This hearty Meatball Sandwich recipe features tender meatballs smothered in flavorful marinara sauce, topped with melted cheese, pan fried garlicky zucchini and served on foccacia. Our easy-to-follow recipe guide will show you how to create this delicious sandwich in the comfort of your own home.
Perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner, this Meatball Sandwich is sure to become a new favorite. Check out our recipe and enjoy the ultimate taste of comfort food today!
Why you'll love this
Hearty and Satisfying
This sandwich is hearty and satisfying, with tender meatballs, flavorful marinara sauce, and melted cheese all served on foccacia bread. It's a great way to enjoy a comforting and filling meal that will leave you feeling satisfied and full.
Easy to Make
Despite its impressive flavor, this sandwich is surprisingly easy to make. Our step-by-step recipe guide will walk you through every step, so you can create this delicious sandwich with confidence. It's a great option for anyone who wants a tasty and satisfying meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Versatile and Adaptable
This recipe is versatile and adaptable, so you can customize it to suit your taste preferences. You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, add some veggies like spinach or bell peppers for extra nutrition, or use a gluten-free bread to make it gluten-free. It's a great option for anyone who wants a delicious and satisfying sandwich that can be tailored to their individual needs.
How to prepare the Meatball Sandwich
- Create your meatballs: Combine the meat, seasonings and egg in a bowl and form 8 meatballs.
- Slice yo zucchini's: Slice your zucchini nice and thin.
- Cook the zucchini's: Cook with a little garlic until browned.
- Prep your bread: Slice in your focaccia in half and lay your sliced cheese on the top half.
- Combine your butter sauce: Melt the butter, add the remaining garlic and wholegrain mustard and brush over the bottom half of your sandwich.
- Grill: Place the bread under the grill until the cheese is all melty and the base is a little golden.
- Cook your meatballs: Place a little olive oil in a frying pan and cook your meatballs until browned.
- Tomato sauce time: Add the tomato sauce to your meatballs and cook until bubbling.
- Meatball + sandwich: Spoon your meatballs onto the bread and top with a little tomato sauce.
- Cheese: Lay your buffalo mozzarella on top of the meatballs and return to the grill until melty.
- Serve: Plate up your meatball sandwiches and dig in. Enjoy!
Tips for the best Meatball Sandwich
Making your own tomato sauce: If you want to homemake your tomato sauce; place 1 x 400 gram/12 ounce can of tomatoes, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, fresh herbs of your choice (rosemary goes particularly well with this), a pinch of sugar, a teaspoon of salt and a little olive oil in a saucepan and heat, simmering for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to allow the flavors to fully infuse.
Other sandwiches you'll enjoy
Mollettes - Mexican Bean Sandwich
How to make Meatball Sandwich:
Place the minced beef, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, 1 egg and finely chopped garlic in a bowl and combine until well mixed.
Roll into 8 equally sized meatballs and set aside.
Preheat the grill to 220C/430F.
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on medium high with a teaspoon of olive oil.
Thinly slice the zucchini into quarters and then each quarter into thirds and place into the frying pan and add 1 portion of the finely chopped garlic therein.
Cook until browned, but still firm, approximately 2 minutes either side.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
Slice your focaccia in half and lay the zucchini on the top half, topping with the sliced gloucester cheese.
Place the butter into a small ramekin and melt for 25 seconds in the microwave.
Add the wholegrain mustard and remaining finely chopped garlic, stirring to combine evenly.
Brush the garlic butter over the bottom half of your sandwich.
Place under the grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the base is golden. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, add a little more olive oil into the frying pan and sprinkle the salt evenly over all the meatballs before placing into the frying pan.
Cook evenly on medium high heat for 3 minutes each side until it is cooked in the center.
Add the tomato sauce and continue cooking for a further minute until well heated.
Remove from the heat and carefully spoon the meatballs onto the base of your sandwich, spooning over a little tomato sauce and then topping with a slice of buffalo mozzarella.
Return to the oven for 2 minutes to melt.
Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Slice and serve.
Meatball Sandwich
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 (with a side salad)
- Category: Lunch, Mains
Description
Taking full advantage of the full abundance of summer produce with this zucchini and tomato sauce meatball sandwich recipe for a fine way to bid those warmer days adieu.
Ingredients
Meatballs
400 grams / 14 ounces minced beef
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ cup tomato pasta sauce (see note)
Sandwich
1 medium focaccia loaf (or this recipe halved)
1 medium zucchini,
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
40 grams / 2 ¾ tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
40 grams Gloucester or Provolone cheese, sliced
30 grams buffalo mozzarella, sliced thickly
Instructions
Meatballs
- Place the minced beef, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, 1 egg and finely chopped garlic in a bowl and combine until well mixed.
- Roll into 8 equally sized meatballs and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to 220C/430F.
Sandwich
- Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan on medium high with a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Thinly slice the zucchini into quarters and then each quarter into thirds and place into the frying pan and add 1 portion of the finely chopped garlic therein.
- Cook until browned, but still firm, approximately 2 minutes either side.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Slice your focaccia in half and lay the zucchini on the top half, topping with the sliced gloucester cheese.
- Place the butter into a small ramekin and melt for 25 seconds in the microwave. Add the wholegrain mustard and remaining finely chopped garlic, stirring to combine evenly.
- Brush the garlic butter over the bottom half of your sandwich.
- Place under the grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the base is golden. Remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add a little more olive oil into the frying pan and sprinkle the salt evenly over all the meatballs before placing into the frying pan.
- Cook evenly on medium high heat for 3 minutes each side until it is cooked in the center.
- Add the tomato sauce and continue cooking for a further minute until well heated.
- Remove from the heat and carefully spoon the meatballs onto the base of your sandwich, spooning over a little tomato sauce and then topping with a slice of buffalo mozzarella.
- Return to the oven for 2 minutes to melt.
- Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
If you want to homemake your tomato sauce, place 1 can (400 grams/14 ounce) of tomatoes, 1 clove of finely chopped garlic, fresh herbs of your choice (rosemary goes particularly well with this), a pinch of sugar, a teaspoon of salt and a little olive oil in a saucepan and heat, simmering for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to allow the flavors to fully infuse.
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Nutrition
- Calories: 722 calories per sandwich
Keywords: lunch, sandwich, summer produce
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