blog - Mom's Dinner

Beef Sausage & Veggies with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

September 25, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 47 Comments

A super flavorful sheet pan dinner that is easy-to-make and ready in 30 minutes! It can even be made ahead for easy weekly meal prep. This one pan dinner is full of all the fall colors and flavors that you want in your comfort food this time of year.

The smoked beef sausage is warmed thru and the fresh veggies are roasted and perfectly caramelized.

Close up picture of the smoked beef sausage, carrots, onions, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and sweet potatoes drizzles with smoked paprika vinaigrette

When the sheet pan dinner is pulled hot from the oven you drizzle on a smoked paprika vinaigrette that adds another delicious layer of flavor. It compliments the fall veggies and smoked beef sausage perfectly.

Sheet Pan Dinner

You need to get on board with the sheet pan dinner trend, asap! You can have your entire dinner made in one pan, in the oven, all cooked together, and these recipes are usually done in 30 minutes or less!

Not only is this an incredibly easy way to get dinner on the table… it leaves very little clean-up after the fact.

PIN THIS SHEET PAN DINNER RECIPE HERE!

If you like a one pan or one pot dinner, definitely check out my One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna or my Dutch Oven Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

Roasting Not Steaming

This is a great tip for just about any recipe that calls for roasting or browning in a pan. The key to roasting is making sure you have enough space on the pan between the veggies.

If you over crowd the pan they will steam instead of roast. This is also the same when you are trying to brown in a pan, if you over crowd (or add too much liquid) your item will steam instead of brown.

How to Make a Healthy Sheet Pan Dinner

Grab your largest sheet pan and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut all your veggies:

Sweet potatoes are peeled and chopped into ½ to 1 inch cubes
Onion are peeled and cut into ⅛th’s
Cauliflower & Broccoli are cut into large florets
Carrots are peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick coins
Trim the stem on the Brussel Sprouts and cut in them in half

Put all the vegetables on the sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss everything around with clean hands so it is all coated with oil.

Pop that into the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

PRO TIP: Do not crowd the pan with the veggies or they will steam instead of roast. If you need to use two sheet pans, err on the side of too much room.

Meanwhile cut the sausage link into about 20 pieces.

Pull the sheet pan of veggies from the oven, they will be about half way cooked. Give them a good toss with a spatula and then add the sausage to the pan, right on top of the vegetables.

Put it back in the oven for an additional 12 minutes. This will warm the sausage thru and start to caramelize the veggies.

While the sheet pan dinner finishes, go ahead and make the smoked paprika vinaigrette. In a mason jar, mix together all the vinaigrette ingredients:

olive oil
apple cider vinegar
honey
dijon mustard
garlic clove
smoked paprika

Put the lid on the jar and shake it vigorously, until all the ingredients are emulsified together. If you do not have mason jars use a bowl and whisk.

Pro tip: I do not recommend adding salt to your vinaigrette. The veggies and sausage are salty enough! Promise.

Once you pull the sheet pan out the oven, drizzle the vinaigrette over the veggies and beef. Give it a toss with a spatula to distribute the vinaigrette and it’s time to eat.

drizzling smoked paprika vinaigrette over the sheet pan dinner

Make Ahead Dinner

If you know that you are going to have a really busy week, this is a great dinner to prep and have in the fridge for later!

Simply cut all the veggies and place them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also prep the vinaigrette in a mason jar and keep it in the fridge.

When it is time for dinner, just follow the baking instructions and dinner will be ready in under 30 minutes!

More Super Easy Dinners to Check Out

Dutch Oven Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

September 11, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 9 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Mom’s Dinner at no cost to you!

Do you love a creamy, garlicky spinach artichoke dip? Do you love a thick and hearty lasagna? Then you are going to love this recipe for Dutch Oven Spinach Artichoke Lasagna!

a red dutch oven of spinach artichoke lasagna

It is a delicious, creamy, and cheesy lasagna recipe that makes a great one-pot meal. It tastes like the perfect spinach artichoke dip and lasagna mash up. Just add a little Italian Sausage to make this amazing lasagna recipe complete.

