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.
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).
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 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar (this helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 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
Make-Ahead: when I make these, I often prepare and bake the meatballs earlier in the day. To reheat, I place the meatballs in the pot with the simmering sauce and let them warm up together.
Freezable: and since I know someone will ask, the meatballs freeze great. Freeze them, unbaked, on a baking sheet. Once frozen, they can be placed in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Bake them (without thawing first), adding 6-7 minutes to the baking time. Incidentally, they also freeze great after they have been baked. Freeze them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag and reheat them in the simmering sauce until they are warmed through.
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I’ve made this many times, it’s a huge hit with the family. I’ve made it exactly to the recipe several times and I’ve started to make changes. I’ve found that any bread or cracker crumbs work fine. Sometimes I add extra so the meatballs are easier to form. I like a pound of sirloin and a pound of ground pork instead of turkey. These meatballs are also great with Mel’s “best homemade” spaghetti sauce over pasta. I made the sauce without meat and I froze half the meatballs and half of the sauce and the family devoured the rest. You know they love it when everyone is silent at the dinner table!
These were DELICIOUS! I made the meatballs the night before and froze them unbaked so that we could just throw everything together at dinner. I’d agree with another commenter-I’d double the sauce! But, I honestly didn’t mind having some leftover because we froze the ones we didn’t put in the sauce so that we can just make the sauce next time and throw them in! So easy and couldn’t believe the flavor without taking the time to brown them. Also, as a side note, my 16 month old son INAHALED THESE. Which was truthfully a gift from God. Sweet guy loves to eat cheese and fruit, but we struggle getting protein in him. He ate more meatballs than my husband and I combined but we RAN WITH IT because PTL he was eating protein! So thank you for sharing true family friendly recipes. I’ve cooked from your blog for YEARS but it’s a whole other level of connection with your recipes when I make them for my sweet guy. Thank you so much for doing what you do!!
Thank you so much, Kayla! That is awesome that your son devoured these. Love that! I have a son who doesn’t love meat/protein and I would feel the same way!
Hi Mel….I know it should be self explanitory on getting the bread recipie you’ve suggested and turning them into the different shaped buns…but is there someplace you’ve shown us how to do it? Burger buns, or hotdog, or the small sub buns as listed here? I just don’t wanna wing it…I’d like to know going in, aprox how much dividing of the dough, and go from there? Thanks bunches!! Debbie.
Mel, have you ever baked these and then frozen them? We like the Costco frozen meatballs for a quick dinner but I would happily replace those in my freezer with these.
I’ve been making meatballs for years and thought, as another poster did, “I don’t need this recipe”. Well, I decided to give it a try. Holy Italy! These are the BEST meatballs I’ve ever had! I use them for everything, subs, spaghetti, pizza…you name it. My husband’s comment was, “you could make money selling these subs”. He’s a food snob, and critiques everything! When he says it’s good….it’s GREAT! Make these subs….NOW! You will be glad you did. For the record, I’ve made them Mel’s way, by dredging them in flour before cooking, but I don’t any more, as I am lazy and have started skipping that step. It doesn’t make that big of a difference, in my opinion.
I just made these today! My family LOVED them. It is a keeper! Thanks for the great recipe!! I definitely will make these again. So flavorful!! You are an amazing cook!
This is by far my family’s favorite meal! As in, we eat in silence because every bite is so wonderfully good. I make the recipe exactly as written, including the homemade french bread rolls. It is more of a time-consuming recipe (I usually put it together on the weekend to save time during the week), but SO worth it!
Meatballs come out amazing! First time used ground turkey. My daughter woofed them down, this time I’m using 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground mild Italian sausage. Can’t wait to taste. They smell amazing baking.
Every single time I make these (and I think the tally is nearing a dozen times now), I regret not doubling it to toss a batch in the freezer. These are our favorite meatballs!
These were absolutely delicious! I am not a meatball person at all but my friend raved about this recipe so I gave it a try. These sandwiches were SO YUMMY that we had them again the very next night! I used a store-bought hoagie roll for convenience. My daughter loved mixing up all the ingredients for the meatballs with her hands. We used a cookie scoop to keep the size consistent then hand rolled them before baking.
