Meatball Subs
These Meatball Subs are made lighter and healthier by using baked meatballs, topped with marinara sauce and cheese on whole wheat rolls.
Sometimes nothing satisfies quite like a sandwich. I’m not talking about dainty little finger sandwiches here. I mean a good, hearty, dinner type sandwich. One that makes a whole meal, not just a snack.
Well, this meatball sub certainly fits that bill! Now wait! Before you run away thinking of all those greasy meatball subs you’ve had in your life, just give this version a chance.
It’s a lot healthier than you might think at first glance. First of all, the meatballs are baked rather than cooked in oil. And the roll is whole wheat instead of white.
I also used turkey Italian sausage and very lean ground beef in these. See? Getting better all the time, right?
You can also use low-fat mozzarella to get the calories and fat down even lower. Starting to sound a little more promising, huh?
How to Make Meatball Subs
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Remove the Italian sausage from its casings and place in a medium bowl along with the ground beef. Mix the meats together until well combined.
Grate the garlic into the bowl with the meat mixture, and then add the remaining ingredients for meatballs. Mix together until thoroughly combined.
Form into 12 balls each slightly larger than a golf ball. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
Remove meatballs from oven and place in a single layer in a shallow pan.
Pour over spaghetti or marinara sauce of your choice. And, yes, I used a purchased sauce for this. There are some very good jarred sauces on the market now. I say take a little help from a jar occasionally. It’ll make getting dinner on the table a lot easier on a busy day.
Bring to the sauce almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 10 minutes.
Prepare the sub rolls by cutting a wedge shaped piece from the top of each.
On each roll, spoon a little of the sauce and two meatballs. Top each with 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
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Questions? I’m happy to help!
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Meatball Subs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- ¾ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 24 ounces purchased spaghetti or marinara sauce
For assembly:
- 6 whole wheat sub rolls
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Remove casings from Italian sausage and place in a medium bowl. Add the beef to the sausage and mix until well combined. Grate the garlic into the bowl with the meat mixture, and then add remaining ingredients for meatballs. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Form into 12 balls slightly larger than a golf ball. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from oven and place in a single layer in a shallow pan. Pour over spaghetti or marinara sauce of your choice.
- Bring to the sauce almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the sub rolls by cutting a wedge shaped piece from the top of each. On each roll, spoon a little of the sauce and two meatballs. Top each with 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
wow, great looking sub – like all the things going on in the meatballs, very flavorful sounding and the sub looks so tasty
I love meatball subs so so so much! I just made one with turkey, lots of mushrooms, and brie inside! YUM. Yours looks so fabulous… And though it’s midnight right now, I want one!
mmmm those look so hearty and satisfying!
Wow these look amazing. I think I’ve gained 10 pounds just thinking about eating them. And yes something my kids would love. Meatballs are always a hit.
Oh my, these look good! I love meatballs that are cooked in the oven – they are so tender. I really think the kids will love this recipe, too.
These meatball subs look sooooo yummy!
Looks like a dinner my family would gobble up!
An almost guilt-free meatball sub? Fabulous! That means I can add a bit more cheese, and some sauteed onions, and maybe some….
Love the looks of this recipe. Many thanks for sharing.
the last time I had a meatball sub was from Subway. Hahaha…I need to make them at home one of these days. I’d need to have a whole lot of cheese on top of mine. :)
Those meatball subs from Subway are so good, but I always feel like I’ve eaten a ton of fat afterwards. When I do them this way, I don’t feel so guilty!
Sounds wonderful to me! I would have to stick mine under the broiler. I love slightly browned gooey cheese on my subs! :)
Oh, yes! It would be really good with the melted cheese. Why didn’t I think of that??
Yum….Meatballs are so so great. I just made some last night. This sandwich looks fantastic.
Looks great! You’re a bad influence :)
Good to knwo you guys have the Bertolli sauces as well!
Those Bertolli sauces are not bad. Not bad at all!