Make delicious, hearty Italian Meatball Sandwiches using homemade meatballs (recipe included) or store-bought meatballs (for convenience).
If you’re on the lookout for a delicious new lunch or dinner sandwich to try, may I suggest this recipe for Italian Meatball Sandwiches?
These sandwiches are hearty, tasty and filling! Homemade Italian meatballs, with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese are served on lightly toasted, garlic butter hoagie rolls! YUM!
I came up with this recipe using the recipe I use to make Italian meatballs for spaghetti. The rest was simply re-creating what I have seen on meatballs subs my husband has ordered from restaurants over the years.
Whether you use my simple recipe for homemade meatballs OR choose to use store-bought frozen meatballs, I’m confident you’ll love Italian Meatball Sandwiches. Here’s how to make them.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Make The Italian Meatballs From Scratch
If you want to make homemade Italian meatballs instead of purchasing them (and baking), here is the way I prepare them. It’s really easy!
Place ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, diced onion and finely grated Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir, to combine the ingredients.
Shape the meatball mixture into 6 balls (each about the same size). To do this, roll the meat between the palms of your hands to form a cute, round meatball.
Cook The Meatballs
Heat a Tablespoon of oil on medium heat in a large, non-stick skillet. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the meatballs, leaving space between each one.
Cook until browned on the bottom (without disturbing), then carefully turn to the other side. Continue cooking on all sides, until meatballs are well-browned and fully cooked through.
Place the meatballs on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Now you have fully cooked Italian meatballs, made in about the same time as it takes to bake store-bought meatballs!
NOTE: This recipe, as written, will yield 2 sandwiches and requires 6 medium-sized meatballs. Double or triple the recipe if desired, to have extras for another meal.
Place 6 cooked meatballs into a small skillet filled with your favorite Italian-seasoned marinara sauce. Heat the meatballs and sauce through when you’re ready to make the sandwiches.
What If I Want To Use Store-Bought Frozen Meatballs?
Using frozen, store-bought meatballs is certainly fine, and makes this recipe slightly more convenient. Typically store bought meatballs will be smaller in size than the homemade ones (you might need 8 total to fill the two hoagie buns). If that doesn’t matter, then do what is most convenient for YOU.
If you are making these sandwiches using frozen, store bought meatballs, follow the instructions that are on the package for cooking them.
Once the meatballs have been fully cooked, proceed with the sauce, and then continue with the rest of the recipe.
Toast The Hoagie Rolls
I toast the hoagie rolls in the oven (under the broiler), because it tends to keep the bread crisp and firm underneath the weight of the meatballs, sauce, and cheese.
To toast the rolls, first melt butter, then stir in garlic powder. Place the rolls on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet, and open the rolls, trying to keep them attached in the back, if possible.
Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the garlic butter onto the insides of each open roll.
Let’s Build Italian Meatball Sandwiches
Turn on the broiler in your oven. When hot, place the baking sheet about 5-6 inches from the broiler’s heating element. Broil the buttered hoagies until they turn golden brown, keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn.
When done, remove the rolls from the oven. Place three hot meatballs on one side of each hoagie. Spoon a little of the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the meatballs.
Sprinkle the meatballs with shredded (or thinly sliced) mozzarella cheese, using just enough to cover the meatballs.
Place the baking sheet back under the broiler (5-6 inches from the heating element), and let the cheese broil ONLY until melted. This usually only takes a minute or less, so keep an eye on it!
Time To Enjoy The Italian Meatball Sandwiches
Once the cheese has melted, remove the baking sheet with the Italian meatball sandwiches from the oven. Place the top of the hoagie roll onto the melted cheese.
Carefully transfer the sandwiches from the baking sheet to a serving plate, using a spatula. Serve the Italian meatball sandwiches immediately, while hot!
I hope you will try these delicious Italian meatball sandwiches! They are so good, and this sandwich is quite filling! If you are serving this dish to kids, a half sandwich will usually be more than enough to fill their little tummies up!
Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More SANDWICH Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several great recipes for sandwiches to check out, including:
- Grilled Patty Melt
- Grilled “Thai” PB & J Sandwich
- Turkey Ranch Rollups
- Quick And Easy Open Faced Tuna Melts
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Make delicious, hearty Italian Meatball Sandwiches using homemade meatballs (recipe included) or store-bought meatballs (for convenience).
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup Italian-seasoned marinara sauce to heat cooked meatballs in
- 2 Hoagie rolls
- 1½ Tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Place ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, onion and Parmesan in mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Shape mixture into 6 balls, rolling meat between palms of hands to form meatballs.
Heat oil on Medium in large, non-stick skillet. When hot, add meatballs. Cook without moving them, until browned on bottom, then turn, and cook on all sides, until meatballs are browned and cooked through. Transfer meatballs to paper towels to absorb grease.
Place cooked meatballs into skillet filled with marinara sauce. Heat meatballs/sauce when ready to make sandwiches.
Follow instructions on the package for cooking (if small meatballs, you may need 8 (4 per sandwich) to fill the hoagie). Once meatballs are fully cooked, proceed with sauce, and the rest of the recipe.
Melt butter, then stir in garlic powder. Place hoagie rolls on aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Open rolls: try to keep rolls attached in the back. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush garlic butter on insides of each open roll.
Turn on oven broiler. When hot, place hoagies 5-6 inches from broiler's heating element. Broil until buttered hoagies turn golden brown; watch closely so they don't burn. When done, remove from oven. Place three hot meatballs on one side of each toasted hoagie. Spoon a little marinara sauce over the meatballs.
Sprinkle meatballs with shredded (or thinly sliced) mozzarella cheese, to cover. Place sandwiches back under the broiler. Let broil ONLY until cheese has melted.
Remove sandwiches from oven. Place top of hoagie roll on the melted cheese. Transfer sandwiches to serving plates, using a spatula. Serve immediately, while hot! Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!