I love these sandwiches! They are in our regular rotation and I never bother with other meatball sub recipes I come across. One question though…do your meatballs stay nice and round? I always use ground turkey and mine never hold that shape very well and always flatten on the bottom. Not a huge deal, but I just wondered if there is anything you would suggest to help them hold their shape better. More bread crumbs maybe?
Hey Catherine – my meatballs sometimes look a little misshapen, too. They aren’t always perfectly round, kind of depends on the brand of ground turkey I’m using and if I’ve eyeballed the recipe or really followed it. 🙂 If you want a sturdier meatball, try more bread crumbs, like you suggested – that should help (or cut down on the liquid).
I love going through your archives and finding new meals for my family. I’ve never been a huge fan of meatball subs, but man oh man. My husband declared these as on of the best things I’ve ever made for him. Both my kids (4 & 2) ate them up. I did half beef half turkey, and of course I somehow managed to forget the Parmesan cheese. But we still loved them. Making a double batch next time to put half in the freezer for go-to lunches for my hubs. We loved them with spaghetti, too. Thanks for keeping the food spark alive in our house. 😉
Used the meatball part of this receipe for meatballs and spaghetti sauce. My family loved them!! The word amazing was used by my picky eater child to decribe the taste. I did not cook the meatballs in the oven, just threw them in the crockpot with the sauce. Once again Mel you have helped me cook an outstanding dinner. My thanks to you!!
I think I want to serve this for a family dinner coming up. How many people do you think this serves? I need to feed around 21 people….should I triple the recipe?
Heather – If there is a mix of kids and adults I think doubling or 2 1/2-ing the recipe should be plenty. All adults, I’d say tripling would be the safest bet. Under the recipe title it indicates the recipe makes between 7-9 sandwiches but they are pretty big and very filling.
Oh.em.gee!! These were amazing! Just as good, if not better, than Firehouse Subs meatball. Thank you for, yet again, for another great recipe to add to my rotation!
First let me say meatballs are gross, never had a meatball I liked and the thought of a meatball sandwich ewww. But I decided to make these because 4 out of 6 people in the house like meatballs. I can happily report there are now 6 meatball lovers in the house. These were so different than normal meatballs, the flavors were great. I didn’t have any parsley or pepper flakes on hand so I skipped them and they were not missed. I also used mozzarella cheese in them and topped them with swiss. Kids are already asking for me to make them again.
Mel, These meatballs are in the oven as I type. We LOVE all of your recipes and are excited to try something new tonight! Just wondering- planning on freezing some of the cooked meatballs for quick dinners other nights. Do you think I could freeze them in the leftover sauce? Wasn’t sure if they might let off any water when thawing, therefore making the sauce watery…? I’ll leave them separate when freezing if so, but if you think it could work to combine then freeze, I may try that.
Caroline – I would simplify and freeze them in the sauce. It might be a touch watery after thawing but after 10 or so minutes of simmering, it should thicken up nicely.
I didn’t think I was much of a meatball person but I have made this recipe a few times and think they are amazing. I actually just made some for a Super Bowl party and I made your French bread rolls into 24 smaller buns and put one meatball on each for little meatball sliders, they were a big hit at the party.
I love love love this recipe! I’m planning on making them tomorrow for a party. I was thinking of putting the meatballs and sauce in the crockpot on low- do you think they would hold up or would they fall apart?
Hi Mel, I am brand new to your blog, somehow I just discovered it today (blasphemy!). I have already saved tons of recipes to try. I am a newlywed and am trying hard to find recipes my husband and I will both eat! I have never eaten a meatball sub before but these look too good to pass up. What kind of cheese do you recommend for this sub?
These were great! They were my first attempt at making the bread and I’m so glad I did. I can never get yeast recipes to rise. These french rolls were my first success. I was so happy when I saw them rise I almost cried! I think next time I’ll do more sauce. We didn’t think they were saucy enough and could use a bit more spices but all in all, a winner!
