Turkey Meatball Subs

These Turkey Meatball Subs are a lighter twist on the classic that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Tender homemade turkey meatballs, marinara, and melty cheese are piled onto hoagie rolls and toasted for a hearty, satisfying meal.

These subs are perfect for an easy dinner or your game day menu. If you’re looking for more game day recipes with ground turkey, be sure to try my Chili Cornbread Casserole, Turkey Burger Sliders and Turkey Chili.

When my guys were younger, one of my biggest challenges as the only female in the house was finding a healthy balance. I wanted to give them the hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of food they craved while still trying to keep an eye on our fat and calorie intake

I started to experiment with subbing ground turkey for ground beef, and over the years I’ve discovered some tricks to add tons of flavor and texture to these recipes. In the process I’ve come up with some meals that would satisfy even the most die hard beef fans.

These Italian Turkey Meatball Subs are a great example of one of those guy-friendly, but slightly less guilt-inducing meals. The secret is in the ingredient list and method!

Ingredient Notes

• Turkey: I use a combination of 93% lean ground turkey and either hot or mild Italian turkey sausage for this recipe. If the sausage is in link form, you’ll need to remove and discard the casings.
• Marinara sauce: I am loving Mutti Marinara Sauce at the moment but any sauce you love will work here.
• Produce: Grated yellow onion, minced garlic, and a few cremini mushrooms. I’ve found that adding diced mushrooms adds great texture and body to the meatballs.
• Seasoned panko breadcrumbs: The breadcrumbs work to bind the meatballs and are a great shortcut for adding flavor. All you will need is a touch more salt and pepper for a perfectly seasoned meatball.
• Cheese: These subs are delicious with a shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella cheese. Grated Parmesan adds great flavor.
• Rolls: For a roll that will hold up to the meatballs and sauce, look for substantial hot dog or bratwurst buns or hoagie rolls.

How to Make Turkey Meatball Subs

1. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine well.
2. Crumble the turkey and sausage over the mixture.
3. Add the remaining meatball ingredients.
4. Gently combine with a wooden spoon, then work the mixture with your hands, just until combined.

1. Using a large cookie scoop or a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop about 2 tablespoons of meatball mixture and use your hands to form it into a neat ball. Repeat to form the remaining meatballs. You should get about 28 meatballs from this recipe.
2. Bake the meatballs in the oven at 425 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
3. Transfer the meatballs to a large pan full of warmed marinara sauce and let them simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Place your hoagie rolls, cut side up, on a large baking sheet and lightly toast them in the oven set to Broil. Then, spoon 4 meatballs with a little sauce on each roll and top with cheese. Return the baking sheet to the oven to melt the cheese. Sprinkle the subs with additional Parmesan cheese serve with additional sauce, if desired.

Valerie’s Tips

Texture Tips: When making any type of meatball, I like to grate my onion with a cheese grater for a finer texture. This ensures it will add onion flavor with no big pieces protruding out of the sides. Perfect, pretty little meatballs.

Use a Lined Baking Sheet: Use a baking sheet lined with foil and generously coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray. This ensures the meatballs will easily release from the foil after baking and it also means super easy cleanup. No muss, no fuss, no oil, no pan to clean. When the meatballs are ready, just toss that foil and move on with your life.

Meatball Forming Hack: Rinsing your hands with water every two or three meatballs will help prevent the meatball mixture from sticking.

Toast the Rolls: Lightly toasting the hoagie rolls before assembling the subs will help prevent them from becoming soggy.

Make-Ahead Tips: You can make the meatballs a day or two ahead and refrigerate them in an airtight container until you’re ready for them. For longer storage, you can freeze them before or after they’re baked. To flash freeze meatballs, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for an hour or two. Once the meatballs have frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container, like a zippered plastic storage bag, and freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months.

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This post was originally published on November 6, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.