Weeknight Meatball Sub Recipe
Quick meatball sub recipe. Easy weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 4 Italian sub rolls
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 0.25 cup fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- First things first, let’s get those incredible meatballs ready. In a large mixing bowl, combine your ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Now, here’s a crucial tip for super tender meatballs: mix thoroughly but gently. Overworking the meat can result in tough meatballs, and nobody wants that! Use your hands to combine everything until just mixed; you shouldn’t see large pockets of just breadcrumbs or just meat. The mixture should feel cohesive and slightly sticky. Next, gently roll the mixture into approximately 1-1.5 inch meatballs. Don’t press too hard; keep them light and airy. You should get about 20-24 meatballs, depending on their size.
- Now, let’s get some color on these beauties. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, carefully add the meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding will steam the meatballs instead of browning them, and we want that lovely, caramelized crust for extra flavor! Sear for about 2-3 minutes per side, just until they are beautifully browned all over. They don’t need to be cooked through at this stage; we’re just building flavor. Remove the browned meatballs and set them aside on a plate while you prepare the marinara.
- For the marinara, reduce the heat to medium. Add a little more olive oil to the same pan if needed. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring, to deepen its flavor. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, and a pinch more salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Once it’s simmering, carefully return the browned meatballs to the pan. Make sure they are mostly submerged in the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, allowing all those lovely flavors to meld and the meatballs to become incredibly tender. The longer it simmers, the more amazing your sauce will taste. While the meatballs are simmering, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Once the meatballs are cooked, it’s time to assemble your masterpieces! Grab your Italian sub rolls. If they are large, you might want to slice them partially through the middle, creating a pocket but leaving one side connected. However, for a truly amazing ratio of bread to filling, I prefer to slice them completely in half lengthwise, like a book. Place the split rolls open-faced on a baking sheet. Lightly toast them in the preheated oven for about 3-5 minutes, just until they’re slightly golden and fragrant. This step prevents the bread from getting soggy and adds a wonderful crunch. Remove the toasted rolls from the oven and it’s time for the grand finale.
- Our homemade marinara is the heart and soul of this dish, bringing a vibrant, tangy sweetness that beautifully complements the savory meatballs. Start by heating a generous tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add your finely minced garlic cloves and sauté for about 30-60 seconds, until they become incredibly fragrant but definitely not browned – burned garlic is bitter! Next, stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, pressing it against the bottom of the pan with your spoon to lightly caramelize it and deepen its flavor. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, which should be good quality and full of rich tomato flavor. Add the dried oregano, a good pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This slow simmering time allows the flavors to truly meld and deepen, resulting in a velvety, concentrated sauce. Stir in some fresh basil leaves at the very end for a burst of herbaceous freshness, creating a sauce that’s bright, robust, and utterly irresistible.
- Now for the best part – assembling your incredible meatball subs! Take your perfectly toasted sub rolls and lavishly spoon a generous amount of your rich, homemade marinara sauce onto the bottom half of each roll. Don’t be shy; we want every bite to be bursting with flavor. Next, carefully arrange 4-5 juicy, tender meatballs on top of the sauce, nestling them together. Follow this with another spoon or two of that glorious marinara over the meatballs. Finally, generously layer slices of fresh mozzarella cheese over the meatballs and sauce. You want enough cheese to create a luxurious, gooey blanket when melted. Place the assembled subs back on the baking sheet and return them to the 375°F (190°C) oven, or under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and beautifully golden. The aroma at this stage is absolutely intoxicating. Serve immediately, perhaps with a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil, for a truly spectacular and satisfying meal that looks as good as it tastes.
Notes
Prepare your taste buds for the ultimate comfort food experience: the Easy Weeknight Meatball Sub! This isn’t just any meatball sub; it’s a symphony of savory, tangy, and gooey perfection, all nestled in a perfectly toasted roll.