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    Home » Real Food » Sandwiches, Burgers, and Wraps » The Best Meatball Sub

    The Best Meatball Sub

    By Kristen Chidsey | 8 Comments | Published January 30, 2019 | Updated October 26, 2021 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    With a few tips, you can easily make the Best Meatball Subs right at home! From the toasted bun infused with garlic to the tender meatballs to just the right amount of cheese, these meatball subs are guaranteed to satisfy.

    With a few tips, you can easily make the Best Meatball Subs right at home! From the toasted bun infused with garlic to the tender meatballs to just the right amount of cheese, these meatball subs are guaranteed to satisfy.

    Meatball Sub on Hoagie Bun with Provolone Cheese.

    The Best Meatball Sub

    In my opinion, there are decent Meatball Subs and there are knock-it-out-of-the-park Meatball Subs.

    And I am sharing with you how to make the BEST Meatball Sub.

    My recipe for a Meatball Sub starts with homemade meatballs that are filled with incredible flavor and homemade spaghetti sauce.

    But what really makes this recipe the best, is the way the Meatball Sub is assembled. Served on a toasted bun that has been infused with garlic and layered with sliced provolone cheese, this Meatball Sub has texture, flavor, and the bun does NOT get soggy.

    This Meatball Sub truly is perfection.

    Notes on Ingredients

    The difference between a good meatball sub and a great meatball sub is all in the details. With minimal ingredients needed to make a meatball sub sandwich, it is essential to choose your ingredients wisely.

    • Homemade Meatballs: Yes, you can use any frozen or store-bought meatballs you like for meatball subs, but for the BEST meatball sub, I strongly suggest homemade meatballs, as the flavor is superior. I love my Baked Italian Meatballs for a meatball sub, but you can use Instant Pot Meatballs, or Lentil Meatballs.
    • Spaghetti Sauce: You want to be sure you use a really good quality store-bought or homemade spaghetti sauce that is well flavored.
    • Hoagie Buns: You want a thick bun that has room for 3-4 meatballs per sub. This is often referred to as a sub rolls or a hoagie bun. Hot dog buns can be used in a pinch, but you may need to cut your meatballs for them to fit onto your bun.
    • Provolone Cheese: Thinly sliced provolone is best so that the cheese melts sufficiently to fully cover the bun and meatballs.
    • Seasoned Olive Oil: Instead of just brushing the buns with olive oil before toasting, add garlic and oregano to the oil for an added layer of flavor to these meatball sandwiches.

    How to make Meatball Subs

    Step One: Prepare Meatballs

    • Mix together the prepared meatballs with just enough spaghetti sauce to coat.
    • Gently heat the meatballs and sauce in the stove or microwave to just warm through.

    Step Two: Toast Buns

    • Mix together the olive oil and seasonings.
    • Brush the oil on the inside of the sub rolls, place them on a baking sheet, and toast the buns until just golden in the oven.
    Pastry Brush Brushing Seasoned Olive Oil on Hoagie Bun.

    Step Three: Assemble Meatball Sub

    • Place provolone cheese slices on bun, overlapping to cover surface of the bun. This layer of cheese will help the meatballs and sauce to not soak through the bun, making the meatball sub soggy.
    Provolone Cheese Slices on toasted bun.
    • Place 3-4 meatballs on the bun. How many meatballs you need will depend on how large your meatballs are and the size of your bun.
    3 Meatballs on sub sandwich.
    • Top the meatballs with additional slices of provolone cheese to cover.
    Provolone Cheese on Meatballs for Sub Sandwich.
    • Return to oven to bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
    Meatball Sub on White Plate with sauce and cheese in the background.

    Serving Suggestions

    Meatball Subs need to be served immediately after preparing for best results. And the following sides pair beautifully with these subs.

    • Easy Baked Fries
    • Italian Pasta Salad
    • Air Fryer Potatoes
    • Baked Sweet Potato Fries
    • Copycat Panera Greek Salad
    • Broccoli Salad

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If you enjoyed this recipe for meatballs subs, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Meatball Sub on white plate next to meatballs

    Meatball Subs

    Made with a garlic toasted bun, tender meatballs, homemade tomato sauce and provolone cheese, these meatball sub sandwiches are guaranteed to satisfy.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 450kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 18 meatballs 1 recipe
    • 2 cups spaghetti sauce
    • 6 hoagie buns
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • 8 ounces provolone cheese thinly sliced
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
    • Gently mix together the prepared meatballs with the spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan or microwave-safe dish. Heat the meatballs over low heat in a saucepan on the stove or in 1-minute intervals in a heat-safe dish in the microwave until just warmed through.
    • Mix together the olive oil with garlic and oregano and brush on the opened sides of the buns.
    • Place the buns onto a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes, or until just browned.
    • Remove the buns from the oven and place 2 slices of provolone cheese on each bun, slightly overlapping to cover the surface of the bun. Top with 3 large (or 4 smaller) meatballs and an additional slice of cheese to cover the meatballs.
    • Return to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
    • Close sandwich and serve meatball subs immediately.

    Notes

    Meatballs: Use any meatballs you like for this recipe, keeping in mind that homemade meatballs are best. 
    Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite, well-seasoned spaghetti sauce for the best flavor. 
    Cheese: Thinly sliced provolone is best, but thicker sliced provolone or mozzarella can be used. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1075mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 6.2mg | Calcium: 311mg | Iron: 12.1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vickie

      June 09, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      This is so delicious.My family loves them.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 10, 2021 at 6:29 am

        Thanks for sharing Vickie!

        Reply
    2. Dini

      February 08, 2019 at 12:05 am

      5 stars
      I love all the tips, and these subs look so scrumptious! And thank you for the meatball recipe too. My husband would love this!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 08, 2019 at 7:41 am

        YAY!!! This is a winner in my husband's book as well!

        Reply
    3. Sandi

      February 07, 2019 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      My kids would love this for dinner. I love all of the step by step directions, it makes it so much easier.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 08, 2019 at 7:41 am

        So glad the tips help! Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Ginny

          June 27, 2021 at 6:27 pm

          5 stars
          Is it okay to use extra virgin olive oil? Thanx for your reply

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            June 28, 2021 at 9:36 am

            Absolutely!

            Reply

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