Warm, cheesy and saucy. No, not me, the sandwich!
Tonight is “build your own sub” night at the Pants house. I had only planned on cold cuts, cheese, veggies, and condiments; and with lots to choose from, I figured I could make everyone happy. I didn’t take the chilly, rainy weather into consideration, and found myself craving something more than a cold sandwich. Hmm, warm, meaty, cheesy, maybe a little saucy? Meatball subs, it is!
Tearing the cheese lets you cover the entire bun.
Place under your broiler just long enough to melt the cheese and toast your bun.
See the fennel and garlic? Mmmm.
These will be really filling!
I wanted to keep this really easy, which was the point to having subs in the first place, so I decided to use the pre-made meatballs I already had in the freezer. I’m using Foster Farms Italian-style turkey meatballs; they’re really tasty, and I almost always have a bag on hand. I thaw them, and then cut them in half or thirds; I find this makes them more manageable and easier to eat.
The combination of the meatballs in a highly flavored red sauce with ooey-gooey cheese on chewy, crusty bread warms me right to my toes. This sandwich elicited thumbs-ups and a “delicious, baby”, which also warmed me to my toes!
Meatball Subs
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fennel seed, crushed or ground
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
18 frozen Italian style meatballs, thawed and cut into halves or thirds
12 slices provolone cheese
6 (6″) sub or hoagie buns, split
shredded Parmesan
Directions
Preheat broiler (or preheat oven to 400).
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, fennel, Worcestershire, and meatballs. Stir well to incorporate. Lower heat to low and cook until the meatballs are warmed through.
Open the buns and place open-face up on your broiler pan. Place 2 slices of provolone on each bun, tearing the cheese into pieces if needed to ensure all the bread is covered.
Broil until the bun is toasted, and the cheese has melted, about 2-5 minutes. If you have a faulty broiler like I do, you can also place them in a 400 degree oven for about 6 minutes. Watch them carefully, these times are all dependent on your oven!
With a slotted spoon, spoon a generous serving of your meatball mixture into each cheesy sub. Top with a generous serving of shredded Parmesan.
sassypants in the kitchen 