originally known as the "Meatball Sub ," is famous throughout the United States and is inspired by Italian sandwiches.
It's a hearty, comforting sandwich that's perfect when eaten fresh. Its crispy yet soft bun, along with juicy homemade meatballs, tomato sauce, and cheese, makes it a perfect snack for any occasion.
Preparing this dish is very simple , as all you need to do is make meatballs with ground meat and bake them in the oven, although you can also use an air fryer or a frying pan if you prefer.
The secret to making them juicy is to brown them first in the oven and then finish cooking them over low heat in the sauce. You can make the tomato sauce yourself or buy it ready-made, as there are some very good commercial options. For the bread, you can use any kind you like, as long as it's soft and has an oblong shape.
The secret to this sandwich's success lies in the irresistible combination of the meat with the warm tomato sauce. It's best served immediately after preparation so the bread doesn't get soggy from the sauce.
If you have leftover meatballs and sauce, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until the next day and serve them with a side of white rice or cooked pasta. This way, with just one recipe, you'll have a delicious meal for two days.
Recipe Information
- Preparation time : 10 minutes
- Cooking time : 30 minutes
- Total time : 40 minutes
- Servings : 4
- Category : main course
- Cuisine type : American
- Calories per serving (kcal) : 840
Meatball sandwich ingredients
- 400g of minced beef
- 300g of minced pork
- 60g of breadcrumbs
- 25g of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove of chopped garlic
- Chopped parsley to taste
- 1 medium egg
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 600g of tomato sauce (marinara or pasta type)
- 4 long bread rolls
- 4 slices of mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
How to make a meatball sandwich
We begin by preheating the oven to 200°C (390°F) with the top and bottom elements on. In a large bowl, mix 400g minced beef, 300g minced pork, 60g breadcrumbs, 25g grated Parmesan cheese, 1 minced garlic clove, chopped parsley to taste, 1 medium egg, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
We line a baking tray with parchment paper and take portions of meat weighing about 40-45 grams. We shape the meatballs into balls and place them on the parchment paper.
Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20-22 minutes at 200°C until golden brown. Alternatively, you can cook them in an air fryer at the same temperature, but keep a close eye on the cooking time as they will cook faster. You can also simply brown them in a pan with a little olive oil.
We put 600g of tomato sauce in a frying pan and add the previously browned meatballs. We cook for 10 minutes, so they finish cooking through.
We open 4 long, elongated bread rolls lengthwise and toast them to our liking under the oven's broiler, in a frying pan or in a toaster.
Place a slice of mozzarella cheese and 3-4 meatballs (depending on how many fit) on each bread roll, and cover them well with tomato sauce. Bake the sandwiches for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts, and serve immediately, optionally garnished with a little fresh basil.
Easy-to-prepare summary
- We mix the minced meat with the bread and grated cheese, and the other seasonings.
- We form the meatballs and place them on a baking tray
- We bake the meatballs for 20-22 minutes at 200ºC
- Heat the tomato sauce, add the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes
- We open the bread rolls and toast them.
- We add the cheese, the meatballs with the tomato sauce, bake for two minutes to melt the cheese, and serve this freshly made meatball sandwich.
More Delicious Recipes
Over the years of testing and refining recipes in my own kitchen, I’ve learned that the best dishes combine simplicity, reliable techniques, and bold flavor.
The recipes in this collection are the ones I personally return to again and again—whether I’m cooking a quick meal for myself or preparing something special for friends and family.
For dessert, the rich and silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I often make when I want something elegant but easy. Another sweet favorite is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, inspired by the famous Central European chimney cake. If you enjoy baking, learning how to make syrup for better texture in desserts is useful, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe explains exactly how I prepare it in my own kitchen.
When I want something fresh and simple, I usually turn to the classic Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a perfectly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For heartier comfort meals, I often recommend the satisfying Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the quick weeknight favorite One Pot Pasta Recipe.
I also love sharing traditional dishes from around the world, including the authentic Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crispy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the classic Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.
Air fryer recipes are another category I cook regularly because they save time while still producing great texture. My go-to options include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.
For anyone avoiding wheat, my comforting Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe proves that classic baked pasta dishes can still be rich, cheesy, and incredibly satisfying without gluten.
Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe
American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe
Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe
🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado
