Meatball Sub Casserole Ultimate (Printable Version)

Hearty meatballs, savory sauce, crispy hoagie, and golden cheese combine for irresistible comfort food.

# Ingredients:

→ Meatball mixture

01 - 450 g ground beef or turkey
02 - 120 g Italian bread crumbs
03 - 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
06 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Ground black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly and garnish

09 - 680 g jar marinara sauce
10 - 100 g shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1 hoagie roll, cut into pieces
12 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Set the oven to 190°C and allow it to fully preheat.
02 - In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the ground meat, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper until uniform.
03 - Form the mixture into meatballs measuring approximately 2.5–4 cm in diameter. Arrange them evenly on a parchment-lined baking tray.
04 - Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through.
05 - While the meatballs bake, gently heat the marinara sauce in a saucepan over low heat until hot.
06 - Place baked meatballs in a casserole dish and pour over the warmed marinara sauce. Mix gently to coat all meatballs evenly.
07 - Scatter the hoagie roll pieces evenly over the sauced meatballs to replicate the sub experience.
08 - Evenly distribute the shredded mozzarella cheese across the top.
09 - Return the dish to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
10 - Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes, then garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.

# Notes:

01 - For an extra crisp bread topping, toast hoagie roll pieces before adding to the casserole.