Classic Italian Meatball Subs
with Roasted Broccoli
- Milk
- Wheat
- Soy
Perhaps there is nothing more beloved than the classic Italian meatball sandwich. It’s basically everything that’s good and right in the world, sandwiched between a buttery baguette. And this one’s extra special thanks to melty mozzarella and a homemade tomato sauce! More familiar with the grab-n-go lunch sandwich? This one turns the deli version totally dinner-worthy thanks to a side of roasted potato wedges. Yep, that’s one sublime sub!
Ingredients
ounce
Potatoes
1 unit
Tomato Paste
½ unit
Onion
8 ounce
Broccoli
10 ounce
Ground Beef
1 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
2 unit
Demi-Baguette
(Contains: Soy, Wheat)
2.5 ounce
Marinara Sauce
Not included in your delivery
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
0.13 teaspoon (tsp)
Sugar
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce.
Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Halve, peel, and finely dice half the onion (whole onion for 4). Halve baguettes lengthwise, stopping before you get all the way through.
Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. (Save potatoes for another use.)
Lightly oil a baking sheet. Toss potatoes on one side of prepared sheet (whole sheet for 4 servings) with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast on top rack for 10 minutes. (You’ll add more to the sheet then.)
Swap in broccoli for potatoes. (You’ll roast broccoli in the next step.)
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine beef*, half the mozzarella, panko, 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (4 tsp for 4 servings), salt (we used ½ tsp; 1 tsp for 4), and pepper. (You’ll use the rest of the Italian Seasoning in the next step.) Form mixture into 10-12 1½-inch meatballs (20-24 meatballs for 4).
Once potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, remove sheet from oven. Carefully add meatballs to empty side. (For 4, leave potatoes roasting; add meatballs to a second sheet and roast on middle rack.) Return to top rack, tossing halfway through, until everything is browned and cooked through, 12-15 minutes more.
Add meatballs to sheet opposite broccoli. Cook through the rest of this step as instructed, roasting meatballs along with broccoli.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes.
Add tomato paste and remaining Italian Seasoning. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and darkened, 30-60 seconds. TIP: If you like things spicy, add a pinch of chili flakes from your pantry.
Add marinara, stock concentrate, ½ cup water (¾ cup for 4 servings), and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper.
Once potatoes and meatballs are done, remove sheet from oven.
Toast baguettes, cut sides up, directly on middle rack until golden, 2-3 minutes.
Spread softened butter onto cut sides of baguettes and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Transfer meatballs to pan with sauce; gently turn to coat.
Place toasted baguettes on sheet with potato wedges. (For 4 servings, place baguettes on sheet used for meatballs.) Fill baguettes with meatballs and sauce; sprinkle tops with remaining mozzarella. Return to top rack until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.
Divide meatball subs and potato wedges between plates. Serve.
Remove broccoli from baking sheet before toasting subs.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Meatballs were delicious, though some found the sauce too sweet. Consider adjusting sugar to taste 🍲.
- Ease of prep: A bit messy to eat; cutting meatballs in half before serving can make it more manageable.
- Suggestions: Add milk to panko before mixing with meat for juicier meatballs. Consider not reducing sauce as much.
- Portions: Some wanted more sauce; others found the buns too large. Adjust bread-to-filling ratio as desired.
Reviews from our home cooks
Excellent with my modifications. I added maybe 1/3 cup of milk to the panko and let it sit for a few minutes before mixing the meat in. Otherwise, I find your meatball/meatloaf recipes too dry.
Really enjoyed this but next time I'm going to cut the meatballs in half and not cook down the sauce as much - delicious!
We loved this, but found the meatballs a bit too dry.
The meatballs were delicious! Didn't make the fries or buns-it seemed too starchy!
Very tasty instead of potato's would have been good with ravioli or mozzarella sticks
