With this easy crockpot meatball subs recipe, you can prep a delicious meal that is sure to be a crowd-pleasing family favorite.
Making meatball subs in crock pot is a great way to get a delicious dinner or lunch that everyone can agree on. I make this meatball sub recipe using my homemade Italian meatball recipe and homemade marinara sauce too. Within just a few short hours you’ll have the best sandwiches ready to go.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is very easy! While I like to use homemade meatballs, you can just as easily use frozen ones. After that, all you have to do is slice up the veggies, add the seasonings and then throw them in the tomato sauce.
- You can prepare homemade meatballs in advance for this. I batch-make the meatballs and freeze them, so they are super easy to throw in this dish. It’s the homemade meatballs that make this better than a subway meatball sub for me.
- Meatball sandwiches can be versatile. I like to just buy a baguette and tear out some of the bread in the middle a little bit so there is room for the meatballs. You can use hoagie rolls, or even make them into sliders!
Ingredients for Meatball Subs
- Meatballs
- Sweet peppers
- Onions
- Crushed tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Fresh parsley
- Bread rolls
- Mozzarella cheese
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Meatball Subs in the Crockpot
- Combine your peppers, onions, and spices in a slow cooker along with the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Add in the meatballs and make sure that they are all covered in the sauce.
- Cook on low heat for at least 2 hours, up to 6 hours.
- Serve the meatballs, peppers, and onions on hoagie rolls or a baguette that has been cut into portions.
- Top with cheese and enjoy!
Oven Method
- Simmer all of the ingredients together in a large pot on the stove for one hour, or until the meatballs, peppers, and onions are tender.
- Serve as desired and enjoy.
Meatball Sub Recipe Tips
- The majority of the flavor in this recipe is going to come from the peppers and onions, so make sure you use the total amount! I love stacking them on the sandwich as well, but if you don’t want to eat them… my husband can relate to you. Ha!
- I like to mix everything a little bit before I add the meatballs. Usually, they are frozen, but if yours aren’t, you don’t want to mix them too roughly because they will break.
- The meatballs will be cooked for about 1 hour on low, but I like to cook this for 4 hours on low until everything is nice and soft. If you’re doing this on the stovetop, just simmer until everything is soft and tender.
Delicious Sides for Meatball Subs
Meatball subs are packed with flavor and warmth so side dishes can be a little tricky to pair with it. That said, here are a few of our favorite options for dinner.
- Spinach Salad
- Cold pasta salad
- Baked or fried potato wedges
- Minty Lemonade
- Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
- Oven roasted broccoli
My favorite cheese to serve with these sandwiches is mozzarella, either sliced or shredded. Other great choices include white American, provolone, or even grated parmesan. An Italian blend of cheeses would also be incredible.
The answer to this one is an additional step in the prep work but one that can be seen as quite “worth it.” To prevent the bread from getting soggy, simply toast it before filling it with your meatballs and sauce. Going the extra mile and turning your bread into toasted garlic bread is also an acceptable idea.
Yes! One of the best ways to reheat a meatball sub is to heat it up in the air fryer. This warms up the meat and sauce while making the bread nice and toasty again. To do this, place the meatball sub in your air fryer basket or rack and cook at 320 degrees F for about 3-5 minutes or until it has been warmed through completely.
Meatball Sub Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 meatballs see note
- 4 sweet peppers any variety or color, sliced
- 2 onions sliced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (large can)
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons basil dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 2 tablespoons parsley fresh
- 6 hoagie rolls or use a baguette and slice it in pieces
- mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, combine peppers, onions, spices, basil, and oregano with crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Add the meatballs, making sure they are all covered in sauce.
- Cook on low for at least 2 hours, up to 6. You can also do this on the stovetop, simmer on low for about 1 hour, or until the meatballs, peppers, and onions are tender.
- Serve meatballs, peppers, and onions on hoagie rolls or a baguette that has been cut into portions. Top with cheese!
Alli says
Messy meatball subs are the best ever.