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Greek Turkey Burgers with Raspberry Mint Aioli

September 6, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

Greek Turkey Burgers with Raspberry Mint Aioli are a deliciously juicy grilled turkey burger topped with tangy feta cheese, red onion, and baby spinach dressed with a slightly sweet raspberry vinaigrette. They are topped with an amazing Raspberry Mint Aioli sauce, which is mayonnaise mixed with a touch of raspberry vinaigrette, a little garlic, and a hint of mint.

Grilled Greek Turkey Burger with Raspberry Mint Aioli on a small plate

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One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna

August 28, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 9 Comments

This One Pot Lasagna recipe has all the classic lasagna flavors that you love: pasta, sausage, basil, tomato, cheese… lots of cheese. Except this recipe is SO SIMPLE to make! It all comes together in one pot and is ready in under an hour.

For a more traditional lasagna made in a 9×13 pan, pop over to this Homemade Lasagna recipe! Or for something that is made in just 30 minutes, pop over to this Skillet Lasagna.

Lasagna Love

My love for lasagna is a life long love. When I was little, vegetarian lasagna was my requested birthday dinner every year. My Mom made her lasagna with carrots, zucchini, and cottage cheese. That is why I still like zucchini and carrots in my lasagna recipe. I truly love cottage cheese in my lasagna too, however, my husband would probably die of grossness if I put cottage cheese in his lasagna, so we opt for ricotta cheese instead.

a big spoonful taken out of the dutch oven lasagna, showing all the layers and filling

Back in the day I did not eat meat. Strictly vegetarian from age 12 to 27! It all stemmed from a bad dream that still haunts me if I think too hard about it. EWWWWW.

Now-a-days I like a meat lasagna recipe. In this recipe I use a mild Italian turkey sausage. You could also opt for an Italian pork sausage.

How to Make One Pot Lasagna

Lasagna can be super labor intensive to make. That is why I love this recipe for One Pot Lasagna. It all comes together in my dutch oven. There is no precise layering required! It is easy to make and easy to clean up.

If you do not have a Dutch Oven (I use my 5 quart Le Creuset), you can use any heavy pot that has a lid and is oven safe (about 5-8 quarts in size).

Start by sauteing your onions, garlic, and carrots in olive oil. Once the onions have softened, about 5 minutes, add the sausage and cook thru while crumbling. If you use pork sausage you will want to drain some of the fat off before moving on to the next steps;

Pour in a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup of water into the empty marinara jar and shake it with the lid on. Now pour that into the pot. Stir to combine everything.

Break 10-12 oven ready lasagna noodles into 3-4 pieces each. Nest those pieces into the sauce, making sure each piece is covered in sauce.

Dutch Oven Lasagna in a Le Creuset before the cheese and zucchini are added

Dollop the top of the sauce with tablespoons of ricotta cheese.

Sprinkle the cut zucchini on the top.

Dutch Oven Lasagna in a Le Creuset before it is put in the oven

Place the lid on top and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Then remove the lid and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you want the cheese a little browned, like the picture below, you can turn on the broiler for a few minutes… but watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn the cheese.

Let the Dutch Oven Lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna For Dinner

I usually reserve lasagna for the weekend or for a Sunday night family dinner. However, with this easy lasagna recipe you can plan this for a weeknight.

Dutch Oven Lasagna in a red Le Creuset with a scoop taken out

I like to pair this recipe with a green salad or a caesar salad. Sometimes we will have garlic bread as well.

Italian Dinner Night

If your family likes this dinner recipe, here are a few other Italian inspired recipes from Mom’s Dinner to check out:

I hope you give this recipe for One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna a try in your kitchen!

Love-Susie

More Lasagna Recipes to Love

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Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli

August 23, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 15 Comments

This Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli is such a bright and light pasta recipe! When you want pasta, but you don’t want something heavy like a Ragu, this Lemon Penne is going to become your go-to. It is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and lightly caramelized oven roasted broccoli. Perfect pasta dinner for summer!

A white bowl full of penne pasta, broccoli, lemon, and pine nuts

This recipe is a highly requested dinner at my house. My husband and I have been eating it for years. It started as a recipe from Ina Garten called Bow Ties & Broccoli. However, thru the years, I have morphed the recipe by removing this.. adding that… changing this… and it has now turned into this Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli.

Oven Roasted Broccoli & Pine Nuts

If you love broccoli you will love this recipe… on repeat!

For this recipe I prefer to oven roast my broccoli at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes. This leaves the broccoli nice and al dente so it still has a little bite. I think that texture holds up nicely next to the pasta.

Oven Roasted Broccoli and pine nuts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper

Now if you like your roasted broccoli just a little more caramelized then you can either bump up the temp. to 425 and stick with the 12 minutes, or keep it at 400 and roast it a little longer, between 15-18 minutes. Just keep an eye on it to make sure your broccoli doesn’t burn!

However long you choose to cook your broccoli, just make sure to toss the pine nuts on the baking sheet for the last minute or two to give them a nice toasting. It really brings out the buttery almost bacon-y flavor of the pine nuts! YUM

Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

How good does that sound, Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce! My mouth waters just from typing it.

This sauce is where the flavor is at in this recipe. It is a buttery sauce with a burst of fresh lemon and a kick of garlic. Those flavors compliment the roasted broccoli perfectly!

Saute pan full of lemon butter garlic sauce

It is a super simple sauce to make. You only need 4 ingredients:

Butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lemon
Garlic

In a sauce pan you melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the lemon zest and garlic and let it lightly simmer for a few minutes. Off the heat you add the fresh lemon juice and a little salt. That is it.

Serving bowl full of pasta and broccoli, serving utensils to the side

Variations on Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli

I have perfected this recipe thru the years to suit my families taste buds. You may want to try some different variations depending on your families palate. Here are some ideas to get you started:

I know my kids can be picky about the type of pasta I use (which is crazy because they all taste the same for God’s sake!). Try using spirals, macaroni, or bow ties.
Add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the top for an extra layer of flavor.
If you want to add some more veggies you could try throwing some cherry tomatoes, and zucchini on the sheet pan with the broccoli for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. This would make a nice pasta primavera!
In the spring when asparagus is in season and inexpensive try subbing it for the broccoli.
Substitute chopped walnuts for the pine nuts. Just make sure to still roast them in the oven with the broccoli. This will bring out their natural buttery flavor.
If you have a spiralizer, try this recipe using zoodles (zucchini noodles) instead of pasta.

A white bowl full of pasta and broccoli, lemons in the background

Making it a Dinner

To be totally honest, when we have this for dinner during the week I usually do not make an additional side dish.

To bulk up the dinner you can add a little Buttermilk Grilled Chicken or Marinated Grilled Chicken, and some garlic bread. Or if you are feeding kids, make these baked chicken meatballs for kids or toss some chicken nuggets in the oven with the broccoli!

More Pasta Recipes To Love

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Lemonade Icebox Pie with Raspberries

August 21, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

This no-bake Lemonade Icebox Pie is a wonderful frozen dessert that is tart, sweet, and super delicious. This Icebox Pie is like a frozen ice cream pie with flavors of tart lemon and served topped with sweet raspberries. The crust is the perfect amount of salty sweetness that you want with the sweet creamy pie filling. We love that this is kind of a fool-proof dessert. You don’t need to be a expert baker to make this dessert recipe.

lemonade icebox pie on a plate with raspberry garnish

This Lemonade Icebox Pie is a great summer time dessert because it requires no baking time. Just a minute in the microwave to melt some butter.

Would also be a great dessert for a large group summer vacation because it will feed a lot of people.

What is Icebox Pie?

The name Icebox Pie comes from the word “Icebox”, which is what they called early refrigerators. These Frozen Pies or Cakes were made and kept fresh/cool in the Icebox. You could also call an Icebox Pie a Frozen Pie, Freezer Pie, or Ice Cream Pie.

