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.
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.
Jump to:
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:
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.
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.
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:
- Barbecue Chicken in Parchment with Sweet Potatoes & Peppers
- 2 Minute Honey Mustard Sauce
- Barbecue Chicken Pizza
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
Share the Love
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)
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.
Dana says
I love this! Honestly, homemade meatballs always sound glorious, but sometimes you just don’t. have. time. So why rob yourself of glorious meatball ‘wiches when you can get quality store-bought ones? Not to mention, those meatballs totally look homemade. They don’t look like those dinky meatballs some brands offer. I’ll have to keep an eye out for these for when I make my husband Italian Wedding Soup!
Susie says
I definitely do not have the time to make my own meatballs for sub sandwiches! This is a get dinner on the table now type recipe.
The Costco Meatballs would be great in Italian Wedding Soup.
michele says
I always have meatballs on hand and I was so not in the mood to slave in the kitchen for an hour…. whipped these up and DEVOURED them! Loved that they came together so quickly and definitely added them to our “need dinner ASAP without any stress list — you know, summer time dinners!
Susie says
Perfect- so glad to hear that!!!
Susie says
Perfect- so glad to hear that!!!
Marisa Franca says
What a great looking sandwich!! We make dozens of homemade garlicky meatballs then we freeze them. We always have meatballs on hand. In the summer times having something in the freezer to throw together is a lifesaver. We’ll be making your recipe. It looks delicious.
Susie says
Great idea to freeze homemade meatballs! This sub would be great with super garlicky meatballs!
Sarah says
I wish I was sitting by the pool with an easy recipe like this waiting for me! And I’ve never tried store-bought meatballs, but there are some quinoa ones I keep meaning to try. I love how quick and easy this is!
Susie says
I love a quick and easy recipe….especially when I have hungry kids waiting for dinner!
Sean@Diversivore says
I can certainly understand that urge not to cook after a long day (and with exhausted kids). I think you hit the nail on the head though when you focus on how exactly you put everything together. Starting with good ingredients is important of course, but putting the extra effort into doing things right (toasting the sandwich, layering the flavours, etc.) makes the difference between an average quick recipe and a great one. Cheers!
Susie says
Exactly- Easy doesn’t have to mean flavorless!
Carmy says
One of my FAV $5 foot longs from Subway was the meatball sub! I had to stop buying it because the one local to me didn’t make them very well. I’m excited to follow this recipe and make it at home instead. I’ll have to get the family sized bag at Costco on my next visit!
Susie says
Definitely check out the Costco meatballs if you don’t want to spend the time making your own, they are delish!
Kris says
These subs looks so incredibly yummy and I love how is doesn’t look like it will take a ton of time to prepare. I know lots of kiddos and grown ups who are going to be very happy when I make these. Thanks for the inspiration! Yum!
Susie says
Great! I hope everyone loves them
Jennifer Bigler says
Meatball subs have always been a weakness of mine! They are so easy to make especially when you get the pre-made ones. Got to love Costco for the big family size bag. This is an awesome recipe to have on hand for easy lunches and dinners. Thank you for sharing.
Susie says
I love them too…especially with the ease of premade meatballs! I hope this recipe helps you get dinner on the table
Gloria says
Well frozen or not….this sub looks delicious. Sometimes we all need some help in the kitchen…so why not. We do LOVE Costco and Kirkland products…so I know this would taste delicious. Perfect way to feed a crowd with not a lot of work.
Susie says
Exactly… you get it! We love the Kirkland/Costco products too!
Sandra Shaffer says
I’m so glad to hear that you recommend Costco brand meatballs. I’m always tempted to buy them for the ease of a quick meal like these subs, and will definitely be picking them up now! My family will love these meatball subs!
Susie says
They are by FAR our favorite meatball. They have great flavor and texture.
Ginny says
Talk about easy! What a great way to get a dinner on the table that everyone will love.
Susie says
It is a crowd pleaser for sure!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
It’s been forever since I’ve had a meatball sandwich! That needs to change cause this looks delicious! Can’t beat a classic!
Shashi at SavorySpin says
I most definitely have those days when I’m too tired to cook! And this delicious and hearty looking subs are perfect for those days – much better than my wine and popcorn option!
Susie says
Summer = tired nights for me. We go go go during the day and then I always want something easy and tasty at night. I would love wine and popcorn, but I don’t think my family would go for popcorn for dinner – HA!
christine hadden says
Meatball subs are one of our go-to weeknight meals for the busy nights of sports and activities. Sometimes to save even more time I prepare the meatballs in the Instant Pot so they’re ready to go when I want to assemble. Meatballs, sauce and cheese=<3
Susie says
That is a great idea to put the meatballs in the instant pot or slow cooker!
Jack Smith says
Okay, those look to die for. Seriously. I need that in my mouth like now…
Susie says
Thanks, Jack! They are pretty tasty and super easy to make!