Meatball Subs
By David YuPublished on July 19, 2025
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
To make shaping the meatballs easier, wet your hands slightly. We prefer 85 percent lean ground beef, but ground beef of any fat percentage or meatloaf mix will work here. We use unsplit rolls so that we can cut our own pocket to sufficiently contain the meatballs. There is no need to take the temperature of the meatballs; by the time they are browned, they will be fully cooked.
Instructions
- Combine ¼ cup panko bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons milk in medium bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic in 12-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon sugar and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While sauce is simmering, adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Add 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef, ¾ cup grated Parmesan, 1 lightly beaten egg, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt to panko mixture. Gently mix using your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Divide mixture into 16 portions (about 3 tablespoons each) and roll each portion into ball. Nestle meatballs into sauce, spacing them evenly in skillet.
- Transfer skillet to oven and broil until tops of meatballs begin to brown and form slight crust, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and, using tongs, gently flip meatballs. Return skillet to oven and continue to broil until second sides of meatballs are browned, about 7 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Working with 1 sub roll at a time, and leaving ½ inch unsplit on both ends, use paring knife to slice 4 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls lengthwise, stopping three-quarters of way from bottom. Arrange rolls on rimmed baking sheet, split side up. Line bottom of each roll with 2 pieces of provolone cheese (1 slice total), followed by 4 meatballs, being careful not to split bread ends. Evenly divide sauce in skillet on top of meatballs (about ⅔ cup per sandwich). Top each sandwich with another 2 pieces of cheese.
- Broil until cheese is melted and tops of rolls are slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Serve.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
When we considered the usual, labor-intensive process for making a meatball sub, we realized there were great opportunities both to streamline the process and to create a sturdier, more cohesive sandwich along the way. First, we assembled a quick sauce in a skillet based on canned tomatoes; then we added the meatballs directly to that same skillet and slipped it under the broiler. The broiler helped reduce the sauce, making it extra-thick so that it wouldn’t make the bread soggy, while the sauce kept the meat moist as it cooked through in the fierce heat. For the base of the sandwich, we cut slits into uncut sub rolls, being careful to keep the ends of the roll unsliced and to cut only three-quarters of the way through the bread to create a more fortified seam. Finally, we used the cheese as a moisture barrier, placing a slice not only on top of the sandwich but also directly below the meatballs, protecting the bread from the sauce.
Before You Begin
To make shaping the meatballs easier, wet your hands slightly. We prefer 85 percent lean ground beef, but ground beef of any fat percentage or meatloaf mix will work here. We use unsplit rolls so that we can cut our own pocket to sufficiently contain the meatballs. There is no need to take the temperature of the meatballs; by the time they are browned, they will be fully cooked.
Instructions
- Combine ¼ cup panko bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons milk in medium bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic in 12-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon sugar and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- While sauce is simmering, adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Add 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef, ¾ cup grated Parmesan, 1 lightly beaten egg, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt to panko mixture. Gently mix using your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Divide mixture into 16 portions (about 3 tablespoons each) and roll each portion into ball. Nestle meatballs into sauce, spacing them evenly in skillet.
- Transfer skillet to oven and broil until tops of meatballs begin to brown and form slight crust, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and, using tongs, gently flip meatballs. Return skillet to oven and continue to broil until second sides of meatballs are browned, about 7 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Working with 1 sub roll at a time, and leaving ½ inch unsplit on both ends, use paring knife to slice 4 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls lengthwise, stopping three-quarters of way from bottom. Arrange rolls on rimmed baking sheet, split side up. Line bottom of each roll with 2 pieces of provolone cheese (1 slice total), followed by 4 meatballs, being careful not to split bread ends. Evenly divide sauce in skillet on top of meatballs (about ⅔ cup per sandwich). Top each sandwich with another 2 pieces of cheese.
- Broil until cheese is melted and tops of rolls are slightly toasted, about 1 minute. Serve.
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