A traditional Icebox Pie is a mixture of fruit or fruit juices, eggs, and condensed milk. It is poured into a crust and then put in the freezer.

How to Make Lemonade Icebox Pie

This recipe is SUPER easy. The only consideration when making this recipe is to be sure you have time for the pie to set up in the freezer.

Make Crust

Start by crushing the graham crackers or you can purchase graham cracker crumbs. I prefer to do this by pulsing them in a food processor. You could also crush them in a plastic baggie by rolling them or beating them with a rolling pin. Just make sure they are processed to the texture of sand.

Melt a stick of butter (YUM) and mix it in with the ground graham crumbs. You can do this by adding it thru the feed tube of the food processor and pulsing the mixture until it is combined. Or you can stir the mixture together by hand.

Lightly press the mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. Using the bottom of a 1 cup measuring up is a great tool for this.

Place the crust in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to set up.

Make Lemonade Filling

In a stand mixer with a whip attachment whip the heavy cream and vanilla until you reach stiff peaks (you will know you have stiff peaks when you lift up the blender and the peak that forms in the cream retains it’s shape).

Light pink filling dotted with lemon zest in a kitchen aid stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment

While the mixer is running slowly add the sweetened condensed milk and thawed lemonade concentrate.

Now turn off the blender and sprinkle the lemon zest over the filling and fold it in by hand.

Pour the Lemonade filling over the prepared crust.

Raspberry Lemonade Icebox Pie filling being poured into the baked pie crust

Set Up In Freezer

Cover the pan and pop it into the freezer and let it set for 12+ hours.

When you are ready to serve the pie, pull it out of the freezer about 10-15 minutes ahead of time. After it has sat at room temp, remove the spring form ring. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with a fresh raspberry garnish.

More Lemon Dessert Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for Lemonade Icebox Pie check out some of these other delicious and easy lemon dessert recipes from Mom’s Dinner:

Some additional dessert recipes we love!

Enchilada Zucchini Boats

July 31, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

Enchilada Zucchini Boats are a super flavorful and fun twist on traditional enchiladas. It is a great way to have enchiladas but keep it low carb and little healthier. In this recipe you will use a zucchini instead of a tortilla!

zucchini enchiladas in a white casserole pan

If you love this recipe you will also love the Supreme Pizza Zucchini Boats!

But if you are like… “hold up, I want traditional enchiladas!!”. Then pop over to one of these recipes to get your enchilada fix: Chicken Enchiladas, Enchilada Skillet, or Beef Enchilada Casserole.

Why This Recipe is Amazing

You still have all the enchilada flavors- like red chile sauce, spices, cheese, and ground beef.
Cutting the zucchini in half and then hollowing it out makes the perfect “boat” to hold all the enchilada filling.
The zucchini cooks up perfectly in the oven!
It is an EXCELLENT make-ahead dinner!
Enchilada Zucchini Boats are also a great recipe to use up the abundance of summer garden zucchinis!

Ingredients

Here are the items that you need to make Zucchini Enchiladas, plus some tips on a few ingredints.

Beef– An 85/15 ground beef works great here because it has enough fat to be flavorful but not too much fat to be greasy.

But, use whatever beef you have or your family likes!

Enchilada Sauce– You can use store-bought or homemade red enchilada sauce in these zucchini enchiladas.

Cheese- Use whatever shredded cheese your family likes, or whatever you have on hand. I used a mild cheddar in these photos, but Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack will all work perfectly!

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 9×13 casserole dish by pouring half of one can of enchilada sauce over the bottom. Set aside.

a white baking dish with enchilada sauce covering the bottom

In a large skillet sauté the onions, peppers and garlic in oil until they are fragrant and softened, about 4-5 minutes.

Next, add the ground beef and crumble it while it cooks thru. Drain excess grease before moving on.

