Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

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This oven bakedmeatball sandwich recipe is a perfect easy dinner idea for busy days. Also great for large groups, game day, or as an on-the-go meal. It’s one of our most popular posts – pinned over 1 million times!

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These sandwiches are not only incredibly simple to make, but they are total comfort food. The bread smells delicious as it gets toasted in the oven, the meatballs are warm and tender, and the gooey melted cheese might just be the best part! This dinner has been a lifesaver in our home for years.

Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (1)

The ingredients are simple — you will need meatballs, pasta sauce,mozzarellacheese, and sandwich rolls.

Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (2)
Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (3)

Many times I like to make my popularBaked Turkey Meatballs with Spinachfor our Meatball Sandwiches, but I also make them with frozen, pre-made meatballs from the freezer section of my grocery store. I do that A LOT. So, if you want easy, go with the frozen ones. If you have more time, go for homemade meatballs.

Ingredients needed for Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches:

Cooking Equipment needed for Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches:

Here’s how to make this easy dinner idea:

Get your rolls ready. You want rolls that aren’t cut all the way through, they should be connected one side so that they will cradle the ingredients. I usually buy rolls that are already cut like this, or rolls that aren’t cut at all and I cut them myself.

Place your meatballs in a big pot and cover them with your pasta sauce.

If you are using frozen meatballs, place them frozen into the pot — no need to cook them in advance. If you are using homemade ones, put them into the pot after cooking them.

Cover your meatballs with sauce (enough that all the meatballs are covered). You can use homemade pasta sauce or jarred sauce.Gently fold the meatballs with the sauce, this isn’t the time forvigorousstirring or you’ll destroy the meatballs. Heat them on low-medium, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated thoroughly.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Take each roll and fill with as many meatballs as you can fit. I usually do this with a slotted spoon and I avoid scooping the sauce as much as possible. I can generally get 4-5 meatballs into one sandwich roll, but this will vary depending on the size of roll you use.

Top the meatballs with a bit of pasta sauce from your pot. Place your meatball sandwiches, as you fill them, directly on the baking sheet.

Now, top each sandwich with shredded mozzarella cheese. My favorite part…CHEESE.

Bake in an oven at 400 degrees until cheese is melted, hot, and bubbly! Serve with a salad or chips for a super easy meal.

Want anothereasy, cheesy sandwich recipe? Check out ourBuffalo Chicken Panini Recipe!

Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Tips

If you are serving these during a party, game night, or if these are being packed for meals away from home, it might be helpful to wrap each sandwich individually. I liked to do this with foil, before baking. Here’s how:

  • Tear off one piece of foil for each sandwich (big enough to wrap the sandwich)
  • With one piece of foil, spray the top of the foil with cooking spray.
  • Place a sandwich roll in the middle and on top of the cooking sprayed side of the foil.
  • Fill with meatballs and pasta sauce. Top with cheese.
  • Fold one large corner of the foil completely over the top of the sandwich. Fold the left and the right sides of the foil over the sandwich. Roll the sandwich towards the top part of the foil so the entire sandwich is secured in the foil.
  • Bake in a 400 degree F oven for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.

Easy Dinner Idea:
Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe

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Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches

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Ingredients

  • Sandwich rolls (cut with one side intact)
  • Cooked Meatballs (your favorite recipe or frozen, pre-made meatballs)
  • Pasta Sauce (homemade or jarred)
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

  1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place your frozen cooked meatballs or homemade cooked meatballs in a large pot. Cover with your pasta sauce. Gently fold the meatballs with the sauce, Heat the meatballs and sauce on low-medium, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated thoroughly.
  3. Fill a roll with as many meatballs as you can fit (usually 4-5 meatballs, depends on size of meatballs and the size of the roll). Top with more pasta sauce from your pot. Place filled sandwich rolls closely on baking sheet. Top each sandwich with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  4. Bake until cheese is melted, hot, and bubbly.

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Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (11)
Easy Dinner Idea: Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you put meatball subs in the oven? ›

Place the meatballs on top of the marinara sauce and cheese. Then spoon more marinara sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the meatballs then top with oregano. Bake uncovered at 35o degrees for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is all melty.

What goes well with meatball subs for dinner? ›

The best side dishes to serve with meatball subs are onion rings, french fries, kale chips, cheese curds, crispy green beans, blooming onion, coleslaw, mac and cheese, Caesar salad, pickles and stuffed mushrooms, antipasto salad, and Italian pasta salad.

What is a good side to go with meatballs? ›

10 Side Dishes to Pair With Meatballs Besides Spaghetti
  • Jen's Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
  • Tasty Spicy Rice Pilaf.
  • Fried Cabbage and Egg Noodles.
  • Peperonata.
  • Peanut Butter Noodles.
  • Tasty BBQ Corn on the Cob.
  • Disney's Ratatouille.
  • 8. ' Chinese Buffet' Green Beans.
Jul 30, 2019

How to keep meatball subs from getting soggy? ›

Finally, toast the rolls to prevent them from getting too soggy with sauce. Of course, some crispy-gone-soggy bites are welcome, just as the cheese pulls, sauce drips and messy fingers are, too.

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

After all of the Italian meatballs I've been making lately, I consider myself a meatball expert. A good rule of thumb is to bake meatballs for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Is it better to fry meatballs or bake them in the oven? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

What toppings go best on meatball sub? ›

Toast up your french bread, top with meatballs, sauce, peppers and onions, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. We like to add hot pepper rings.

What to eat with meatballs instead of pasta? ›

Italian meatballs go great over creamy polenta or just with some good crusty bread. As indicated above there are also other types of meatballs. I often make a lamb meatball using fine bulger, ground lamb, morracan spices and serve them with yogurt, humus and pita. Lots of options out there.

What can I use instead of grape jelly? ›

Replace the Grape Jelly with apricot preserves, orange marmalade, canned cranberry sauce, raspberry preserves, or hot pepper jelly.

Do you put mayo on a meatball sub? ›

Stir in meatballs; cover and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Spread cut sides of buns with mayonnaise. Fill buns with lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes and meatball mixture.

What goes with meatball subs for dinner? ›

What to Serve with Meatball Subs [11 Best Side Dishes]
  • Produce. • 1 Baked potato, Wedges. • 1 Jalapeno poppers, Baked. • 1 Zucchini fries.
  • Condiments. • 1 Chips and salsa.
  • Bread & baked goods. • 1 Focaccia.
  • Dairy. • 1 Mozzarella cheese.
  • Deli. • 1 Caprese salad. • 1 Classic caesar salad. • 1 Coleslaw, Creamy.

Do you put veggies on a meatball sub? ›

Make it your own

Sauté sliced bell peppers, onions, and/or mushrooms, and add them to the sandwich on top of the meatballs, then top with cheese. Add pepperoni. Add a few slices of pepperoni to the sandwich for more pizza flavor.

How to heat up a meatball sub in the oven? ›

You should reheat meatballs subs in the oven or air fryer to keep the bread toasty. To reheat four meatball subs in the oven in a baking dish, reheat them at 400F, covered in aluminum foil for 15 minutes and then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.

How long to heat cold meatballs in oven? ›

Reheating Meatballs and Sauce in the Oven with Sauce

Make sure they are in a single layer. Cover the meatballs in tomato sauce and cover tightly with some heavy-duty aluminum foil. Now you want to put the baking dish in the oven and bake meatballs for about 40 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the oven.

How do you know when meatballs are done in the oven? ›

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.

What temp is meatball safe cooked? ›

Use an instant read thermometer to confirm meatballs are fully cooked. (160° F internal temperature)

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