Easy Italian Meatball Sub Sandwiches
Homemade meatballs and tangy marinara sauce make these meatball sub sandwiches the best ever! Topped with gooey fontina (or mozzarella cheese) AND provolone cheese, and piled on top of a hoagie roll, these are a crowd-pleaser! Top with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor. And serve with plenty of napkins!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound (454g) ground beef
- 1 pound (454) ground pork
- 3 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (100g) parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 and 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup (171ml) water
For the Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (76ml) olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes with basil
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
For the Subs:
- 8 crusty sub rolls cut in half
- 8 ounces provolone cheese shredded
- 6 ounces fontina cheese shredded
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese finely grated
- fresh basil torn, for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, pork, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, egg, cheese, and breadcrumbs.
- Slowly add the water, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with your hands until everything is just combined. Don't over mix here or it'll make the meatballs tough. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs.
- Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop about two and half tablespoons of meat into your palms and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all of the meat.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 20 minutes, or until they're cooked though.
- While the meatballs bake, make your marinara sauce!
For the Sauce:
- Heat oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat. Add in the garlic and sauté for one minute, or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Add the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, and seasoning and stir well to combine. Simmer the sauce for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in basil and cook for 5 more minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- When meatballs are done cooking, add them to the sauce, stir to coat, use as directed below.
For the Subs:
- Preheat the oven to broiler. Slice the sub rolls in half, being sure to cut only 3/4 of the way through the roll.
- Place 5 meatballs into each sub roll. Spoon extra sauce on top of each roll. Then divide the shredded provolone and fontina cheeses evenly on top of rolls.
- Carefully place the subs onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and gooey and slightly golden brown in some spots. Don't walk away and keep a close eye here, you don’t want them to burn! If you're broiler runs hot, put it on the low setting .
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with basil and parmesan, and serve warm!
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