Uncle Larry Adventures

Italian Classics · Italian-American

More italian main course recipes

Meatball Sub

Build a meatball sub with homemade beef-and-pork meatballs, tomato sauce and melted provolone. Includes safe doneness, less-soggy rolls and a cooked-meatball shortcut. Original untested formulation; illustrative image.

Last updated

Meatball Sub

Tender meatballs, tomato sauce and a toasted roll

Illustrative meatball sub with tomato sauce and melted provolone

The short version

Build a meatball sub with homemade beef-and-pork meatballs, tomato sauce and melted provolone. Includes safe doneness, less-soggy rolls and a cooked-meatball shortcut. Original untested formulation; illustrative image.

Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4 sandwiches

Ingredients

4 sandwiches
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups prepared tomato sauce
  • 4 sturdy sub rolls
  • 4 oz sliced provolone
View list

Instructions

  1. 01

    Prepare the mixture. Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Mix breadcrumbs and milk and let stand briefly. Add beef, pork, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix gently just until combined; do not taste raw meat.

  2. 02

    Shape and bake. Divide into 16 meatballs and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 18–22 minutes, until the center reaches 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer. Size and oven affect time; color is not the safety test.

  3. 03

    Warm the sauce. Heat tomato sauce in a saucepan. Add cooked meatballs and simmer gently for about 5 minutes to coat them. If using refrigerated cooked meatballs instead, reheat them throughout to 165°F (74°C).

  4. 04

    Toast the rolls. Split rolls without cutting fully through. Toast cut-side up for about 3 minutes in the oven, checking before the edges get too dark.

  5. 05

    Fill and melt. Place four meatballs and a modest spoonful of sauce in each roll. Top with provolone and return to the oven for about 3–5 minutes until melted. Serve extra sauce beside the sandwich rather than soaking the bread.

Larry’s rule: Toast the roll and keep the sauce modest. A sub needs a sturdy floor, not a tomato puddle.

Quoting or citing this recipe? Credit “Uncle Larry Adventures” andlink to this page.

Before you cook

What to know about Meatball Sub

What it is

Build a meatball sub with homemade beef-and-pork meatballs, tomato sauce and melted provolone. Includes safe doneness, less-soggy rolls and a cooked-meatball shortcut. Original untested formulation; illustrative image.

Why this method works

Follow the ingredient preparation, cooking and finishing cues in the method. The timings are estimates; judge texture and doneness as described rather than treating this as a measured kitchen test.

Key ingredients and what they do

  • 1/2 lb ground beef — builds the savory foundation and carries flavor through the dish.
  • 1/2 lb ground pork — builds the savory foundation and carries flavor through the dish.
  • 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs — provides the recipe's main structure, so its cooking time and texture matter.
  • 1/4 cup milk — supports the dish's balance, texture and regional character.

Smart substitutions

For the most reliable result, keep the main ingredient and technique unchanged. Swap only like for like, then adjust salt, moisture and cooking time to taste.

Make ahead and leftovers

Prepare ingredients ahead where practical, but finish near serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat throughout to 165°F (74°C); texture may differ from freshly cooked food.

What to serve with it

  • Serve with roasted vegetables, bitter greens or a simple salad.
  • Add crusty bread when the pan sauce deserves to be saved.

Ways Larry changes it up

Swaps, shortcuts and regional versions of meatball sub.

The cooked-meatball shortcut

Use 16 appropriately sized cooked beef-and-pork meatballs in place of the raw mixture. Heat refrigerated leftovers throughout to 165°F (74°C) in sauce before assembling; timing depends on their size and starting temperature.

Less soggy, more sandwich

Toast the cut bread, spoon on only enough sauce to coat the meatballs and serve additional sauce separately. Assemble just before eating instead of storing filled rolls.

Meatball Sub: common questions

What cheese goes on a meatball sub?
This recipe uses provolone. Low-moisture mozzarella is a practical alternative with a milder flavor; both contain milk.
What bread is best for meatball subs?
Use sturdy sub rolls with enough structure to hold meatballs and sauce. Toast the cut sides before filling.
What temperature should the meatballs reach?
Fresh ground beef-and-pork meatballs must reach 160°F (71°C) internally. Reheat refrigerated cooked meatballs to 165°F (74°C). Check with a thermometer, not color alone.
Can I make meatball subs ahead?
Prepare meatballs and sauce ahead, refrigerate promptly and reheat safely. Keep rolls separate and assemble close to serving so they do not become soggy.

Did you make this?

Rate Meatball Sub — real votes from real cooks only.

Be the first to rate it.

Questions Larry gets asked

What cheese goes on a meatball sub?
This recipe uses provolone. Low-moisture mozzarella is a practical alternative with a milder flavor; both contain milk.
What bread is best for meatball subs?
Use sturdy sub rolls with enough structure to hold meatballs and sauce. Toast the cut sides before filling.
What temperature should the meatballs reach?
Fresh ground beef-and-pork meatballs must reach 160°F (71°C) internally. Reheat refrigerated cooked meatballs to 165°F (74°C). Check with a thermometer, not color alone.
Can I make meatball subs ahead?
Prepare meatballs and sauce ahead, refrigerate promptly and reheat safely. Keep rolls separate and assemble close to serving so they do not become soggy.

Sources & further reading

Sources support technique or safety guidance, not a claim that this formulation was kitchen-tested.

Share or cite this recipe

Last updated

Written recipe guidance, not a measured Test Kitchen result. Photos may illustrate the dish; they do not establish that a batch was tested. Only recorded experiments in the Test Kitchen count as measured comparisons. Sources and evidence labels.

Save to Pinterest

Free to use with credit and a link back. Quote up to 100 words, or embed the recipe card below.

Credit “Uncle Larry Adventures” and link to this recipe page.

Citation

“Meatball Sub” — Uncle Larry Adventures, https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/meatball-sub

Link (HTML)

<a href="https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/meatball-sub">Meatball Sub recipe from Uncle Larry Adventures</a>

Embed recipe card

<iframe src="https://unclelarryadventures.com/embed/recipe/meatball-sub" title="Meatball Sub — Uncle Larry Adventures" width="600" height="760" loading="lazy" style="width:100%;max-width:600px;border:0;"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://unclelarryadventures.com/recipes/meatball-sub">Meatball Sub recipe</a> by Uncle Larry Adventures</p>

Next up

Keep going — a recipe to try, a film to watch, and an answer to the question you were about to search.

Try this recipe

Insalata di Finocchio e Arance

Shaved fennel, blood orange, olives and good oil.

Try this recipe

Cozze alla Marinara

Mussels steamed in garlic, white wine and tomato.

Next watch

Hot Tub Time Machine

One suspicious ski-lodge hot tub, one spilled drink, and Larry wakes up somewhere he doesn't belong — but even time travel can't keep a good sausage and peppers from finding its way to the table.

Quick answer

What are the best Italian desserts?

Larry’s top picks: tiramisù, cannoli, gelato, panna cotta, affogato, torta caprese, cantucci with vin santo, zabaione, granita and torta della nonna. It’s a playful personal ranking, not a survey — every one has a recipe on the site so you can make your own list.

The gear Larry uses →Where to eat sausage & peppers →What to drink with it →This week on the blog: Labor Day Cookout: The Sausage Lineup That Never Fails →

Contact Larry

Recipe questions, restaurant tips, gear ideas, press and collabs — send it here.