Hi Mel, your recipes are amazing! I will be making this tonight for my husband & 2 year old daughter. Can I just use french bread instead of making the french rolls ?
I’ve never made meatballs before and I adore all your recipes! I’m looking forward to making these! I was hoping to sneak in some shredded carrots for the veggie factor. Any tips on how I should adjust the recipe to do this?
I made the meatballs and sauce tonight for dinner and everyone loved them. I have to say, it’s a great meatball recipe with the perfect amount of seasonings and heat (I added the pepper flakes). The only change I made to them was to add a bit of onion powder and I used oatmeal instead of the bread crumbs. Thank you for a delicious meal!
Can’t wait to try this! What is the purpose of putting the meatballs and sauce in a 9×13? Are they warmed up together? Is it only for mixing purposes? Could I just put the meatballs on the sub and top with sauce and skip the 9×13 step and have one less dish to clean?
Carlin – I do it that way to help the meatballs get smothered in sauce but it’s just a personal preference so you could tailor it to your liking and skip a dish.
Family loved these! Even my 14 year-old picky eater. He said they were better than Subway and this is a kid who has said when he grows up he wants a Subway in his house so he can get meatball subs 24/7.
As I was putting these together I was thinking “I’m never making these again!” Somehow it felt like a lot of work, even though I made the meatballs previously and just yanked them out of the freezer. However, when I took my first bite I said “I will definitely be making these again!” For once I had no complaints, not even from my picky 1st grader. We all loved these! Thanks!!!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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?
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.)
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!
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!)
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!
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?
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!!!!
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!
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!!
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!
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.
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!
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!
I'm Mel, food is my love language, and my greatest desire in life is to share the best of the best recipes with YOU! I won't waste your time with filler recipes, but I will give you all my tried-and-true favorites!
French Bread Rolls (for the bun)
I’ve made this many times, it’s a huge hit with the family. I’ve made it exactly to the recipe several times and I’ve started to make changes. I’ve found that any bread or cracker crumbs work fine. Sometimes I add extra so the meatballs are easier to form. I like a pound of sirloin and a pound of ground pork instead of turkey. These meatballs are also great with Mel’s “best homemade” spaghetti sauce over pasta. I made the sauce without meat and I froze half the meatballs and half of the sauce and the family devoured the rest. You know they love it when everyone is silent at the dinner table!
These were DELICIOUS! I made the meatballs the night before and froze them unbaked so that we could just throw everything together at dinner. I’d agree with another commenter-I’d double the sauce! But, I honestly didn’t mind having some leftover because we froze the ones we didn’t put in the sauce so that we can just make the sauce next time and throw them in! So easy and couldn’t believe the flavor without taking the time to brown them.
Also, as a side note, my 16 month old son INAHALED THESE. Which was truthfully a gift from God. Sweet guy loves to eat cheese and fruit, but we struggle getting protein in him. He ate more meatballs than my husband and I combined but we RAN WITH IT because PTL he was eating protein! So thank you for sharing true family friendly recipes. I’ve cooked from your blog for YEARS but it’s a whole other level of connection with your recipes when I make them for my sweet guy. Thank you so much for doing what you do!!
Thank you so much, Kayla! That is awesome that your son devoured these. Love that! I have a son who doesn’t love meat/protein and I would feel the same way!
YUM!!! But next time I will definitely double the sauce.
Hi Mel….I know it should be self explanitory on getting the bread recipie you’ve suggested and turning them into the different shaped buns…but is there someplace you’ve shown us how to do it? Burger buns, or hotdog, or the small sub buns as listed here? I just don’t wanna wing it…I’d like to know going in, aprox how much dividing of the dough, and go from there?
Thanks bunches!!
Debbie.
Hey Debbie – I did a video tip about this several years ago: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/video-tip-how-to-shape-dinner-rolls/
No eggs in the meatballs?
Mel, have you ever baked these and then frozen them? We like the Costco frozen meatballs for a quick dinner but I would happily replace those in my freezer with these.
Yes, it works great!
