the pitter-patter of 4 little feet were heard as they trotted into the kitchen begging like little puppies for a bite from the mysterious tray on the counter. I gave them each a piece hopeing they would be satisfied and leave me be, this was further from the truth, they ate bite after bite from the tray finishing 5meatballs before they even left the kitchen. I dare not mention how many I ate standing there but I did decide that my husband HAD to have these, fresh, hot and now! So we packed up the car and drove the 30miles away to take them to him at 10:45pm for his 20minute break. He too loved them.
Anywho, Just thought I’d say thanks for the great food and the memories you helped create.
A definite keeper!
-Britany, Joey, Andy &Bella
Britany – hilarious comment! I’m glad these were such a hit with your toddlers and that it was worth it to drive all the way to let your husband experience them! Thanks so much for letting me know.
I finally had a chance to make these tonight after printing the recipe the day you posted it! We LOVED them!! I went to make the rolls and remembered that I was out of flour, so store bought rolls had to suffice tonight, but we have enough leftover meatballs that I will be able to make the rolls over the weekend. I’m sure the sandwiches will be even tastier then! We had a friend to dinner and he was impressed as well. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Sarah – so glad these impressed your friend and that you loved them. Thanks for letting me know!
I made these with turkey and thought the meatballs were fabulous! Made a double batch and shared with a mom who just had a baby. I ended up doctoring the sauce as it was wee bit too herby- added a whole can more of whole toms which I then blended into a smooth sauce in the blender.
Also tried the rolls and the smell was {heavenly}! thanks for helping me venture into bread making… maybe need more pictures of what they should look like prior to entering the oven. Mine were much flatter than yours appear- I used bread flour, too.
thanks for another great recipe! I’ll hat tip you soon on my blog!
crafty p – I’m glad these were delicious with the ground turkey. Thanks for sharing your changes. I’m guessing that if your rolls turned out too flat, the dough may have been underfloured. It is a tricky balance keeping the dough soft but neither over or underfloured. I’ve found sometimes that if my dough is too sticky, the rolls flatten out while baking because they don’t have enough substance to their structure to keep them rising up. That’s just a guess but may have been what happened. Overall, I’m glad you liked this meal!
Made these last night using ground turkey, and they were delish! Thanks for helping to pull me out of my recipe rut – I needed to try some new things this week, and this and the chicken cordon bleu casserole were perfect. YUM! I didn’t have any crushed tomatoes, so I substituted tomato sauce instead and it worked great. I’m sure it’s even better with the crushed tomatoes…I’ll make sure I have them for next time.
Thanks, Camille! It is refreshing to get out of the dinner rut and I am glad this recipe came through for you. Thanks for letting me know!
I have to tell you…when my daughter asked what was for dinner and I said, meatball subs…she was less than impressed. BUT she tried them and asked for more! No leftovers in this house. Great recipe, thank you!!!!
Patty – glad your daughter changed her tune once she tried the meatball subs!
These were fabulous!!! The rolls were easy and tasty too. Thanks for two keeper recipes. Can’t wait to share this recipe with my married kids.
Thanks, d – glad you liked them!
Mel, Mel, Mel. Can I call you Mel? I don’t take the time to comment very often, but this recipe forced my hand. THESE SUBS ARE FANFLIPPINTASTIC. I made them tonight, complete with the french bread rolls. There was complete and total silence at the dinner table as we all just ate and ate and ate. My family LOVED them. My 18 year old and 16 year old sons said they were, “…waaayy better than Subway.” I have never eaten a meatball sub before, but baby, I. am. converted.
I KNOW I will be making these every month!
Michelle T – you are so funny! Thanks for the smile. I’m thrilled your teenage boys were happy with the result of these. Waaaayy better than Subway is like, a huge compliment, I’d say!
I made these yesterday (although I bought french bread rolls at the store… no time this week for making them from scratch). DELICIOUS! Thanks Mel!!!
Thanks, Brittany – glad you liked these little babies!
Oh my!!! Made these last night with your amazingly tender and light french bread rolls. I thought they would be too bready but they were AWESOME!! And the meatballs smelled and tasted so good too! Thank you for two amazing recipes!!
PS….My 20 month old even ate 4 meatballs!!!
Katie – your 20 month old would definitely be best buds with my boys who can down meatballs like nobody’s business. I’m so glad this meal was a hit! Thanks for letting me know.
I admit it-I am a lurker! I have tried so many of your recipes and they have all been wonderful, but this is the first time I have left a comment. I loved these meatballs and the rolls were so awesome toasted with cheese. I have made your french bread roll recipe before when I have made the braid but this is the first time I have ever made sub rolls myself and they are so much better than store bought! Thanks!
Taryn – thanks for your comment! I’m glad that you have tried so many recipes and liked them, but now that I know you liked the rolls and meatballs, that means we are definitely kindred spirits. Thanks for checking in to let me know!
whoops- rising,lol!
I have these meatballs in the oven right now- my house smells divine!
The french roll are risinf as well- I can’t wait! Yum!
Whitney – can’t wait to hear what you think about the finished meatball sub!
I love love love your blog. It is my go to website when planning my weekly dinner list. This is definatly going to be on it this week. Thanks for all your great recipes
I am obviously going to have to try to make these! I am a little intimidated my the rolls, though, because I have never had much luck with raised bread recipes. But for these little sandwiches, I am sure going to to try…
i like my meatball subs so darn saucy that a fork and knife are required. cheese oozing out both ends (of the sandwich, of course, not of my body…) is pretty nice too.
This sandwich looks awesome!! Can’t wait to try it.
Ok so I want to make your French Bread Rolls for this, but I have one quesiton for you. You mentioned in the roll post that you make them golf ball sized. I am assuming that is for the “individual” rolls and not for these longer “sub-like” rolls. How big do you make the dough pieces for these sub rolls?? Thanks for any suggestions you might have, Mel.
Hey Angie – (I don’t know why I didn’t tell you this on the phone today!) – for the sub rolls, I do shape them differently than the “golf ball sized” rolls for normal dinner rolls. I pinch off probably about double the amount of dough I would use for a dinner roll and I shape it/roll it into a log shape. Before it rises, it is probably about 1 1/2″ to 2″ wide and 2 1/2″ to 3″ long. They puff up and rise quite a bit so don’t be worried about how small they look when you originally roll them out. Hope that helps!
Your sandwich looks great and I will be trying this! Thanks!
We just love meatball sandwiches, these look great! My hubby usually makes them around here, which works for me 🙂
I thought I had planned what I was making this weekend but after seeing this, we’ll be having meatball subs! This looks soooooo delicious and I can’t wait to make the homemade rolls too. Thanks for posting this again!
My husband LOVES meatball subs, and I never make them at home…until now. You haven’t steered me wrong yet, Mel, so I will surprise my husband with this fabulous recipe! Thanks for inspiring me to make these for him! 🙂
When I read the title of the post, I thought, “I already make meatball subs. I guess I don’t need this recipe.” But then I remembered that everything you make is soooo good, this is bound to be ten times better than the ones I’ve been making. Can’t wait to try them!