A saucy, cheese-topped casserole of tender meatballs tucked into soft sub rolls with a rich, slow-style tomato gravy and melted mozzarella for a gooey, comforting bake.
Gooey Meatball Sub Bake for Cozy Nights
All the comfort of a saucy meatball sub, reimagined as an easy bake that yields tender meatballs, sticky rolls, and a bubbling, cheesy top.
This casserole lives at the intersection of weeknight ease and Sunday-supper comfort — think messy, saucy sandwiches without standing over the stove. Little browned meatballs are nestled into soft sub rolls, soaked in a slow-style tomato gravy and crowned with a molten layer of mozzarella so every forkful pulls and sighs.
The mix of ground beef and pork keeps the meatballs juicy while breadcrumbs and a single egg keep them tender and cohesive; a hit of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley brightens the savory core. Browning the meatballs first gives the gravy a deeper, caramelized note, even though they finish their cook tucked into the sauce.
Texture is the point here: the sauce should be thick and glossy so it clings to the rolls, the cheese should be oozy and slightly browned, and the insides should be plush rather than dried out. A quick sauté of onion and garlic and a spoonful of tomato paste builds that rich, slow-simmered flavor without hours on the stove.
This is also forgiving to prep ahead — brown the meatballs (or make them the day before), whisk together the sauce, assemble, and slide it into the oven when you’re ready. It feeds a small crowd, cleans up in one pan, and pairs perfectly with a sharp green salad or a stack of tangy pickles for balance.
Ingredients
How to Make Cheesy Sunday Gravy Meatball Sub Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely chop the onion and 3 cloves of garlic; reserve 1 clove minced for the meatballs.
- Make the meatball mix: in a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, chopped parsley, the minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; mix gently until just combined and form into 12 evenly sized meatballs (about 1 1/4–1 1/2 oz each).
- Brown the meatballs: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown meatballs in batches, turning so each side gets color (they do not need to be cooked through); transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Make the gravy: in the same skillet add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, sauté the chopped onion until soft (4–5 minutes), add the 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds, stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, remaining 1 tsp sugar, remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; bring to a simmer then reduce heat and simmer gently 10 minutes to blend flavors.
- Return meatballs to the sauce, spoon sauce over them, cover and simmer on low 8–10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C); taste and adjust seasoning.
- Assemble the bake: split each sub roll lengthwise without cutting through the bottom and place in a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes) with open faces up; spoon hot gravy and meatballs into each roll (3 meatballs per roll), spoon extra sauce over, then sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella and place one provolone slice on each roll.
- Dot the tops with the remaining 1 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces) and sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp grated parmesan over the cheese. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) 12–15 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of bread are toasty.
- If you want a browned top, switch to broil and broil 1–2 minutes watching closely so cheese browns but does not burn. Let rest 3–5 minutes before serving so sauce settles.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Sunday Gravy Meatball Sub Bake
A saucy, cheese-topped casserole of tender meatballs tucked into soft sub rolls with a rich, slow-style tomato gravy and melted mozzarella for a gooey, comforting bake.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely chop the onion and 3 cloves of garlic; reserve 1 clove minced for the meatballs.
- Make the meatball mix: in a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, chopped parsley, the minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; mix gently until just combined and form into 12 evenly sized meatballs (about 1 1/4–1 1/2 oz each).
- Brown the meatballs: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown meatballs in batches, turning so each side gets color (they do not need to be cooked through); transfer browned meatballs to a plate.
- Make the gravy: in the same skillet add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, sauté the chopped onion until soft (4–5 minutes), add the 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds, stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, remaining 1 tsp sugar, remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; bring to a simmer then reduce heat and simmer gently 10 minutes to blend flavors.
- Return meatballs to the sauce, spoon sauce over them, cover and simmer on low 8–10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C); taste and adjust seasoning.
- Assemble the bake: split each sub roll lengthwise without cutting through the bottom and place in a 9x13-inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes) with open faces up; spoon hot gravy and meatballs into each roll (3 meatballs per roll), spoon extra sauce over, then sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella and place one provolone slice on each roll.
- Dot the tops with the remaining 1 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces) and sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp grated parmesan over the cheese. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) 12–15 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of bread are toasty.
- If you want a browned top, switch to broil and broil 1–2 minutes watching closely so cheese browns but does not burn. Let rest 3–5 minutes before serving so sauce settles.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 69
- Saturated Fat
- 28
- Sodium
- 1400
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 43
- Protein
- 77
- Fat
- 71
- Cholesterol
- 250
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 1194
- Sugar
- 8