Slow Cooker Meatball Subs with Tomato Sauce
Tender ground beef meatballs simmered in crushed tomato sauce for hours in a crockpot, then nestled into hoagie buns with melted mozzarella. Brown the meatballs first for deeper flavor before letting them cook low and slow until fall-apart tender.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, Italian Seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with your hands until combined.
- 2
Form into meatballs, approximately 1 to 2 inches in size.
- 3
Brown each meatball in a skillet or Ninja crockpot.
- 4
Transfer browned meatballs to the crockpot.
- 5
Pour crushed tomatoes over the meatballs.
- 6
Add Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley to the crockpot.
- 7
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- 8
Place meatballs on hoagie buns, spoon sauce over them, and top with sliced mozzarella cheese.
Tips
Browning meatballs before slow cooking adds depth and prevents them from becoming mushy.
Recipe yields approximately 20 meatballs; adjust cooking time slightly if making 24.
Good to Know
Refrigerate cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare meatball mixture up to 24 hours ahead; refrigerate covered. Form and brown meatballs up to 8 hours in advance.
Serve immediately on warm hoagie buns with mozzarella melted on top.
Common Mistakes
Skip browning to avoid bland, mushy meatballs.
Overmix the meatball mixture to avoid dense, tough meatballs.
Cook on high instead of low to avoid meatballs falling apart.