Meatball Hoagie Recipe
Toasted hoagie loaded with homemade meatballs, smothered in our homemade sauce, and topped with Parmesan cheese.
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Ingredients
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Meatballs
Sauce
Assembly & Garnish
Method
Meatballs
- 1
Soak breadcrumbs
Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed.
- 2
Mix meatball ingredients
In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix until just combined. Avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- 3
Form meatballs
Portion the mixture into 12 equal portions (about 2 ounces / golf-ball size). Roll each portion gently between your palms to form smooth balls.
- 4
Sear meatballs
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer seared meatballs to a plate.
Sauce
- 5
- 6
Add tomatoes and seasonings
Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Add dried basil, dried oregano, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.
- 7
Simmer with meatballs
Return the seared meatballs to the sauce, nestling them into the tomato mixture. If sauce seems too thick to cover meatballs, add up to 1/4 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assembly & Garnish
- 8
Prepare rolls
Preheat broiler to high (or oven to 425°F/220°C). Slice hoagie rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge if desired. Spread softened butter on cut sides of each roll.
- 9
Toast rolls
Place rolls butter-side-up on a baking sheet and broil or bake until lightly golden, 1–3 minutes—watch carefully to prevent burning.
- 10
Fill and top
Spoon 3 meatballs (or desired amount) into each toasted roll, ladling some hot sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle a generous handful (about 1/2 cup) shredded mozzarella over each sandwich and finish with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan.
- 11
Melt cheese and serve
Return assembled sandwiches to the oven briefly (under broiler or in 425°F oven) just until the cheese melts and bubbles, about 1–2 minutes. Remove, garnish with fresh basil leaves if using, let rest 1 minute, and serve hot.