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Meatball Sandwich Recipe

Name: Tony's Italian Restaurant & Pizzerias Meatball Sandwich Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 0.5 lb ground pork; 0.75 cups fresh breadcrumbs; 0.25 cups whole milk; 0.25 cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 each large egg; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1.25 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 each yellow onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 24 oz crushed tomatoes (canned); 1 tbs tomato paste; 0.5 cups beef broth or water; 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity); 0.75 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional); 4 each Italian sandwich rolls or hoagie rolls; 8 slices provolone cheese slices; 2 tbs butter, softened (optional, for toasting); 0.25 cups fresh basil leaves or parsley (optional, garnish)

Inspired by Tony's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

Time1h 5m

Serves4

With meaty spaghetti sauce and provolone cheese.

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

1 lb ground beef (80/20)

1/2 lb ground pork

3/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cups whole milk

1/4 cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1 each large egg

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tbs olive oil

Spaghetti-style Tomato Sauce

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 each yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

24 oz crushed tomatoes (canned)

1 tbs tomato paste

1/2 cups beef broth or water

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp Dried oregano

1/2 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

3/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Assembly

4 each Italian sandwich rolls or hoagie rolls

8 slices provolone cheese slices

2 tbs butter, softened (optional, for toasting)

1/4 cups fresh basil leaves or parsley (optional, garnish)

Method

Meatballs

Soak breadcrumbs

In a small bowl, combine the fresh breadcrumbs and whole milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until milk is absorbed.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Gently mix with hands or a spoon until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into 12 equal portions (about 1.5 ounces / golf-ball size). Roll each portion gently into a compact ball.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through; transfer browned meatballs to a plate and reserve any fond in the pan.

Spaghetti-style Tomato Sauce

Sauté aromatics

In a medium saucepan or the same skillet with reserved fond, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the 3 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds more until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth (or water), dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully add the browned meatballs to the simmering sauce, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust salt or sweetness as needed.

Assembly

Prep rolls

If desired, split the rolls and spread a light layer of softened butter on cut sides. Toast the rolls cut-side down in a dry skillet or under a broiler for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.

Assemble sandwiches

Using a slotted spoon, place 3 meatballs per roll (or adjust to fit) topped with several tablespoons of sauce. Lay 2 slices of provolone over the hot meatballs and sauce so the cheese melts; if needed, place assembled sandwiches under the broiler for 1 minute to melt the cheese (watch closely).

Finish and serve

Garnish with torn basil or chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side for dipping.