Meatball Sub

Meatball sub sandwiches are pure comfort food. Our recipe includes easy homemade meatballs combined with your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce and provolone on a hoagie roll.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 12 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.
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Published February 14, 2023
Nick Evans
A Plate of Meatball Sub Topped with Banana Peppers and Basil, and in the Background, a Plate With Another Sub and a Glass of Beer

Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

A good meatball sub is comfort food at its best. Crunchy bread topped with savory, juicy meatballs, a slightly sweet and tangy marinara sauce, and creamy, melted provolone cheese—it’s a special sandwich that doesn’t get enough credit! 

While it may seem like a lot of work for a sandwich, this is no ordinary sandwich. Plus, you can break up the work to make it easier. I prefer to prepare the meatballs a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Then you can serve up a meatball sub in 10 minutes flat. 

If you are in the mood for a great sandwich (or are feeding a crew for a game day), these meatball subs should be on the menu. 

What Makes a Great Meatball Sub?

There are a few elements to a great meatball sub sandwich. First, you need good meatballs. Since they are the star of the show, I like to make my own meatballs for these subs, starting with our Italian Meatballs. I halve the recipe to make enough meatballs for 4 subs, but you can use the original recipe and have leftovers. (I also just use ground beef for simplicity, but a mix of beef and pork is great if you have both on hand). 

Second, the bread is important. It needs to be a sturdy roll to hold up to the heavy meatballs and the sauce; you don’t want it to get too soggy. Third, toppings are key. I like melty provolone cheese, fresh basil, and banana peppers for a little kick. 

A Plate of Meatball Sub Topped with Banana Peppers and Basil, and in the Background, a Plate With Another Sub and a Glass of Beer

Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

The Best Bread for Meatball Subs

Any good hoagie roll works well for these subs. I like to use a high-quality sesame seed hoagie. I wouldn’t recommend a hot dog bun as they can be too flimsy and will likely fall apart under the weight of the meatballs and sauce. Most grocery stores will have some sort of hoagie rolls in their bakery section. If you are lucky enough to live near an Italian-style bakery, they will almost certainly have a roll that works well for meatball subs.

No matter what bread you use, I recommend toasting the bun lightly in a skillet or on a griddle which will help the bread hold up to the meatballs and filling.

An Easy Shortcut

While I’m a big fan of making my own Italian meatballs for these sub sandwiches, I think it’s fine to take a shortcut and use a good store-bought marinara sauce. While it is a bit more expensive, I like Rao’s, a Simply Recipes favorite. Using a high-quality (or homemade) sauce makes a big difference.

Simmering the meatballs in the sauce for a while makes both the meatballs and the sauce itself more flavorful, so it’s not completely necessary to make your own sauce unless you just love making sauce.

Make It Ahead

I like making most of the components for meatballs subs in advance. You can sear the meatballs, simmer them in the sauce, and then store it all in the fridge until you are ready to make meatball subs. The meatballs are actually more flavorful if they sit in the sauce overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, I recommend taking the chill off the meatballs by microwaving them for about 2 minutes at high power. The meatball subs bake really quickly and it’s possible that your meatballs won’t be warmed through if you don’t heat them slightly before adding them to the sandwiches. 

A Plate of Meatball Sub Topped with Banana Peppers and Basil, and in the Background, a Plate With Another Sub and a Glass of Beer

Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

What to Serve With Meatball Subs

These are big sandwiches, so you’ll want something light to go with them. Try serving meatballs subs with any of these refreshing side dishes:

Meatball Sub

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 65 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 4 sub sandwiches

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 1/3 cup whole milk, warmed

  • 1 slice white bread, crumbled

  • 1 pound ground beef (80 to 85% lean)

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, for coating

  • 1/3 cup olive oil, for searing

  • 24 ounces good quality marinara sauce

For the subs

  • 4 large hoagie rolls, 6 to 8 inches long

  • 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

  • 8 slices provolone cheese

  • Fresh basil, for garnish

  • Banana peppers, for garnish (optional)

Method

  1. Prepare the meatball mixture: 

    Add the warm milk to a large bowl with the crumbled bread and let soak for a minute or two.  Then add the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and oregano. Mix with your hands until combined; it’s okay if there are a few bread chunks still.

  2. Shape the meatballs: 

    Using wet hands, shape the mixture into about 16 even meatballs—each should be around 1 ounce, or 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Coat each meatball in breadcrumbs and set it on a baking sheet while you shape the rest of the meatballs.

    Breaded Meatballs on a Baking Tray for Meatball Sub Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
  3. Sear the meatballs: 

    Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s glistening hot, add the meatballs, searing for a few minutes on every side. Once seared, transfer the meatballs to a medium saucepan and add the marinara sauce.

    Meatballs Searing in a Skillet for Meatballs Sub Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
  4. Simmer the meatballs: 

    Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add up to 1 cup of water to the pot if the marinara sauce seems too thick. Once the sauce is simmering, turn the heat down to low and cover with the lid, leaving it ajar so some steam can escape. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. 

    Tip

    At this point, you can make the meatball subs immediately or transfer the meatballs and sauce to a covered container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, making subs at your convenience.

    Meatballs Cooking in a Pot of Marinara Sauce for Gameday Meatball Sub Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
    Leftover Meatballs and Marinara Sauce in a Glass Pyrex Tupperware

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
  5. Assemble and bake the meatball subs: 

    Preheat the oven to 450˚F. 

    Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Using a bread knife, slice the hoagie rolls down the center, leaving the two sides attached, and open them up like a book. Add a little butter or drizzle of oil to the skillet and add the rolls cut side down. Cook until the hoagies are toasted, about 2 minutes. You will likely need to toast them 1 or 2 at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.

    Scoop 4 meatballs out of the marinara sauce and chop them in half. Add them to a toasted hoagie and spoon about 1/2 cup of sauce over the top of the meatballs. Top with 2 slices of provolone. Repeat with the remaining rolls and meatballs.

    Bake the hoagies until the cheese is well melted, about 5 minutes. Top with basil and banana peppers, if desired. Serve immediately. 

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    Meatballs, Marinara Sauce, and Provolone Cheese on a Hoagie Bun for Meatball Sub

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
    A Plate of Meatball Sub Topped with Banana Peppers and Basil

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
829 Calories
52g Fat
37g Carbs
52g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 829
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g 67%
Saturated Fat 21g 103%
Cholesterol 188mg 63%
Sodium 2059mg 90%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 52g
Vitamin C 7mg 37%
Calcium 681mg 52%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 1129mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.