Meatball Subs with Spicy Beef and Pork Meatballs

One of my favorite sandwiches is the warm, sloppy, melty, meatball sub (sometimes called a hoagie). It’s Italian-American comfort food at it’s finest with beef meatballs slathered in sauce and broiled until the mozzarella cheese topping melts and oozes down the sides of the meatballs.

Course Sandwich

Cuisine Italian

Keyword beef, ground beef, ground pork, marinara, meatball, mozzarella, pork, tomato sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings (6-inch) sandwiches (recipe makes about 2½ dozen meatballs).

Calories 1269kcal

Ingredients

For the spicy beef and pork meatballs:

1 pound ground beef (80% lean/ 20% fat)
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
½ cup whole milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
2 teaspoons crushed Calabrian chilies in oil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

4 (6-inch) Italian rolls, sliced horizontally
3 cups marinara sauce of choice, heated
6 slices deli-sliced low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, halved horizontally
6 slices deli-sliced provolone cheese, halved horizontally

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the spicy beef and pork meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Add the beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, Calabrian chilies, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to the mixing bowl. Gently combine the mixture with your hands until all ingredients are just incorporated.
Roll the mixture into 1½-ounce balls (about 1½-inches in diameter) and place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Set meatballs aside until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

For assembly:

Preheat oven to broil.
Working one at a time, spoon ¼ cup sauce into the roll then add three meatballs. Spoon another ¼ to 1/3 cup of sauce over the top and alternate slices of the mozzarella and provolone over the top of the meatballs. Repeat with the remaining rolls and ingredients.
Broil until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition