Cheesy Meatball Subs

Italian seasoned, perfectly roasted meatballs, swimming in homemade marinara sauce, blanketed with melted cheese. Why stop there? Let's nestle all that joy into soft rolls. Yeah, that's better.

Roast those meatballs! If you follow my blog, you know I almost ALWAYS roast my meatballs. I love the caramelization and browning on the meatballs; something that happens in the oven, without me tending to them in a skillet. Hallelujah! Plus, lots of grease ends up on the baking sheet, not in the meatballs or sauce. Lastly, it frees me up to do other things!

This works with ground chicken and turkey too - easy breezy swap if that's your preference.

You might be considering using store-bought marinara sauce here. I won't judge you if you do, BUT, I encourage you to try my quick, delicious sauce. Most importantly, it's EASY, and I think once you make it the first time, you'll be making it again and again. It's super versatile - you can add parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, more fresh and dried herbs, tomato paste, anchovy paste, bell peppers, and more. It's just a good sauce to have in your back pocket - especially because it makes a terrific base for all your future tomato-based sauces (for pasta, soups, stews, chilies, and more).

Cheesy Meatball Subs

For the meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
For serving:
4 soft hoagie rolls
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, oregano, basil, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer while the meatballs cook, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the meatballs are finished roasting, add them to the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
Spoon the meatballs and sauce into soft rolls and top with the cheese.

Serves 4