These homemade Meatball Subs are topped with a simple Italian marinara sauce on a toasted bun with melted cheese. This warm comfort meal is perfect for feeding a crowd or as a freezer meal!
Looking for more sandwiches? Try my Meatloaf Sandwich, Cuban Sandwich, or French Dip!
Why I love this meal:
- Feeds a Crowd – Easy to double and keep in the crock pot to allow people to serve themselves when feeding a large group!
- Pantry Ingredients – This recipe uses real ingredients that are probably hiding in your pantry or fridge!
- Freezer Friendly – The meatballs can be frozen raw or cooked. Make a double batch and freeze half for an even easier meal in the future.
How to make Meatball Subs:
Combine saltine crackers, beef broth, egg, and spices (everything EXCEPT for the meat and flour). Stir and rest for 10 minutes so the crackers can soak up the liquid.
Add ground meat and mix just until combined.
Form 15 meatballs, dredge them lightly in flour and place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake meatballs for 20 -25 minutes, or until cooked through.
Make Sauce: Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, and garlic salt to a saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Slice hoagie rolls in half and top with provolone cheese. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until rolls are toasted and cheese is melted. Remove from oven
Assemble. Place 3 meatballs on each sub, followed by a large spoonful of sauce. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The homemade meatballs and the sauce can both be made in advance and kept in the fridge for 2 days.
To Freeze: The sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. The meatballs can be frozen raw or cooked.
- Cooked Meatballs: Allow them to cool completely after baking, then store in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm meatballs in sauce on the stove.
- Raw Meatballs: After making the meatballs and assembling them into small balls, store them in a freezer container bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking as instructed.
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Recipe
Italian Meatball Subs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1/2 cup saltine crackers , crushed
- 1/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 large egg , lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour , for dredging
For the sandwiches:
- 5 hoagies or sub rolls
- 10 slices Provolone cheeses , or mozzarella
For the sauce:
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
Meatballs:
- In a large bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients together EXCEPT for the meat. Stir and rest for 10 minutes so the crackers can soak up the liquid. Add the meat and mix just until combined (don’t over mix).
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet, or line with aluminum foil. Form 15 meatballs, about the size of golf balls, and gently sprinkle them all around with flour.
- Place the meatballs one inch apart on the baking sheet and bake for 20 -25 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the meatballs cook, make the sauce.
Sauce:
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- When the meatballs are finished baking, transfer them to the sauce.
- Slice the hoagie rolls in half and layer with cheese. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until rolls are toasted and cheese is melted. Remove from oven.
- Place 3 meatballs on each sub, followed by a large spoonful of sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooked Meatballs: Allow them to cool completely after baking, then store in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm meatballs in sauce on the stove.
- Raw Meatballs: After making the meatballs and assembling them into small balls, store them in a freezer container bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking as instructed.
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe in June 2014. Updated April 2019 and October 2021.
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I LOVE this recipe. I’ll triple the meatball recipe using 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound turkey, 1 pound mild Italian sausage. I also sub saltines for Ritz crackers, simply because the first time I made this recipe that’s what I had on hand. My family loved it so much, so I didn’t bother switching to saltines. These meatballs are the best; I like to bake and freeze them ahead of time and pull them out for my kiddos to have spaghetti and meatballs while the adults enjoy this recipe as Italian meatball subs.
Delicious! My picky son loved the meatballs. Thank you, Lauren, for your wonderful recipes and for sharing!!
The whole family loved this meatball sub recipe! Easy to make and great for leftovers. My teenager responded … “Can you please make this when my friends come over”!
My kids love it and used to eat at school so I made it at home they freaking exciting
Okay so I put cayenne instead of red pepper flakes and added some hot sauce and these are absolutely amazing
Ingredient list includes marjoram but I don’t see it listed in directions. Does it go in sauce or meatballs?
Hi Kathi! I don’t see Marjoram listed in the ingredients. Are you using a meal plan perhaps?