One Pot Meatball Marinara Sub

One Pot Meatball Marinara Sub

We are absolutely obsessed with this one right now. There is something about a saucy, herby meatball sub that just hits differently on a weeknight, and the fact that it all comes together in one pot makes it even better. The meatballs get this gorgeous caramelised crust before they finish cooking low and slow in a rich, garlicky marinara packed with sun dried tomatoes, and then you pile the whole lot into a toasted sub and it is honestly ridiculous. We have made this for friends who had no idea it was plant-based and they were genuinely stunned. Make this tonight, trust us.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large skillet with lid
  • Microplane or fine grater (for garlic & cheese)
  • Frying pan (for toasting rolls)

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil - from the jar
  • 12 plant-based meatballs
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 100g sun-dried tomatoes - plus oil from the jar
  • 2 x 400g cans x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 red onion - peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 50g plant-based cheese
  • 1 handful of basil
  • 4 Hoagie rolls (sub rolls)

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients for the sauce

  • Peel and grate the garlic
  • Peel and finely dice the onion
  • Finely chop the sun dried tomatoes
2

Prepare the meatballs

  • Warm the oil in the skillet over medium heat
  • Once warm, add the meatballs and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the meatballs have begun to caramelise
  • Remove the meatballs from the pan put them on a plate and set aside
3

Make the sauce

  • Don't clean the pan, add the onion and a pinch of salt and stir for 4-5 minutes
  • Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the oregano, chilli flakes, sugar, salt and pepper and stir to combine
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and stir for 3-4 minutes
4

Finish the sauce and meatballs

  • Place the meatballs evenly over the top of the sauce, put the lid on, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes lifting the lid every so often to let out a little steam
  • Feel free to stir occasionally too to prevent catching if your pan isn't non stick
5

Prepare the rolls and finish the filling

  • Grate the cheese
  • Cut the hoagie rolls and toast in a frying pan - cut side down - over medium heat for approx 1 minute (you can (vegan) butter the rolls to give them a little crisp if you like)
  • Remove the lid from the pan, sprinkle over the cheese, put the lid back on a leave to simmer for a couple more minutes until the cheese is nice and melty
  • Remove the lid, sprinkle over some pepper and basil leaves
  • Spoon the meatball marinara into the hoagie rolls and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get a proper sear: Don't rush the meatball browning stage. Leave them alone for a few minutes so they actually caramelise rather than steam. That colour is flavour and it makes a huge difference to the final dish.
  • Toast your sub roll: Genuinely do not skip this step. A warm, lightly toasted roll soaks up the sauce without going soggy and adds a bit of texture that takes it from good to great.
  • Make it saucier: If you like things extra saucy (we always do), add a splash of pasta water or a little extra tinned tomato to the pan when the meatballs go back in. It loosens everything up beautifully.

Why This Works

The trick here is browning the meatballs first before they go back into the sauce. That caramelisation adds a deep, savoury flavour that carries through the whole dish. The sun dried tomatoes are doing a lot of heavy lifting too, giving the marinara a sweetness and intensity you just don't get from tinned tomatoes alone.