This meatball sandwich recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish and will quickly become your family's favorite dinner! The secret ingredient that makes this meatball sub better than the rest is the garlic cheese bread base which prevents the bun from getting soggy!
You Will Love This
- This is hands down, THE BEST meatball sandwich you will ever have! The base of the sub is a garlic cheese bread hoagie with homemade garlic butter and a layer of melty provolone cheese - which also prevents the sub from getting soggy! There is nothing worse than a soggy meatball sub and the layer of cheese ensures that your meatballs stay saucy and your hoagie stays toasty!
- If you loved this meatball sandwich recipe, but sure to check out my Easy Ravioli Lasagna, my Italian Meatloaf Recipe, or my One Pot Sausage Penne Pasta.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spaghetti Sauce - Use your family's favorite. We like Prego best.
- Dried Oregano - I like to jazz up store bought pasta sauce with some dried herbs. If you don't have dried oregano on hand, you can use dried thyme or dried rosemary in its place.
- Frozen Italian Meatballs - Again, you can totally make your own if you prefer, but there are plenty of delicious store bought meatballs out there now. I like to find one with a short ingredient list made with things that I recognize.
- Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe and then just add my own salt to taste. The butter is used as a base for a quick garlic butter mixture that coats the bread and adds another layer of flavor!
- Parsley - Fresh chopped parsley will give you the best flavor. You could try dried or dehydrated in place of the fresh.
- Garlic - I recommend using finely minced fresh garlic or a yummy store bought garlic paste.
- Hoagie Rolls - I like to use the hoagie rolls that come from the bakery section at the grocery store. You're looking for a long roll that has a bit of a crusty exterior with a tender inside. French bread is a bit too tough for this recipe and something like a hot dog but will be too soft.
- Provolone Cheese - I love the flavor that provolone cheese brings to these meatball sandwiches but you could use shredded mozzarella instead. As much as I love fresh mozzarella, I wouldn't recommend it for these subs as it will release too much moisture and potentially make them soggy.
- Grated Parmesan - I love to finish my meatball sub with a hearty sprinkle of grated Parmesan. You could also use shredded or shaved Parmesan instead.
Instructions
Simmer meatballs in spaghetti sauce and dried oregano.
While the meatballs are cooking, combine butter, garlic, parsley, and a couple large pinches of salt.
Slice hoagie rolls lengthwise down the top of the roll, cutting a "V" shape out of the top of each hoagie roll.
Spread the garlic butter inside the hoagies, Bake for 5 minutes to get them nice and toasty.
Then add slices of provolone and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Once the meatballs are warmed through, divide them evenly between the garlic cheese hoagie rolls.
Garnish with grated Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
Tips
- If you don't have time to make your own garlic butter (although it really does take just a couple minutes) check your local grocery store! Some sell their own garlic butter. Whether you opt for homemade or store bought, just make sure you don't skip the garlic butter. It really adds such a delicious layer of flavor; it's like garlic cheese bread married Sunday night meatballs and lived happily ever after in this garlicky, toasty hoagie house.
- These meatballs sandwiches are perfect for a party! To serve these as more of an appetizer or finger food, just follow the recipe instructions, and then after you bake the hoagie rolls with the garlic butter and cheese, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the rolls into quarters. Then add one meatball to each quarter, garnish and serve. You're basically cutting each meatball sub into fourths, creating cute little meatballs sliders for an easier grab and go snack!
FAQ
The best part about these meatball sandwiches is that you can keep it simple - with just sauce, meatballs, and cheese - or you can jazz it up a bit more by adding sautéed veggies. You can also try experimenting with different kinds of cheeses or fresh herbs or greens like arugula or spinach!
I love to add sautéed veggies to these meatballs subs. You can use peppers and onions or even mushrooms to add some extra flavor. I also like to add some wilted arugula for a peppery bite as well. Pickled veggies like giardiniera or jalapeno are a great way to add a little zing as well! You could also serve these meatballs sandwiches with a crisp, fresh salad in order to get more veggies in!
