Make our Slow Cooker Meatball Subs for a family dinner or party. This recipe is easy to make with frozen meatballs and marinara sauce.
Crockpot Meatball Subs are a popular choice year-round! You can serve them as an easy meal when entertaining or put them in the slow cooker in the morning, and they will be ready for a quick, weeknight dinner.
Tonia’s Notes
The Subway Meatball Marinara is a family favorite, so we’ve been making copycat meatball subs for many years! The recipe has been on The Gunny Sack since 2013, and it’s in our Slow Cooker Favorites cookbook as well. I decided that the old blog post needed updated photos and a video.
Although I talk about using the marinara meatballs for sub sandwiches, you can also serve them with spaghetti. The slow cooker is a great way to get that part of the meal out of the way.
How To Make Slow Cooker Meatball Subs
Ingredients
Dump the frozen Italian-style meatballs into your crockpot and pour two jars of sauce over the top. Stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce.
Cook
Add the cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. If you want to serve the meatballs and sauce buffet-style from the slow cooker, you can garnish them with grated Parmesan and Italian seasoning.
Sub Sandwiches
Cut open your hoagie (or brat) buns. Lay slices of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni on the bottom of the bun. Besides making the meatball subs even better, this will help keep the bottom from getting soggy. Then, add meatballs and sauce and top with shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning.
Bake the sandwiches for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese is melted. This step is optional and can be skipped, especially if you are entertaining and want to serve them buffet style.
Recipe Tips
- Oven: You can prepare the meatballs in the oven instead of a crockpot. Put the meatballs and sauce in a 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350˚F for 30-40 minutes or until the meatballs are hot.
- Leftovers: If you know you won’t use all the marinara meatballs, don’t turn them into subs immediately. It is easier to store the meatballs and make more subs later. On the other hand, when we have extra sub sandwiches, we still keep them and reheat them in the microwave, but the buns get a little soggy.
- Storage: Store leftover meatballs with sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
- Reheat: Reheat leftover meatballs in the microwave.
FAQs
The recipe calls for about 54 Italian-style meatballs, which is a 26-ounce bag of 0.5-ounce meatballs.
If you look at the nutrition label on the package, most brands of frozen meatballs will show that the serving size of 6 meatballs is equal to 85 grams, which makes them 1/2 ounce each. If there are 9 servings of 6 meatballs in a bag, there are about 54 meatballs total.
I accidentally discovered that at least one brand sells a 24-ounce bag with only 27 servings, with each meatball being bigger than what the other brands sell. They would still work with this recipe, but you’ll have fewer servings.
Yes, you can use any meatballs you prefer. If you choose seasoned meatballs, besides Italian-style, it may change the flavor profile of the subs.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Crock Pot Barbecue Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Tacos
- Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Meatballs Subs
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 60 frozen, fully cooked Italian-style meatballs see note 1
- (2) 24 ounce jars marinara sauce or use spaghetti sauce
- 12 hoagie buns or use brat or large hot dog buns
- 12 slices mozzarella cut in half
- 6 ounces pepperoni slices
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Put the frozen meatballs and marinara (or spaghetti) sauce in a greased or lined slow cooker and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours or until heated through.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Slice the hoagie buns. Put two half-slices of mozzarella and pepperoni slices on the bottom of the bun.
- Top with 6 meatballs with sauce, 2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 5-6 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bun is toasted. If you are entertaining and serving buffet-style, you can skip baking them.
Notes
- Meatballs: Thirty ounces is about 60 meatballs. Bags of frozen meatballs are typically 26-32 ounces and would work for this recipe, even though there are slightly more or less meatballs.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Carlos Preston says
Some of the best meatballs and sauce I’ve had in years one of my favorite dishes from popping bomb Italian restaurants, and such you’ve done a great job appreciate that sandwich five stars thank you
Tonia Larson says
You are very welcome! I love making this when we have friends over because it’s so easy! -Tonia
Lita Watson says
Such a nice dish. I see that you should tried to used swedish meatball since they start pulling in more of the delicious flavor when they are in sauce.
Nance says
This looks like a great idea! I’ve found, though, that these meatballs give off a lot of grease when they’re cooked. So I’ll continue baking the meatballs on racks put on cookie sheets in the oven, then blotting them off before adding them to the hot pasta sauce.
Dianne says
Hope you are better soon !
These look good!
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles says
Hope everyone is starting to feel better! It took us a while to get over it here.
I love meatballs subs!!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
Oh no! I hope you get some rest & feel better!! Frozen meatballs are one of my go to easy dinners. But we always have it with spaghetti – I have to try this, it looks so good!
Tonia says
Thanks Stephanie! We are working on getting better!
Ling says
Sending well wishes your way, I hope you feel better soon Tonia 🙂
I love subway and these look fantastic! The melted cheese… goodness!
Tonia says
Thanks Ling! It is still making it rounds but hopefully it won’t be long!
Adventuresindinner says
Oh! Hope you feel better soon. I’ve so many students sick right now and am trying to douse myself with hand sanitizer often. Love the dish!
Tonia says
Thanks Jane! We are on the mend…slowly but surely!