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Italian Meatball Sandwiches

Juicy beef-and-pork meatballs, slow-simmered in marinara, fill crisp-edged Italian rolls beneath a blanket of melted provolone.

A toasted Italian roll holds marinara-coated meatballs under melted provolone with extra sauce alongside.

These sandwiches balance a soft, savory meatball with a roll that can still hold its shape. Toasting the cut faces first and keeping the marinara centered lets the filling stay generous without turning the bread soggy.

Start with a soft binder

Breadcrumbs soaked in milk help the beef and pork stay tender as the meatballs simmer. Mix only until the egg, cheese, herbs, and aromatics disappear into the meat; a loose mixture makes a more delicate bite than a tightly packed one.

Build flavor in the skillet

Browning gives the meatballs a savory exterior and leaves flavorful bits for the marinara to pick up. They do not need to cook through at this stage, since the covered sauce simmer finishes the centers gently.

Browned beef-and-pork meatballs simmer in marinara before being placed in toasted rolls. — Meatballs brown in the skillet before they finish cooking in marinara.

Toast before saucing

A thin layer of butter helps the cut roll faces toast to a light golden color. After filling, spoon sauce over the meatballs and keep it within the center channel so the edges stay firm enough to hold.

Melt the provolone last

The brief finish under the broiler melts the provolone over the meatballs and keeps the open sandwich easy to assemble. Watch the rolls as the cheese bubbles, then close and serve the sandwiches while the filling is hot.

Melted provolone covers sauced meatballs in a golden roll with a crisp edge. — Melted provolone drapes over sauced meatballs inside a crisp toasted roll.

Italian Meatball Sandwiches

4 sandwiches

60 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef, 80/20
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 24 oz marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 Italian sandwich rolls, split lengthwise
• 2 tbsp softened unsalted butter
• 8 slices provolone cheese

Method

Soften the breadcrumbs
Stir the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl and let them stand for 5 minutes, until the crumbs look evenly damp and no milk pools at the bottom.
Look for: The crumbs absorb the milk and hold together loosely when pressed.
Mix the meatballs
Add the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper to the damp crumbs; mix gently with your hands just until evenly combined, without compacting the meat.
Look for: The mixture looks uniform but still feels soft rather than packed.
Shape the meatballs
With lightly damp hands, divide the mixture into 16 meatballs about 1 1/2 inches across and set them on a plate so they are ready to brown evenly.
Look for: The meatballs are similar in size and have smooth, loose surfaces.
Brown the meatballs
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then brown the meatballs in batches, turning them as their sides color, for about 8 minutes total; transfer them to a plate before they are cooked through.
Look for: Several sides have a deep brown crust while the centers remain uncooked.
Simmer in marinara
Pour the marinara and water into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits; bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, return the meatballs, cover, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until the centers reach 160 F.
Look for: The sauce bubbles gently around the meatballs and a thermometer reads 160 F in a center meatball.
Toast the rolls
Heat the broiler and place a rack about 6 inches below it; spread butter over the cut faces of the rolls, arrange them cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet, and broil just until lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Look for: The cut faces are dry and lightly browned at the edges, with no sauce on them.
Build the sandwiches
Set four meatballs in each roll bottom and spoon marinara over the meatballs, keeping the sauce inside the center channel; cover each with provolone and leave the sandwiches open-faced on the baking sheet.
Look for: The sauce coats the meatballs without running along the toasted roll edges.
Melt the cheese
Broil the open-faced sandwiches briefly, watching closely, until the provolone is melted and bubbling and the roll edges are toasted but not scorched.
Look for: The cheese has melted into the sauce and shows a few golden spots.
Close and serve
Cap each sandwich with its roll top and serve while the cheese is still stretchy and the meatballs are hot; offer any remaining warm marinara at the table.
Look for: The sandwiches hold together when lifted and the toasted edges remain distinct.