This oven bakedmeatball sandwich recipe is a perfect easy dinner idea for busy days. Also great for large groups, game day, or as an on-the-go meal. It’s one of our most popular posts – pinned over 1 million times!
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These sandwiches are not only incredibly simple to make, but they are total comfort food. The bread smells delicious as it gets toasted in the oven, the meatballs are warm and tender, and the gooey melted cheese might just be the best part! This dinner has been a lifesaver in our home for years.
The ingredients are simple — you will need meatballs, pasta sauce,mozzarellacheese, and sandwich rolls.
Many times I like to make my popularBaked Turkey Meatballs with Spinachfor our Meatball Sandwiches, but I also make them with frozen, pre-made meatballs from the freezer section of my grocery store. I do that A LOT. So, if you want easy, go with the frozen ones. If you have more time, go for homemade meatballs.
Ingredients needed for Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches:
Get your rolls ready. You want rolls that aren’t cut all the way through, they should be connected one side so that they will cradle the ingredients. I usually buy rolls that are already cut like this, or rolls that aren’t cut at all and I cut them myself.
Place your meatballs in a big pot and cover them with your pasta sauce.
If you are using frozen meatballs, place them frozen into the pot — no need to cook them in advance. If you are using homemade ones, put them into the pot after cooking them.
Cover your meatballs with sauce (enough that all the meatballs are covered). You can use homemade pasta sauce or jarred sauce.Gently fold the meatballs with the sauce, this isn’t the time forvigorousstirring or you’ll destroy the meatballs. Heat them on low-medium, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated thoroughly.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Take each roll and fill with as many meatballs as you can fit. I usually do this with a slotted spoon and I avoid scooping the sauce as much as possible. I can generally get 4-5 meatballs into one sandwich roll, but this will vary depending on the size of roll you use.
Top the meatballs with a bit of pasta sauce from your pot. Place your meatball sandwiches, as you fill them, directly on the baking sheet.
Now, top each sandwich with shredded mozzarella cheese. My favorite part…CHEESE.
If you are serving these during a party, game night, or if these are being packed for meals away from home, it might be helpful to wrap each sandwich individually. I liked to do this with foil, before baking. Here’s how:
Tear off one piece of foil for each sandwich (big enough to wrap the sandwich)
With one piece of foil, spray the top of the foil with cooking spray.
Place a sandwich roll in the middle and on top of the cooking sprayed side of the foil.
Fill with meatballs and pasta sauce. Top with cheese.
Fold one large corner of the foil completely over the top of the sandwich. Fold the left and the right sides of the foil over the sandwich. Roll the sandwich towards the top part of the foil so the entire sandwich is secured in the foil.
Bake in a 400 degree F oven for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.
Cooked Meatballs (your favorite recipe or frozen, pre-made meatballs)
Pasta Sauce (homemade or jarred)
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place your frozen cooked meatballs or homemade cooked meatballs in a large pot. Cover with your pasta sauce. Gently fold the meatballs with the sauce, Heat the meatballs and sauce on low-medium, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated thoroughly.
Fill a roll with as many meatballs as you can fit (usually 4-5 meatballs, depends on size of meatballs and the size of the roll). Top with more pasta sauce from your pot. Place filled sandwich rolls closely on baking sheet. Top each sandwich with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Place 2 slices of cheese on each baguette and place 4 meat balls inside. Place sub in the preheated oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 4-5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. of sauce on top of melted cheese and serve immediately.
The cheese should have a delicate flavor that will not overshadow the juicy meatballs in zesty marinara. That narrows it down to provolone or mozzarella cheese, the most popular choices at delis and restaurants from coast to coast.
Finally, toast the rolls to prevent them from getting too soggy with sauce. Of course, some crispy-gone-soggy bites are welcome, just as the cheese pulls, sauce drips and messy fingers are, too.
Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.
One of the best things about meatballs is that they go with just about anything. You can serve them up over a bowl of rice or pasta, pair them with your favorite vegetable side dish, pile them onto a hearty toasted sub, or even serve them over your favorite salad.
What veggies are good on a meatball sub? Zucchini, spinach, kale, arugula, onion, sliced tomatoes, fermented jalapeños, sautéed mushrooms. You could also serve it with a side of fermented carrots or crispy potatoes.
Marinara- Our favorite jarred sauce is hands down Rao's. Nothing compares in my opinion. We usually buy the giant jars from Costco anyway, but of course any marinara you like will work. Provolone cheese- You could use provolone or fresh mozzarella here.
Slice the sub buns in half, then spread some spicy mayo on each. Add the meatballs, then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and add cucumbers, carrots, green onion, basil and a drizzle more sauce. Enjoy!
In the spirit of fusion cuisine, we're mixing up cultures with a delicious twist in this satisfying meatball sub. Don't skimp on the spicy pickles: they're easier to make than you might think, and they pack a powerful flavor punch.
The best side dishes to serve with meatball subs are onion rings, french fries, kale chips, cheese curds, crispy green beans, blooming onion, coleslaw, mac and cheese, Caesar salad, pickles and stuffed mushrooms, antipasto salad, and Italian pasta salad.
As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.
You should reheat meatballs subs in the oven or air fryer to keep the bread toasty. To reheat four meatball subs in the oven in a baking dish, reheat them at 400F, covered in aluminum foil for 15 minutes and then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.
How long does it take to cook meatballs in the oven? Depending on the oven temperature and size of the meatballs, they cook in about 20-25 minutes. For our baked meatball recipe we use a temperature of 375°F so they cook faster and each meatball is perfectly browned.
You should reheat meatballs subs in the oven or air fryer to keep the bread toasty. To reheat four meatball subs in the oven in a baking dish, reheat them at 400F, covered in aluminum foil for 15 minutes and then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.
In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.
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