Description
This Meatball Sub recipe features homemade Italian-style meatballs made from ground beef and pork, seasoned with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, cooked in marinara sauce, and served in toasted hoagie rolls topped with melted mozzarella and oregano. It’s an easy, comforting sandwich perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner, combining savory meatballs with melty cheese and rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1/2 lb ground beef (85%/15% preferably)
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 egg
- 1 thin slice whole wheat bread soaked in milk (squeezed)
- 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves (pressed)
- 1 tbsp fresh minced basil
- 1/2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1/2-1 tsp kosher coarse or sea salt (to taste)
- 1/8-1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
Sauces and Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought, for cooking meatballs)
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (for subs)
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on subs)
- 1 1/2 cups thick shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 2 tsp dried oregano
Bread
- 3 deli hoagie rolls
Cooking Oil
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil (for searing)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, minced onion, Parmesan cheese, pressed garlic, fresh basil, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Squeeze out the soaked bread slice and break it up into the bowl. Mix everything quickly but thoroughly to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Form Meatballs: Grease your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Using a #40 cookie scoop (or similar size), scoop out portions of the meat mixture and roll them into approximately 1-inch diameter meatballs. Adjust size as desired but note cooking times will vary. Place the formed meatballs on parchment paper.
- Preheat For Cooking: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Preheat a large oven-safe skillet or pan over medium to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil.
- Sear Meatballs: Add all the meatballs to the hot pan. Sear for a couple of minutes on one side until browned, then flip each meatball and sear the other side briefly. Once flipped, pour 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce over the meatballs in the pan.
- Bake Meatballs: Transfer the skillet with the meatballs and sauce into the preheated oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs, until cooked through.
- Prepare Hoagie Rolls: Slice each hoagie roll horizontally, not cutting all the way through, creating a pocket. Arrange the rolls side by side in a lightly greased baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
- Assemble Subs: Spread about 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom inside of each hoagie roll. Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.
- Add Meatballs: Place 4-5 cooked meatballs inside each hoagie roll, arranging them side by side depending on size.
- Add Cheese and Seasoning: Generously spread shredded Mozzarella cheese over the meatballs in each sub, then sprinkle with dried oregano.
- Bake Subs: Bake the assembled meatball subs in the oven for about 15 minutes until the bread is toasted and the cheese has fully melted. If using cold meatballs and sauce, add 5 more minutes to baking time for thorough heating.
Notes
- For consistent meatball size, use a cookie scoop and grease your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Adjust the size of meatballs according to preference but remember to increase or decrease baking time accordingly.
- If you prefer, you can use store-bought marinara or homemade sauce for cooking and topping the meatballs.
- Using an oven-safe skillet allows for easy transfer from stovetop searing to oven baking without disturbing the meatballs.
- Let the subs cool slightly after baking before serving to avoid burning from hot marinara and melted cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
