These Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs are a tasty filling meal. It’s another variation using the best meatball recipe that you can enjoy with your spaghetti.
It’s an easy recipe to make and serve at watch parties or get-togethers. The homemade meatballs in this recipe are sure to be enjoyed by the entire family.
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Kitchen Notes and Tips
- The key to keeping the cheese inside the meatballs while baking is to press firmly while shaping the meatballs with your hands. The goal is to “seal” the cheese inside with the meat crust.
- The juicy meatballs freeze well and can be used to make two sandwiches at a time or to make 4 to 6 two-to-three meatball sandwiches at once.
Ingredients for Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (80% lean/20% fat (or greater))
- 1 lb. ground pork
- ¼ large white onion, finely minced
- 3-4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
- ¼ c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ½ c. Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- ½ c. whole milk
- 1 T. Italian seasoning
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 4 Pepper Jack cheese sticks*
- 1 24-oz. jar of marinara sauce
- Thinly sliced Provolone cheese
- Optional: ¼ – ½ t. crushed red pepper flakes
Others
- 7-8” Hoagie rolls
Note: You can also use Mozzarella or other easily melted cheese for filling.
Supplies Used
How To Make Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
#1. Place the top oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large, rimmed cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Tip: The non-stick cooking spray will make removing any cheese that drips out while baking easier. Placing the meatballs directly on a dark baking sheet, as shown (vs. on parchment paper or a Silpat™ baking sheet), will help them brown.
#2. Get a large bowl, then add the beef, pork, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season it with salt and black pepper, to taste.
#3. Combine thoroughly with clean hands until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the mixture. Do not overwork.
#4. Transfer the mixture from the large mixing bowl to a clean work surface, spread it into a uniformly thick rectangle, and cut it into 12 equal-sized portions, as shown.
#5. Divide the cheese sticks evenly between the 12 squares and place them at the center of each meatball. For the cheese, firmly shape the meatballs with your hands. Place the finished meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sections until complete.
#6. Place the baking sheet on the top oven rack for 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the oven and carefully turn each one with a spatula. Return the meatballs to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meatballs reads 160°F.
Note: The meatballs will reach a safe temperature of 165°F while they rest and are warmed in the marinara sauce.
#7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside, but do not turn off the stove.
Arranging Your Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
#8. Pour the marinara sauce into a large skillet set over medium-low heat and carefully place the meatballs. (Remove any excess grease off the meatballs with paper towels first). Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through, while carefully turning the cheesy stuffed meatballs to coat in the sauce.
#9. Carefully slice open the hoagie buns and arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Fill each bun with two or three cheesy meatballs and a generous amount of sauce. Get two or three slices of Provolone cheese and put them on top of the meatball sub. Place them in the oven until the cheese is melted, approximately 3-5 minutes.
#10. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with your choice of sides. Enjoy!
What To Serve with Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
- Fruits
- Desserts
- Potato wedges
- A pasta salad like Tortellini Antipasto Pasta Salad
Try These Other Sandwich Recipes
Looking for new recipes to try next time? I recommend these:
- Kicked Up Egg Salad Sandwiches
- Sriracha Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Sandwich Solutions for Busy Moms
- Croissants with Homemade Cherry Chutney
Kitchen Gadgets To Make Cooking Easy
Click here to see the full list of my favorite affordable kitchen gadgets that make cooking easy! See our favorite time-saving kitchen gadgets on our Amazon Storefront.
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Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. ground beef 80% lean/20% fat (or greater)
- 1 lbs. ground pork
- 1/2 large white onion , finely minced
- 3-4 large cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese , freshly grated
- 1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 1 T. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 - 1/2 t. red pepper flakes , crushed (Optional)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 4 Pepper Jack cheese sticks*
- 1 jar (24-oz.) marina sauce
- Thinly sliced Provolone cheese
Others
- 7-8 " Hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Place the top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat oven to 400°F. Spray a large, rimmed cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Get a large bowl then add the beef, pork, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Season it with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Combine thoroughly with clean hands until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the mixture. Do not overwork.
- Transfer the mixture from the large mixing bowl to a clean work surface and spread into a uniformly thick rectangle and cut into 12 equal-sized portions, as shown.
- Divide the cheese sticks evenly between the 12 squares and place at the center of each meatball. For the cheese firmly with your hands to create the meatballs. Place the finished meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sections until complete.
- Place the baking sheet on the top oven rack for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn each meatball with a spatula. Return to oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 160°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meatballs.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside, but do not turn off the oven.
Arranging Your Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Subs
- Pour the marinara sauce into a large skillet set over medium-low heat and carefully place meatballs in it. (Remove any excess grease off the meatballs with paper towels first). Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through, while carefully turning the cheesy stuffed meatballs to coat in the sauce.
- Carefully slice open the hoagie buns and arrange on a lined baking sheet. Fill each bun with two or three cheesy meatballs and some of the sauce. Get two or three slices of Provolone cheese and put it on top of the meatball sub. Place them in the oven until the cheese is melted, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately with your choice of sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can also use Mozzarella or other easily melted cheese for filling.
- The non-stick cooking spray will make it easier to remove any cheese that drips out while baking. Placing the meatballs directly on a dark baking sheet, as shown (vs. on parchment paper or a Silpat™ baking sheet), will help them brown.
- The meatballs will reach a safe temperature of 165°F while they rest and are warmed in the marina sauce.
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