Hearty Meatball Sub Sandwich (Print version)

Tender meatballs in marinara sauce served in soft rolls with provolone.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - ½ lb ground pork
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
05 - 2 tablespoons milk
06 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Marinara Sauce

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Assembly

16 - 4 long sandwich rolls (sub or hoagie rolls)
17 - 8 slices provolone cheese
18 - 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for toasting rolls)
19 - Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
03 - Form mixture into 16 meatballs, each about 1¼ inch in diameter.
04 - Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until browned and cooked through.
05 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
06 - Pour in marinara sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs to the sauce. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Optionally, slice rolls lengthwise, spread butter on insides, and toast under the broiler or in a pan until golden.
09 - Place 4 meatballs with sauce inside each roll, then top with 2 slices of provolone cheese.
10 - Place assembled subs on a baking tray and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meatballs stay tender and juicy because the oven treats them kindly instead of letting a hot pan dry them out.
  • You get to make something that tastes like it simmered all day when it really only took fifty minutes.
  • There's a moment when you pull these out of the broiler and the cheese is still bubbling that makes everything feel worth it.
02 -
  • Don't skip baking the meatballs—it seems like it would be faster to brown them in a pan, but the oven keeps them juicy in a way a hot skillet never will.
  • The quality of your marinara sauce matters more than you'd think, because it's basically the only thing really flavoring the whole sandwich besides the meat itself.
  • Cold provolone straight from the package will be tough and won't melt smoothly, so let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes first if you have time.
03 -
  • Toast your rolls before assembly—this prevents them from turning into bread soup and gives you a little textural contrast.
  • Let the assembled subs sit under the broiler for just long enough for the cheese to bubble, not long enough for the bread to blacken; that's the difference between perfect and ruined.
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