Normally, I’m not much of a meat eater. I never buy any beef and we rarely eat any pork. My poor husband… He grew up on a ranch and his favorite meal is steak and potatoes.
Maybe I should say his favorite meal used to be steak and potatoes!! Ha ha. He gave it up to be with me… We do go out once or twice a year so he can get his red meat fill!
But during pregnancy, I crave meat all the time!! Weird, right??
So when I suggested we make meatball subs one night, my husband was ecstatic!
Then I abruptly disappointed him by letting him know we didn’t have any bread.
However, I came up with the perfect compromise. We decided to make Spaghetti and Meatballs and then we could use the leftover meatballs for subs later in the week. We would of course have to make a trip to the store to get some delicious bread!
It turned out AMAZING!! And now, we enjoy these meatball subs on very special occasions!
- 1 loaf of French Bread or other Sub style bread
- ½ cup grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- For the Meatballs:
- ½ lb. ground turkey
- ½ lb. Italian sausage
- ¼ c. dry bread crumbs
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 2 Tbsp. dried onion
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. basil
- ½ tsp. parsley
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
- For the Marinara Sauce:
- 1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 12 oz. can tomato paste
- pinch of baking soda (to help balance acidity)
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbs. oregano
- ½ Tbs. Basil
- 1 Tbs. garlic
- 2 Tbs. parsley flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
- Mix all of your meatball ingredients together gently and shape into 1 inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet. We like them small because they cook quicker and you get more (we freeze the leftovers and save them for another night).
- Broil for about 8-12 minutes or until they start to brown. Watch them very closely!! If you are picky about your meat being cooked well (I am) then double check one by cutting it in half to see if its done. Set aside.
- While the meatballs are broiling prepare your sauce by combining all the ingredients and simmering for 20-25 minutes.
- Slice your bread so that you can layer the meatballs and cheese on top of the bottom half. Then broil until the cheese is slightly melted and the bread is a little crispy! Top with the other half (also broiled until bread is crispy)!
You would definitely want to pair your meatball sub with a good salad… Maybe a Berry Salad with a Honey Vinaigrette.
Or if you want a more dessert like salad, try out our favorite Strawberry Coconut Salad! It’s still a healthy option!!
Or if you want a good summer salad, try out this Caesar Green Bean Salad.
