Description
Hearty oven-baked meatball sandwiches bring Italian comfort to your dinner table. Melted cheese, marinara sauce, and perfectly seasoned meatballs create a satisfying meal you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 meatballs (about 1.5 in each)
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml/12 fl oz) marinara sauce
- 4 sub rolls or hoagie buns
- 1 ½ cups (170 g/6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (50 g/1.8 oz) grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps (30 ml/1 fl oz) butter, melted
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Oven Preheating: Calibrate oven to 375F (190C) for optimal cooking environment.
- Meatball Preparation: Select either pre-made frozen meatballs heated per package instructions or handcrafted meatballs pan-seared until thoroughly cooked with golden-brown exterior.
- Sauce Integration: Gently warm marinara sauce in a saucepan, immersing meatballs to infuse rich, tangy flavors throughout the protein.
- Sandwich Assembly: Split sub rolls lengthwise, creating a connected base that forms a cradle for delectable ingredients, ensuring structural integrity.
- Filling Configuration: Arrange three meatballs within each roll, lavishly coating with additional sauce and generously layering mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses to create a molten covering.
- Flavor Enhancement: Combine melted butter with garlic powder and Italian seasoning, then meticulously brush this aromatic mixture across roll surfaces to amplify taste profile.
- Baking Process: Cover sandwiches with aluminum foil, bake for ten minutes, then uncover to allow cheese to melt and bubble during final five-minute exposure.
- Garnishing Finale: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and optional red pepper flakes, presenting a warm, inviting culinary masterpiece ready for immediate consumption.
Notes
- Select Fresh Meatballs: Choose high-quality store-bought or homemade meatballs that hold together well and won’t crumble during baking for best texture and flavor.
- Prevent Soggy Bread: Lightly toast sub rolls before adding meatballs to create a barrier that prevents sauce from making the bread mushy and maintains a crisp exterior.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Use a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan for optimal melting – mozzarella provides stretch while Parmesan adds depth of flavor and golden-brown coloring.
- Temperature Control: Cover with foil initially to prevent excessive browning, then uncover for the final few minutes to achieve perfectly melted cheese and golden-crisp bread edges.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1,200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg