Herby Italian Meatball Subs

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These Herby Italian Meatballs are warm, cheesy, and just a little messy in the best way. They’re the kind of meal that feels casual but delivers bite. If you’re looking for a cozy dinner to satisfy a comfort food craving, these are calling your name. 

A large fresh French loaf is sliced and filled with herby homemade meatballs generously lathered in herby sauce and topped with dollops of pesto for an extra herby kick.  Each loaf is finished with slices of fresh mozzarella and baked until perfectly melty. The addition of pesto really elevates the meatball sub experience. 

These meatball sub sandwiches are perfect for a casual dinner with friends or for any night of the week. Be sure to grab one for yourself, because they’ll likely disappear quickly!

Why You’ll Love these Herby Italian Meatball Subs

• Perfect for a casual dinner party! If you want to serve something with Italian flavors but with a more relaxed vibe, these herby Italian meatball subs fit the bill for your next casual gathering. 
• Ultimate comfort food! The warm meatballs coated in sauce mixed with toasted bread and melty cheese is garunteed to hit that comfort food itch.
• They’re perfectly herby! We wanted to make sure each bite was packed with herby flavor. And the trick is to add dollops of pesto sauce. It will help to bring out all those herby flavors in the sauce and meatballs as well!

How to Make Herby Italian Meatball Subs, Step by Step

Step 1. Make homemade meatballs.

Grab a medium-sized bowl to mix the beef meatball mixture. Whisk together eggs, panko bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings. The eggs and cheese are going to add moisture, and the panko will provide some structure for the meatballs. 

Add in the ground meat and use your hands to mix the mixture together until it is just combined. 

Line a baking sheet with a piece of foil, roll the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and bake in a preheated oven at 425ºF for about 25 minutes. 

Tip: The meatballs will be ready when they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF. 

Step 2. Make tomato sauce on the stove top.

This homemade tomato sauce is so fresh and herby. It truly elevates this meatball sub! 

Start by heating some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the chopped onions, carrots and minced garlic and sautee for about 10 minutes until soft. Mix in the Italian seasoning and sautee for a couple more minutes until nice and fragrant. 

Next, you’ll add in your canned tomatoes. We recommend using whole, peeled tomatoes because it gives the dish a fresh and rich sauce. Gently mash the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up into smaller pieces. 

After the tomatoes are mashed, stir in the tomato paste and let it simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes. As it warms and bubbles, the flavors will start to meld into the sauce. 

Lastly, pour the sautéed tomato mixture into a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, and blend until smooth. Add in a handful of basil leaves and blend again until smooth.

Step 3. Toss meatballs in sauce and keep warm over the stovetop.

Pour the smooth sauce mixture back into your skillet and toss the cooked meat balls in the sauce to coat. Turn the heat on low to keep the meatballs warm.

Step 4. Assemble sandwiches and broil in the oven to melt cheese.

Start by slicing the French loaf in half, stopping just before you cut through the other side.  That way, you create a pocket for all the yummy fillings, and the sandwich stays intact.

Line the inside of the loaf with meatballs and pour extra sauce on top. Add dollops of pesto sauce on top of the sauce and finish with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. 

For a deliciously golden finish, place the meatballs sub on a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese. Once the chees is melted, remove the sub from the oven and slice into 4-6 inch sandwiches. Enjoy!

Tips for Making Meatball Sub Sandwiches

• Don’t over mix the meatball mixture. If you want to get a tender, light texture, mix the meatball mixture until just combined. If you overmix the meat, you will end up with a tough and dense meatball.
• Broil the cheese for a super gooey, golden brown sub-shop look. Before you serve the sandwiches, make sure to top them with slices of mozzarella cheese and pop them in the oven to broil for a couple of minutes. It will create super gooey cheese and also give them a beautiful browned finish.
• Use good-quality bread. You want to use a bread that will support the weight of the meatballs and provide some structure. We recommend using a fresh French loaf because it will be sturdy enough to hold the weight.
• Hinge Cut the French loaf. A hinge cut will create the perfect pocket for the meatballs. To do this, slice the loaf in half lengthwise, stopping just before you cut through the other side. You want to leave one side intact so that you can fill it.
• Top with dollops of pesto for a super herby finish. We love the fresh, rich herby flavor that pesto sauce can add to these sandwiches. It really does elevate these sandwiches in the best and most subtle way.

Can I use chicken for the meatballs instead of beef?

If you want to swap red meat for a leaner meat, like chicken, you can. The texture and flavor will differ, but the sandwiches will taste delicious.

Can I use store-bought marinara sauce? 

Yes, definitely! If you’re short on time or want to make this recipe super simple, opt out of making the homemade sauce.

Here are some of our favorite store-bought marinara sauces that don’t taste store-bought: 

• Carbone Marinara Sauce
• Yo Mama’s Keto Marinara Sauce
• Michael’s of Brooklyn Marinara Sauce

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