Hearty Meatball Sub Sandwich (Print Version)

Tender meatballs in rich marinara sauce, served in soft rolls with melted provolone cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Meatballs

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

→ Marinara Sauce

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
15 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Assembly

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

# How To Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The meatballs are impossibly tender because of the milk and breadcrumbs trick that took me three attempts to finally understand.
  • You can have the entire thing on the table in under an hour, which means you actually have time to enjoy cooking it instead of stressing.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about the contrast between the soft roll, juicy meatballs, and that gooey cheese that just melts onto your tongue.
02 -
  • Don't skip the milk in the meatball mixture—I learned this the hard way with dense, dry meatballs that no amount of sauce could fix.
  • Baking the meatballs instead of frying keeps them from falling apart in the sauce and somehow makes them taste richer.
  • The broiler step is not optional if you want that melted, bubbly cheese situation that makes people pause mid-bite.
03 -
  • Keep your mixing hands cold and work quickly when shaping meatballs so they stay tender and don't start cooking from the friction of your hands.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently rather than boil—aggressive heat breaks down the herbs and makes everything taste one-dimensional.
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