Mini Meatball Sub Sandwiches

My kids have become really hard to feed when we go out. They are very particular about how they want things to taste, or what ingredients should be in something. I don't know where it came from...ha, ha! So, when they got award coupons from school for a free lunch at Subway, they really struggled to find something on the menu to eat. Enter Meatball Sub Sandwiches!

I was glad to find something, but of course I had to see if I could make it at home too. We already have our own homemade marinara sauce as well as our own meatball recipe, so it seemed like a no brainer. Turns out, there's a little more to it than that. Visions of the homemade "McDonalds burger" on a soggy bun came to mind and suddenly I was concerned it wouldn't work. I didn't know if I could recreate the magic.

One thing I did know is that we don't have restaurant-sized appetites. I can usually get one meal at a restaurant to feed myself and my 2 kids. I knew I wanted to shrink this down. I found mini sub buns at Walmart on the day-old rack and thought I'd give them a try. Love them! Perfect size, and just the right consistency so they don't get soggy while still feeling soft enough to bite into (have you ever bitten into a hard-bread sandwich only to have all the sauce and meatball squeeze out the back side? Yuck!).

After trying a couple methods, this is the one I found to work the best. I also experimented with the Instant Pot and found the meatballs and sauce are easily prepared there too. That is super handy on a busy day when I don't have a lot of time. I can put it together in the IP ahead of time with a delay start or run the IP while I finish getting our rolls and salads prepared. Love getting a great dinner on the table.

Mini Meatball Sub Sandwiches

1lb ground beef

1/4lb ground pork

2 eggs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2c bread crumbs

1/3c grated parmesan cheese

1/2tsp pepper

1 pint marinara sauce

12-14 mini hoagie buns

1c shredded italian cheese blend

Pour the marinara sauce into a saucepan, reserving 1/2 cup, and heat it on low-medium. Meanwhile, mix together the beef, pork, eggs, garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, and pepper in a bowl. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet, or water if it's too dry. Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and carefully place them in a circle in the sauce pan. Place them carefully without squeezing them in. You can place some on top if they won't all fit on the bottom of the saucepan.

Once all the meatballs are placed, pour the last of the sauce on top and put the lid on the pan. Allow the meatballs to simmer on low heat for at least 20-30 minutes. As they begin to brown, stir them gently to keep the heat distributed. The longer you allow them to simmer, the better flavor you'll have in your sub sandwich.

When you're ready to make sandwiches, heat your broiler on low. Slice your mini hoagie buns and place 2-3 meatballs in each. Add a little sauce and sprinkle cheese on top. Arrange them on a jelly roll pan and put the pan in the oven. Allow the cheese to melt and the bread to get a slightly crispy edge, about 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

* This can also be made in the Instant Pot! Put half the sauce into the IP, then add the meatballs in a single layer, stacking if necessary but don't squish them. Add the rest of the sauce and put the lid on securely. Make sure the valve is switched to "sealing", and push "manual" for the pressure cooker. Set on high pressure for 7 minutes.  When the timer goes off, allow a slow release for 5 minutes before switching to quick release (be careful of the steam when venting).  Remove the lid and stir the meatballs and sauce. They are ready to go.