Off the heat mix in the seasonings/spices, chopped cilantro, and half a can of enchilada sauce (5 oz.).

a skillet with ground beef, onions, peppers, spices and cilantro

While the beef cooks, prepare the zucchini boats.

Start by trimming the stem end, then slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, core out the center of each zucchini half.

Pro Tip: Be careful not to dig all the thru, this is the “boat” part that holds the enchilada filling.

Lay the cored zucchini boats in the sauce, divide the beef mixture evenly between the zucchini boats.

halved zucchinis that have been hollowed out and placed in a baking dish

Top the filled zucchini boats with the remaining can of enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

pouring enchilada sauce over ground beef and zucchinis

zucchini enchiladas topped with shredded cheese

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Pro Tip: If your zucchini are extra large or extra thick you may want to add 10 minutes to the covered cooking time.

Serving

Serve the Enchilada Zucchini Boats topped with Greek yogurt or sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole.

They are great served with Mexican Rice or Cilantro Cauliflower Rice, chips with salsa or Pico, and refried beans or cilantro pineapple side dish.

a casserole dish with enchiladas make with zucchinis

Make Ahead

These are an EXCELLENT make ahead dinner for busy weeks. Simply prep completely and pop in the fridge for 1-2 days.

When you are ready to bake, pop in a 350 degree oven, cook for 30 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.

If you love having Mexican food for dinner check out these other Mexican inspired recipes from Mom’s Dinner.

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Raspberry Vodka Soda: My Favorite Summer Cocktail

July 19, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 2 Comments

It’s been a long hot week and I know just what you need: a cold and refreshing cocktail that isn’t sugary. A drink that is made with delicious fruity flavor and a few bubbles. Let me mix you up a Raspberry Vodka Soda, it’s My Favorite Summer Cocktail.

top of a cocktail that is garnished with lemon and raspberries

The Raspberry Vodka Soda is a super easy-to-make cocktail that is refreshing and not sweet, or sugary but is full of raspberry flavor, and fresh citrusy lemon. It is an easy to drink cocktail, so you can have 2 or 3 and not feel like you just drank a candy bar’s worth of sugar.

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Grilled Chicken & Vegetables with Horseradish Cream Sauce

July 17, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 14 Comments

Never eat a plain grilled chicken breast again… unless you want to, then do! But if you want an excellent way to take your grilled chicken to the next level this recipe for Grilled Chicken & Vegetables with Horseradish Cream Sauce is for you…

a plate of grilled veggies and chicken topped with cream sauce

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Flavorful & Healthy- Grilled Chili Lime Turkey Burgers

June 19, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 17 Comments

We have all had a grilled turkey burger that is dry, overcooked, and under-seasoned! Let me save you from that fate ever again with this amazing recipe for Grilled Chili Lime Turkey Burgers. This is a perfectly seasoned and flavorful, juicy turkey burger recipe.

a close up of a juicy turkey burger with guacamole

To make sure you end up with a well seasoned and flavorful grilled turkey burger I fill it with garlic, fresh lime zest, green chilies, and chili powder. These ingredients make a perfect compliment to the grilled turkey flavor.

And next time you fire up the grill check out these Juicy Turkey Burgers , Classic Hamburgers or Grilled Pork Burgers!

Chili Lime Turkey Burgers for Dinner

I am all about balance when I make my weekly meal plan. I do not strive to keep EVERY night low calorie, low carb or even healthy! Sometimes we have Sloppy Joes and fries or grilled steak and Cheesy Potato Casserole. Then sometimes we have Grilled Chicken Salad or Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast and Grilled Fresh Veggies.

I love this recipe for Chili Lime Turkey Burgers as a more “healthy” option to mix into our weekly meal plan. The lean ground turkey is a great healthy meat option and by adding all the seasonings and spices it still tastes decadent.

a turkey burger with jalapenos and salsa

When we have these grilled turkey burgers for dinner I like to have baked sweet potato fries and skewered & grilled onions and peppers.

