Meatball Subs are the best kind of sub sandwich. Large homemade meatballs between garlic butter rolls loaded with cheese and baked until crispy.

Try our other delicious sandwich recipes like our Chicken Philly or our Italian Sub!

Four meatball subs on a baking sheet topped with freshly chopped greens.

best MEATBALL SUB recipe-

These hearty meatball subs are truly the ultimate recipe! The juicy and tender meatballs are cooked in the marinara sauce then added to hoagie buns and loads of cheese and baked until the cheese has melted, SO GOOD!

Meatball sub sandwiches on a baking sheet topped with chopped greens.

INGREDIENTS-

This recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients!

  • Meatballs– For this recipe, we use our Instant Pot Meatballs in sauce and just make larger meatballs.
  • Buns– Your favorite hoagie roll will work great for this recipe.
  • Cheese– This recipe calls for shredded Mozzarella cheese, but you can use any of your favorite shredded cheese. You can also use mozzarella pearls for the cheese.
  • Butter Topping– For the butter topping we use melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Homemade meatballs in the instant pot with marinara sauce ready to bake.

HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL SUBS-

This meatball sandwich recipe comes together so quickly, you are going to love it!

  1. Meatballs– Prepare the meatballs according to our Instant Pot Meatballs recipe (Note: You’ll need to shape the mixture into 16 large meatballs.)
  2. Buns– Add the hoagie buns to a baking sheet and using a pastry brush, brush the buns with the butter topping.
  3. Assemble– Once the meatballs are cooked add 4 meatballs into each hoagie bun along with the marinara sauce.
  4. Add cheese– Top with shredded cheese.
  5. Bake– Bake until the cheese has melted and the buns are crispy.
  6. Top with parmesan cheese and serve!

SERVING IDEAS-

These meatball subs are so delicious without anything but they are even better with the perfect side dish! Here are some of our favorite sides:

Step by step collage for how to make homemade meatball subs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-

How many subs does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 4 subs! You can add fewer meatballs per sub and make more subs.

Can I add veggies to my meatball sub?

Yes! You can add sauteed veggies to your sub if you like. We love adding bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms for extra flavors.

How do I store leftovers?

We recommend eating all the subs to avoid them getting soggy. Make the number of subs you will eat and store the rest of the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! Prepare the meatballs and sauce and then once cooled, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to enjoy just prepare the subs and bake!

Meatball sub on a baking sheet toppe with freshlt chopped parsley.

More Sandwich Recipes-

Meatball Sub Sandwich

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Meatball Subs are the best kind of sub sandwich. Large homemade meatballs between garlic butter rolls loaded with cheese and baked until crispy.
Author: Valentina
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 subs

Ingredients

  • 4 hoagie rolls
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

homemade meatballs-

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1/2 large onion finely grated
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 large eggs whisked
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
  • 3 Tbsp whole milk
  • tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
  • 24 oz marinara sauce

garlic butter topping-

Instructions

prepare meatballs-

  • Grate onion on the small protruding holes’ side of the grater.
  • In a bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion, minced garlic, eggs, mayo, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and chopped basil.
  • Shape the mixture into 16 even shaped meatballs.

cook sauce and meatballs-

  • Add the shaped meatballs and marinara sauce to the instant pot.
  • Seal and pressure cook for 12 minutes, release pressure and serve.

prepare subs-

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add the hoagie rolls to the baking sheet and brush the tops with the garlic butter topping.
  • Add 4 meatballs into each hoagie roll along with sauce.
  • Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the subs.
  • Bake the subs for about 6-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 4gCalories: 1158kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 65gFat: 76gSaturated Fat: 31gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 310mgSodium: 2732mgPotassium: 1281mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1527IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 451mgIron: 18mg
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)