Juicy Turkey Meatball Subs (Printer-friendly)
Tender turkey meatballs in tomato sauce with melted mozzarella on toasted sub rolls garnished with fresh basil.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tbsp dried parsley
07 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
10 - 2 tbsp milk
→ Sauce
11 - 1 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 24 oz crushed tomatoes
15 - 1 tsp dried basil
16 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
17 - 1/2 tsp sugar
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Assembly
19 - 4 sub rolls or hoagie rolls
20 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
21 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced (optional)
22 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and milk; mix gently until just combined.
03 - Shape mixture into sixteen 1.5-inch meatballs and arrange evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes until golden and fully cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté onion 3 to 4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Add baked meatballs to the sauce, simmer an additional 5 to 7 minutes, spooning sauce over meatballs.
08 - Preheat broiler. Split sub rolls and place on a baking sheet; toast under broiler 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned.
09 - Place four meatballs with sauce on each roll; top with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
10 - Broil assembled subs for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
11 - Garnish with fresh basil if desired and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Turkey keeps these meatballs lighter than beef, but the sauce and melted mozzarella make them taste richly indulgent.
- Everything comes together in under an hour, and most of it happens while you're doing other things.
- You can make the meatballs and sauce ahead, then assemble fresh subs whenever hunger strikes.
02 -
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture or they'll become dense and rubbery—handle the meat as little as possible.
- Baking meatballs instead of pan-frying gives you evenly cooked, less-oily results without standing over the stove.
- Toast your rolls before adding toppings—it's the difference between a structural disaster and something you can actually eat without both hands getting covered in sauce.
03 -
- Keep your ingredients cold and work quickly when forming meatballs—warm meat becomes sticky and hard to shape.
- Taste the sauce as it simmers and adjust the seasoning, because every crushed tomato can tastes slightly different.