…However, in all honesty, if I’m too tired to make all those sides- I might just pull out some tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole to have on the side!…it’s better than the alternative- cereal!

How to Make Chili Lime Turkey Burgers

Start by prepping your grill for direct heat.

Make a panade with 1 slice of white or wheat bread cut into small pieces, crust removed. Add in the milk, lime zest, drained can of diced green chilies, minced garlic, chili powder, onion powder, kosher salt and pepper.

Mix that all together until it makes a nice paste. This will keep your turkey burgers juicy while they are on the grill.

Add the ground turkey. You want to make sure you are using a 93% lean ground turkey. It has more flavor and has enough fat to keep your burgers from drying out.

Using a fork or clean hands lightly mix the mixture until the seasonings and chilies are incorporated evenly. Overmixing will create a tough turkey burger.

Divide your ground turkey mixture into 4 equal portions and for four ¼ lb turkey burgers.

Pro Tip: You can use a large round cookie cutter to form equal and really pretty patties!

Now press your thumb into the middle of each patty and make a small dent. That will help the burgers from shrinking into little hockey pucks on the grill.

Pro Tip: Cut a large piece of parchment paper into 4 small squares. Place them under each patty or between each patty if you are stacking the turkey burgers. This will make it super easy to pick up the raw turkey patties and put them on the grill without having them stick to the sheet pan!

Do NOT skip this step….Prep the grill grate by brushing it with a little olive oil. I also brush the raw turkey burger patties with olive oil. This will prevent the burgers from sticking to the grill.

turkey burger with pico de gallo and jalapenos

Grill the turkey burgers over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. Make sure your burgers are cooked thru to 165 degree internal temperature.

Let the burgers rest for about 5 minutes, uncovered, before serving.

Toppings for your Chili Lime Turkey Burger

I like to top my Chili Lime Turkey Burgers with pico de gallo, guacamole and lettuce. The pico de gallo and guacamole compliment the flavors in the grilled turkey burger perfectly, and the lettuce adds a little crunch. Some other good toppings for this burger would be:

Melted pepper jack cheese
Pickled jalapenos
Salsa
Raw Tomatillo Salsa or Grilled Tomatillo Salsa
Fresh Jalapenos for spice!
A squeeze of fresh lime juice
Pickled banana pepper rings
Red onions
Melted Pepper Jack Cheese
Crumbled queso fresco
Fresh sliced avocado
Grilled onion slices

two turkey burgers topped with guacamole salsa and jalapenos

More Grilled Burger Recipes

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Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Mango Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

June 12, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 7 Comments

These Chicken Kabobs are the perfect summer night dinner. The homemade BBQ sauce is full of bright flavors like mango, jalapeno, and tomato, balanced with the deep smoky flavor of chili powder and smoked paprika. All those flavors pair perfectly with the warm charcoal grilled chicken.

skewers of grilled chicken coated in mango bbq sauce

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How to Make Meatball Subs

June 4, 2018 by Susie Weinrich 70 Comments

It’s summer. It’s 90 degrees. The kids have been in the pool for hours, and the last thing you want to do is head home and spend an hour in the kitchen. I’ve been there—and I know I’m not the only one. On those hot, exhausting days when everyone’s hungry and no one has the energy to cook, that’s exactly when you need this Easy Meatball Sub recipe.

easy meatball sub sandwiches topped with melted cheese

This isn’t a fancy, from-scratch dinner. It’s a real-life solution that’s quick and satisfying. I’m giving you full permission to use frozen meatballs and jarred marinara (perfect excuse to grab that half-empty jar from the fridge) to make a delicious dinner without the fuss. Add a few spices, melt the cheese, and pile it all onto buns. These Meatball Subs are flexible, foolproof, and 100% approved by tired parents and hungry kids everywhere.

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What does a meatball sub contain?