I’ve been making meatballs for years and thought, as another poster did, “I don’t need this recipe”. Well, I decided to give it a try. Holy Italy! These are the BEST meatballs I’ve ever had! I use them for everything, subs, spaghetti, pizza…you name it. My husband’s comment was, “you could make money selling these subs”. He’s a food snob, and critiques everything! When he says it’s good….it’s GREAT!
Make these subs….NOW! You will be glad you did.
For the record, I’ve made them Mel’s way, by dredging them in flour before cooking, but I don’t any more, as I am lazy and have started skipping that step. It doesn’t make that big of a difference, in my opinion.
Why do you put the meatballs in flour before you bake them? Just curious!
Thanks!
I like the extra bit of firmness/crustiness it gives the outside of the meatball.
I just made these today! My family LOVED them. It is a keeper! Thanks for the great recipe!! I definitely will make these again. So flavorful!! You are an amazing cook!
Thank you, Jennifer!
I made them tonight for the first time. These are amazing!! So very very good. I can’t even wait to make these all the time.
This is by far my family’s favorite meal! As in, we eat in silence because every bite is so wonderfully good. I make the recipe exactly as written, including the homemade french bread rolls. It is more of a time-consuming recipe (I usually put it together on the weekend to save time during the week), but SO worth it!
Meatballs come out amazing! First time used ground turkey. My daughter woofed them down, this time I’m using 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground mild Italian sausage. Can’t wait to taste. They smell amazing baking.
Every single time I make these (and I think the tally is nearing a dozen times now), I regret not doubling it to toss a batch in the freezer. These are our favorite meatballs!
These were absolutely delicious! I am not a meatball person at all but my friend raved about this recipe so I gave it a try. These sandwiches were SO YUMMY that we had them again the very next night! I used a store-bought hoagie roll for convenience. My daughter loved mixing up all the ingredients for the meatballs with her hands. We used a cookie scoop to keep the size consistent then hand rolled them before baking.
I love these sandwiches! They are in our regular rotation and I never bother with other meatball sub recipes I come across. One question though…do your meatballs stay nice and round? I always use ground turkey and mine never hold that shape very well and always flatten on the bottom. Not a huge deal, but I just wondered if there is anything you would suggest to help them hold their shape better. More bread crumbs maybe?
Hey Catherine – my meatballs sometimes look a little misshapen, too. They aren’t always perfectly round, kind of depends on the brand of ground turkey I’m using and if I’ve eyeballed the recipe or really followed it. 🙂 If you want a sturdier meatball, try more bread crumbs, like you suggested – that should help (or cut down on the liquid).
I love going through your archives and finding new meals for my family. I’ve never been a huge fan of meatball subs, but man oh man. My husband declared these as on of the best things I’ve ever made for him. Both my kids (4 & 2) ate them up. I did half beef half turkey, and of course I somehow managed to forget the Parmesan cheese. But we still loved them. Making a double batch next time to put half in the freezer for go-to lunches for my hubs. We loved them with spaghetti, too. Thanks for keeping the food spark alive in our house. 😉
My family loved this – even my picky two year old! This will be making it into the regular rotation for sure!
Used the meatball part of this receipe for meatballs and spaghetti sauce. My family loved them!! The word amazing was used by my picky eater child to decribe the taste. I did not cook the meatballs in the oven, just threw them in the crockpot with the sauce. Once again Mel you have helped me cook an outstanding dinner. My thanks to you!!
Could I make the meatballs and use them for spaghetti??
Sure!
I think I want to serve this for a family dinner coming up. How many people do you think this serves? I need to feed around 21 people….should I triple the recipe?
Heather – If there is a mix of kids and adults I think doubling or 2 1/2-ing the recipe should be plenty. All adults, I’d say tripling would be the safest bet. Under the recipe title it indicates the recipe makes between 7-9 sandwiches but they are pretty big and very filling.
Oh.em.gee!! These were amazing! Just as good, if not better, than Firehouse Subs meatball. Thank you for, yet again, for another great recipe to add to my rotation!