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Recipe
Quick and Easy Meatball Sandwich Recipe
This meatball sandwich recipe takes 30 minutes from start to finish and will quickly become your family's favorite dinner! The secret ingredient that makes this meatball sub better than the rest is the garlic cheese bread base which prevents the bun from getting soggy!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 subs 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 24 oz. spaghetti sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 24 oz. frozen Italian meatballs
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley + more for garnish
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 8 oz. sliced provolone cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat spaghetti sauce to a large pan along with oregano and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper, over medium heat.
- Add frozen meatballs and cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir.
- Reduce heat to medium low and gently simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through.
- Once the meatballs have about 10 minutes left, combine butter, garlic, parsley, and a couple pinches of salt until well combined.
- Slice hoagie rolls lengthwise down the top of the roll, cutting a "V" shape out of the top of each hoagie roll.
- Spread the cut side of the with garlic butter. and divide hoagies between a couple baking dishes.
- Bake for 5 minutes to get them nice and toasty.
- Then add slices of provolone and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Once the meatballs are warmed through, divide them evenly between the garlic cheese hoagie rolls.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don't have time to make your own garlic butter (although it really does take just a couple minutes) check your local grocery store! Some sell their own garlic butter. Whether you opt for homemade or store bought, just make sure you don't skip the garlic butter. It really adds such a delicious layer of flavor; it's like garlic cheese bread married Sunday night meatballs and lived happily ever after in this garlicky, toasty hoagie house.
- These meatballs sandwiches are perfect for a party! To serve these as more of an appetizer or finger food, just follow the recipe instructions, and then after you bake the hoagie rolls with the garlic butter and cheese, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the rolls into quarters. Then add one meatball to each quarter, garnish and serve. You're basically cutting each meatball sub into fourths, creating cute little meatballs sliders for an easier grab and go snack!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 783
- Sugar: 15.5 g
- Sodium: 1795 mg
- Fat: 52.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 23.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.6 g
- Fiber: 6.3 g
- Protein: 34.8 g
- Cholesterol: 136.2 mg
Keywords: meatball sub recipe, meatball sub, homemade meatball subs
Ann
This recipe will be sure to please on a cold winter day. I'm preparing these for our weekly meal to the homeless in our church commercial kitchen. We serve about 70. We don't have a broiler to melt the cheese. I think I will just return the sandwiches to the oven on a lower temp to melt it and then keep them warm til serving. Your recommendation? Any tips for mass production?
★★★★★
Kylie
I think that baking the subs in the oven for a bit longer with the cheese on will be a great way to melt the cheese without a broiler! I don't have any tips for mass production other than just form an assembly line and hopefully you've got help! 🙂 What a great way to give back to your community!! Can't wait to hear what you think when you make them, Ann!
Randy
Made these yesterday and they were great - a keeper recipe!
★★★★★
rose
can you make the rolls with garlic butter and cheese about 2 hours before eating.
Kylie
Great question! I think the rolls would do well if prepared a couple hours in advance. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Gloria Washington-Shaw
Excellent quick recipe!
★★★★★
Nancy D
Definately recommend! My kids don't normally eat the bread, they did this time! Thumbs up from all my picky eaters!!
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this meatball sub recipe, Nancy! This is one of our family's favorites as well 🙂
carol j valdiviez
I guess I'm not understanding how you prepare the rolls. The picture looks like only bottom is used. What do you do with the top part in which you've cut out a V-shape?
Kylie
I struggled with how to explain this in the post! 🙂 Basically, the buns that I got were not cut already so instead of slicing them like a hot dog bun, I cut a V shape out of the top of each bun to make room for the meatballs. The shape is almost mimicking a hot dog bun if you were to stand it on its side. I hope that helps!!
Samantha Sasscer
Such a genius idea to bake off cheese and garlicky goodness! My kiddos could not stop raving about them!
★★★★★
Quinn Reynolds
These are SO good! I love the addition of the garlic butter on the bread. And also that they don't end up getting soggy. My family asked me to make them again already!
★★★★★
Luke
We loved this recipe!! So quick and easy!
★★★★★