These slow cooker meatball subs are a hearty weeknight meal idea, made easy thanks to the crockpot! Uses frozen meatballs in a chunky homemade marinara sauce, topped off with ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese…
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooked Perfect® Meatballs. All opinions are 100% mine.
Once upon a time (about 15-and-a-half years ago), I had a little boy. And then, surprise! Exactly one year and two weeks later, I had another little boy. Not quite Irish Twins, but they were in every sense. They’ve shared a room from day one, shared the same toys, and made more than their fair share of mischief together. Someday I’ll have to share the Great Cereal Incident, lol…
From the ages of one and two, they’ve even shared a wardrobe and worn the same shoe size — until suddenly they can’t. Within the span of six months, the younger of the two has shot up five inches, gained 50 pounds, and increased two-and-a-half shoes sizes. Just 14 years old, he’s off the charts at 5’11” and 205 pounds. So naturally he joined the high school football team, even though he hasn’t played since 3rd grade.
After the two boys, (surprise again!) we quickly had two more girls and another boy… Having five kids in less than six years means I’ve been the recipient of a great deal of unsolicited advice over the years. I’ve been stopped by well-meaning older moms more times than I can count. Some I’ve taken with a grain of salt, others I’ve taken to heart: “Enjoy these days, it all goes so fast!” It does. A gentle mid-tantrum reminder: “He’ll grow out of it!” He did. “Oh, you’re having a girl? They’re SO different from boys!” They are.
And then from the moms of teenage boys: “Get ready for them to eat you out of house and home…” THIS. Hearing about it simply does NOT do it justice. They will sit down and inhale all of last night’s leftovers and then make a bowl of cereal and milk. A large pepperoni pizza? No match. Where’s that warehouse club size bag of tortilla chips I just opened? Gone.
My overgrown man-child will down two of these ginormous slow cooker meatball subs and say, “Thanks, Mom — that was great! What else are we having?” Sigh… Luckily I’ve learned to always prepare more than I think we’ll need for a meal, because one thing is certain — it won’t go to waste.
Recipes, like these Italian meatball subs, are the perfect candidate for doubling. And this recipe, in particular, is super easy to make — thanks to my trusty slow cooker and Cooked Perfect® Meatballs. You can find them in the freezer case at your local grocery store in several different varieties.
I’ve tried the Italian, the Homestyle, and the Turkey, and they’re all delicious. Cooked Perfect is one of my secret weapons for getting a hearty meal on the table fast on busy weeknights! Only I guess it’s not a secret anymore.
Slow Cooker Meatball Subs
These slow cooker meatball subs are the stuff that teenage boys’ dreams are made of (well, the PG ones at least)… I used the Cooked Perfect “hearty size” Italian-style meatballs cooked low and slow in a chunky marinara sauce for these slow cooker meatball subs — and they are indeed hearty. One sub was more than enough for me!
That didn’t stop my older boys from having two each, plus a few extra meatballs. Even my youngest son (who takes after my middle in height but definitely not weight) tucked away an entire sub. #momwin
Larger families or families with growing boys will probably want to double the recipe below. Or you can stretch a single batch further by using a bag of the regular size Cooked Perfect Italian meatballs, instead of the hearty size. And for ease in serving, you can skip the broiler step and just sprinkle the subs with Parmesan cheese. But if you have the extra time, I highly recommend the addition of some ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese on top!
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Slow cooker meatball subs are a hearty weeknight meal idea, made easy thanks to the crockpot! Uses frozen meatballs in a chunky homemade marinara sauce, topped off with ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese…
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. Cooked Perfect Italian Style Meatballs (hearty size) or your favorite variety
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 4 sub rolls
- shredded mozzarella cheese, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, water, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and sugar to a 5-qt.+ slow cooker insert. Stir well.
- Nestle the frozen meatballs in the sauce and cover.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are heated through.
- Add desired number of meatballs to the sub rolls and top with Parmesan cheese. Or you can also top them with shredded mozzarella cheese and place them on a baking sheet under the broiler on high for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition
- Calories: 0
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Cooked Perfect® Meatballs are the perfect solution for busy weeknight meals! Find them in the freezer case at your favorite grocery store. Browse more meatball recipes on their website, and while you’re there, be sure to print a coupon to save $1 on your next purchase of Cooked Perfect Meatballs!
Anna says
Hey!! I really want to try this recipe but didn’t get home in time to use the crockpot. Any way to do this quick in like 2 hours? Maybe just on stove?
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Hi Anna! I think I’d bake the meatballs in the oven according to the instructions on the package. While they’re cooking, make the sauce on the stovetop and allow it to simmer until it thickens up. Hope it’s just as tasty — this sounds so good tonight!
Liz says
When my college kid comes home, he reminds me that he’s always hungry when I see the pile of food on his plate! He and his brother (and father) would be thrilled with these meatball subs. And I’d be thrilled with how easy they come together!!!