Frozen Meatballs – Yep! I give you total permission to make an incredible dinner with frozen meatballs. Not everything has to be homemade to be delicious. Pick your family’s favorite frozen meatball and get this dinner started.
Buns – Since this is a pretty hearty sandwich I would opt for a hoagie bun instead of a hot dog bun. it is going to hold up to the sauce, cheese, and big meatballs best.
Cheese – Choose a melty cheese that will go well with Italian flavors. Provolone, mozzarella or even Monterey jack will work great.
Marinara Sauce – You can use store bought marinara or pizza sauce here! I’m guessing you have a jar of marinara sauce in your pantry right now… use that! Nothing special, just use that one that you like the flavor of best.
Seasonings – A mix of garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes makes the toasted bun/roll even tastier!

What Meatballs to Use in a Meatball Sub

So, again, super flexible with the meatballs in this “recipe”. It just calls for store-bought frozen meatballs, just like this Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Meatballs. You can use turkey, chicken, sausage, or beef meatballs. Whatever your family likes!

If you are a fan of Costco like we are, then you should definitely check out these Italian Beef Meatballs. They are our favorite:

Kirkland cooked Meatballs Italian Style Beef from Costco

These are the meatballs that I choose to use in my Easy Meatball Subs. They are seasoned to perfection and have an almost grilled flavor in the background.

Two meatball sub sandwiches, one with cheese, one without

But if you really want to make your own meatballs, these are delicious, easy and quick recipes for Instant Pot Italian Meatballs and Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs. Or you can check out these Baked Italian Meatballs or Chicken Meatballs.

Meatball Sub Recipe Variations

As you have read previously, this recipe is super flexible! There are lots of ways you can customize Easy Meatball Subs to suit your family:

Make it vegetarian by using veggie meatballs.
Try using turkey, chicken or sausage meatballs.
Use whatever cheese you have in the house. Mozzarella, Provolone, Gouda, or Monterey Jack would all work perfectly!
Kick up the heat by adding a lot of red pepper flakes.
Use whatever marinara sauce your family loves.
Try adding a little pesto for a basil heavy flavor.
If you have fresh basil in your fridge or on the back patio, give it a quick chop and sprinkle it on the sub.

Three meatball sub sandwiches with melted cheese

What to Serve with Meatballs Subs

This is a great casual dinner that comes together quickly. So plan on side dishes that also come together quickly with very little effort. Some of my favorites are frozen green beans popped in the oven with a little extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, a big store-bought caesar salad, or pan sauteed zucchini with garlic and parmesan.

If you need it to be really easy, open a bag of kettle chips and grab some baby carrots out of the fridge. #reallife

Dinner Recipes

If you like this recipe, here are some other easy dinner recipes on Mom’s Dinner:

If you made this recipe let me know how it turned out! Comment below, drop me a line, rate the recipe, or share it on social media. The buttons at the top of the page make it super easy to share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.

I hope you give this “recipe” for Easy Meatball Subs a try in your kitchen.

Love- Susie

More meatball Recipes

Meatball Subs (with store bought meatballs)

Easy Meatball Subs come together in minutes and are a delicious crowd pleasing dinner. I use store- bought frozen meatballs to keep this recipe super simple!

4.97 from 56 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

frozen meatballs: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

▢ 16 store bought frozen meatballs - I like Costco’s Italian Beef Meatballs
▢ 4 hoagie rolls - or hot dog buns if that is what you have
▢ ½ cup marinara sauce, divided
▢ 1 cup mozzarella or provolone cheese, divided
▢ grated parmesan cheese
▢ extra virgin olive oil
▢ garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Instructions

Bake your meatballs according to package instructions
Preheat the oven to 400
Open the hoagie buns and lay facing up on a sheet pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and generously sprinkle on the garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Red pepper flakes are optional if you like a little heat.
Place in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes to get a good crisp on the bread.
Place 1 tablespoon of marinara on the bottom bun of each hoagie. Optional- sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.
Top with 4 meatballs.
Top the meatballs with 1 tablespoon of marinara.
Top it off with ¼ cup cheese.
Place the hoagies back in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS- If you prefer to make your own meatballs, check out either one of these recipes:

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