Sneaky Meatball Subs

by Iowa Girl Eats

The addition of grated zucchini to Sneaky Meatball Subs not only adds a healthy boost, but also helps to keep the turkey meatballs moist & juicy.

Ingredients (serves 5)

·         1 small zucchini

·         1/4 small onion (red or white)

·         4 garlic cloves

·         1lb ground turkey or beef

·         1 egg white

·         1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

·         1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon pepper

·         1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

 

·         5 hot dog buns

·         1 cup marinara sauce

·         5oz mozzarella          

Instructions

·         Grate the zucchini, onion and garlic in a food processor with the grating blade attached, then remove the contents to a separate bowl. Alternatively you could use a box cheese grater for the zucchini and onion, and finely mince the garlic.

·         Attach a non-sharp S-blade to the food processor then return the zucchini mixture to the processing bowl.

·         Add the ground turkey, egg white, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs to the food processor then pulse to combine. Alternatively, use your hands to mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. 

·         Preheat oven to 400 degrees then place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet, and spray generously with non-stick spray. Shape turkey mixture into 15 meatballs, using ~2 Tablespoons of the mixture per meatball. Place onto the wire rack and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until no longer pink the center.

Place the meatballs onto a non-stick sprayed wire rack (don’t forget this step or your balls will stick to the rack – GAH! ) on top of a foil-lined baking sheet.

·         Turn the oven to broil, then open up the hotdog buns and place three cooked meatballs in the center. Spoon marinara sauce on top of the meatballs, then top with 1oz mozzarella cheese per sub. Broil until the sauce is warm, and cheese is golden brown.

 

To freeze & reheat leftover meatballs:

Cool cooked meatballs completely then place the baking sheet into the freezer until meatballs are frozen solid, anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Place into a freezer-safe container or plastic bag.

To reheat, microwave for 4-5 minutes, or place onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Italian Meatball Subs

Recipe via http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/italian-meatball-subs.html

*Note: When I make these, I often prepare and bake the meatballs earlier in the day. To reheat, I place the meatballs in the pot with the simmering sauce and let them warm up together. And since I know someone will ask, the meatballs freeze great. Freeze them, unbaked, on a baking sheet. Once frozen, they can be placed in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Bake them (without thawing first), adding 6-7 minutes to the baking time. Incidentally, they also freeze great after they have been baked. Freeze them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag and reheat them in the simmering sauce until they are warmed through.


*Makes 25-30 meatballs/about 7-9 sandwiches

Meatballs:
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs or crushed saltines
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

To dredge the meatballs:
1 1/2 cups flour in a shallow baking dish

For the sandwiches:
1 recipe French Bread Rolls, shaped into sub rolls and baked according to the recipe
Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese

In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients together EXCEPT the meat. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so the breadcrumbs/crackers can soak up the liquid a little bit. Add the meat and mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil.

Form golf ball-sized meatballs and dredge them in the flour until lightly coated. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet about one inch apart. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until the meatballs are completely cooked through.

When the meatballs come out of the oven, let them sit for about 15 minutes. Gently scrape off any fat and place the meatballs in a 9X13-inch baking dish (or similar size). Pour the hot tomato sauce over the meatballs.

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the buns in half. (If desired, lay the buns flat open on a baking sheet and top one side with cheese - toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes at 400 degrees until the buns are toasted and cheese is melted.) Place 3-4 meatballs on each bun and top with desired amount of sauce. Serve immediately with lots of napkins.

Sauce:
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar (this helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low.
Keep warm until the meatballs are finished baking.


– for the sub rolls, I do shape them differently than the “golf ball sized” rolls for normal dinner rolls. I pinch off probably about double the amount of dough I would use for a dinner roll and I shape it/roll it into a log shape. Before it rises, it is probably about 1 1/2″ to 2″ wide and 2 1/2″ to 3″ long. They puff up and rise quite a bit so don’t be worried about how small they look when you originally roll them out.