First let me say meatballs are gross, never had a meatball I liked and the thought of a meatball sandwich ewww. But I decided to make these because 4 out of 6 people in the house like meatballs. I can happily report there are now 6 meatball lovers in the house. These were so different than normal meatballs, the flavors were great. I didn’t have any parsley or pepper flakes on hand so I skipped them and they were not missed. I also used mozzarella cheese in them and topped them with swiss.
Kids are already asking for me to make them again.
Mel,
These meatballs are in the oven as I type. We LOVE all of your recipes and are excited to try something new tonight! Just wondering- planning on freezing some of the cooked meatballs for quick dinners other nights. Do you think I could freeze them in the leftover sauce? Wasn’t sure if they might let off any water when thawing, therefore making the sauce watery…? I’ll leave them separate when freezing if so, but if you think it could work to combine then freeze, I may try that.
Thanks again for your wonderful site!
Caroline – I would simplify and freeze them in the sauce. It might be a touch watery after thawing but after 10 or so minutes of simmering, it should thicken up nicely.
I didn’t think I was much of a meatball person but I have made this recipe a few times and think they are amazing. I actually just made some for a Super Bowl party and I made your French bread rolls into 24 smaller buns and put one meatball on each for little meatball sliders, they were a big hit at the party.
Hi Mel! What kind of bread crumbs work the best for the meatballs? Panko?
Jen – I’ve used everything from panko to homemade breadcrumbs to storebought. Panko or homemade are my preference.
I love love love this recipe! I’m planning on making them tomorrow for a party. I was thinking of putting the meatballs and sauce in the crockpot on low- do you think they would hold up or would they fall apart?
Hannah – I think that could work as long as they don’t sit in the crockpot too long (1-2 hours max, I’d say). Good luck!
Hi Mel,
I am brand new to your blog, somehow I just discovered it today (blasphemy!). I have already saved tons of recipes to try. I am a newlywed and am trying hard to find recipes my husband and I will both eat! I have never eaten a meatball sub before but these look too good to pass up. What kind of cheese do you recommend for this sub?
Hi Allyson – I usually use provolone for this sub.
These were great! They were my first attempt at making the bread and I’m so glad I did. I can never get yeast recipes to rise. These french rolls were my first success. I was so happy when I saw them rise I almost cried! I think next time I’ll do more sauce. We didn’t think they were saucy enough and could use a bit more spices but all in all, a winner!
Hi Mel,
your recipes are amazing! I will be making this tonight for my husband & 2 year old daughter. Can I just use french bread instead of making the french rolls ?
Jessica – sure! The meatballs just need a really good soft bread and you’ll be good to go.
I’ve never made meatballs before and I adore all your recipes! I’m looking forward to making these! I was hoping to sneak in some shredded carrots for the veggie factor. Any tips on how I should adjust the recipe to do this?
April – I would just shred them very finely and throw them into the meat mixture. Sounds like a great way to get in some veggies!
I made the meatballs and sauce tonight for dinner and everyone loved them. I have to say, it’s a great meatball recipe with the perfect amount of seasonings and heat (I added the pepper flakes). The only change I made to them was to add a bit of onion powder and I used oatmeal instead of the bread crumbs. Thank you for a delicious meal!
Hi Mel,I’m gonna try this for dinner but can you tell me what type of ground beef did you use?
Hi Sam – I usually use ground turkey for these but when I have ground beef, I use 90/10.
Can’t wait to try this! What is the purpose of putting the meatballs and sauce in a 9×13? Are they warmed up together? Is it only for mixing purposes? Could I just put the meatballs on the sub and top with sauce and skip the 9×13 step and have one less dish to clean?
Carlin – I do it that way to help the meatballs get smothered in sauce but it’s just a personal preference so you could tailor it to your liking and skip a dish.
These were divine!
Family loved these! Even my 14 year-old picky eater. He said they were better than Subway and this is a kid who has said when he grows up he wants a Subway in his house so he can get meatball subs 24/7.
As I was putting these together I was thinking “I’m never making these again!” Somehow it felt like a lot of work, even though I made the meatballs previously and just yanked them out of the freezer. However, when I took my first bite I said “I will definitely be making these again!” For once I had no complaints, not even from my picky 1st grader. We all loved these! Thanks!!!
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!