{"id":2214,"date":"2026-03-19T17:38:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/?p=2214"},"modified":"2026-03-19T17:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:38:31","slug":"ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Italian meatball sub is the king of sandwiches\u2014tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in rich marinara sauce, piled into a crusty sub roll, and topped with melted provolone and Parmesan cheese. It’s hearty, satisfying, and pure comfort food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Whether you’re watching the game, feeding a crowd, or just craving something delicious, this meatball sub delivers. The key is homemade meatballs (or good quality store-bought), a rich sauce, and plenty of cheese. Toast the roll, pile on the meatballs, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the Meatballs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 1 lb (450g) ground beef<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bd lb (225g) ground pork<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bd cup grated Parmesan cheese<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bc cup fresh parsley, chopped<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 1 teaspoon salt<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bd teaspoon black pepper<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 large eggs, beaten<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u00bc cup milk<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    For the Marinara Sauce:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 1 (28 oz \/ 800g) can crushed tomatoes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • \u00bd teaspoon sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Salt and pepper to taste<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Fresh basil, for garnish<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      For Assembly:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • 4 crusty Italian sub rolls<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • 8 slices provolone cheese<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • \u00bc cup grated Parmesan cheese<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Butter or olive oil, for toasting rolls<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        Instructions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        1. Make the Meatballs:<\/strong> In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, eggs, and milk. Mix gently with your hands until just combined\u2014do not overmix. Form into 1\u00bd-inch meatballs (about 16-20 meatballs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        2. Brown the Meatballs:<\/strong> In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and set aside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        3. Make the Marinara:<\/strong> In the same pot, add the olive oil for the sauce. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        4. Simmer the Meatballs:<\/strong> Return the meatballs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the flavors meld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        5. Preheat Broiler:<\/strong> Preheat your oven’s broiler to high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        6. Prepare the Rolls:<\/strong> Split the sub rolls open, but don’t cut all the way through. Place them on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Lightly toast under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until golden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        7. Assemble the Subs:<\/strong> Remove the rolls from the oven. Place 4-5 meatballs in each roll, along with plenty of marinara sauce. Top each with 2 slices of provolone cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        8. Broil:<\/strong> Return the sandwiches to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        9. Serve:<\/strong> Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and serve immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Pro-Tips for Meatball Sub Perfection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Don’t Overmix Meatballs:<\/strong> Overmixing makes them tough. Mix gently until just combined. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Brown the Meatballs Well:<\/strong> That browned crust adds tons of flavor. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Simmer in Sauce:<\/strong> Letting the meatballs simmer in the sauce makes them incredibly flavorful. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Use Crusty Rolls:<\/strong> A sturdy roll is essential\u2014it won’t get soggy. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Toast the Rolls:<\/strong> This adds texture and prevents sogginess. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Plenty of Cheese:<\/strong> Don’t skimp\u2014provolone melts beautifully, and Parmesan adds salty depth. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Make Ahead:<\/strong> The meatballs and sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Freezer Friendly:<\/strong> Meatballs and sauce freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          <\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \n

          This Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub is hearty, cheesy, and absolutely irresistible.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

          <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Tender, flavorful Italian meatballs simmered in rich marinara, piled into a crusty sub roll, and topped with melted provolone and Parmesan. The ultimate sandwich.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1441,1445,1442,1440,1444,1443],"class_list":["post-2214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-quick_meals","tag-italian-meatball-sandwich","tag-italian-sandwich","tag-meatball-hero","tag-meatball-sub","tag-meatballs-and-marinara","tag-sub-sandwich"],"yoast_head":"\nUltimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tender, flavorful Italian meatballs simmered in rich marinara, piled into a crusty sub roll, and topped with melted provolone and Parmesan. The ultimate sandwich.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Season Spoon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-19T17:38:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-19T17:38:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136-1024x1024.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"user\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"user\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/\",\"name\":\"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-19T17:38:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-19T17:38:31+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/78f636c95d988b2b9537664912d72014\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":2048},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/\",\"name\":\"Season Spoon\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/78f636c95d988b2b9537664912d72014\",\"name\":\"user\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4c9a289323b21a01c3e940f150eb9b8c542587f1abfd8f0e1cc1ffc5e475514?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4c9a289323b21a01c3e940f150eb9b8c542587f1abfd8f0e1cc1ffc5e475514?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"user\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/author\/user\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon","og_description":"Tender, flavorful Italian meatballs simmered in rich marinara, piled into a crusty sub roll, and topped with melted provolone and Parmesan. The ultimate sandwich.","og_url":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/","og_site_name":"Season Spoon","article_published_time":"2026-03-19T17:38:30+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-19T17:38:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1024,"url":"http:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136-1024x1024.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"user","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"user","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/","url":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/","name":"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible - Season Spoon","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-03-19T17:38:30+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-19T17:38:31+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/78f636c95d988b2b9537664912d72014"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.goodlighttravel.com\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/hf_20260319_145418_d706c120-e97f-4461-809d-212b69273136.jpeg","width":2048,"height":2048},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/2026\/03\/19\/ultimate-italian-meatball-sub-hearty-cheesy-and-irresistible\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ultimate Italian Meatball Sub: Hearty, Cheesy and Irresistible"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/","name":"Season Spoon","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/78f636c95d988b2b9537664912d72014","name":"user","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4c9a289323b21a01c3e940f150eb9b8c542587f1abfd8f0e1cc1ffc5e475514?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4c9a289323b21a01c3e940f150eb9b8c542587f1abfd8f0e1cc1ffc5e475514?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"user"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com"],"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/author\/user\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2214"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2256,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214\/revisions\/2256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.cherrychapters.com\/seasonspoon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}