Meatball Sub Casserole

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This Meatball Sub Casserole is simple to prepare using store-bought meatballs and marinara for a hearty weeknight dinner in less than an hour. Customize the filling with your favorite sub fillings. It's one of those casseroles that's perfect for a potluck because everyone will love it.

Oh a meatball sub, it's just so delicious in every bite. That's why we had to make a casserole version of one of our favorite sandwiches. It truly is one of the best casseroles we've made to date!

This Meatball Sub Casserole is built like a lasagna just with meatballs, marinara, cheese, and slices of Italian bread. It bakes up into the most delicious, melt-in-your mouth layers of Italian comfort.

We kept it simple in our recipe, but you can also add whatever meatball sub ingredients you like - other cheeses, red chili flakes, olives, spinach, the options are endless!

With this meatball casserole ready in under an hour, you can have a fun yet hearty meal on the table in no time. And guess what? The leftovers are even better too!

If you love a great casserole recipe, we happen to have several that have gone viral. Try our Reuben Casserole, Chicken and Swiss Casserole, and Frito Taco Casserole.

A serving of meatball casserole and salad on a plate.

Table of Contents

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Easy to prepare using frozen meatballs. Use frozen or homemade, your choice. We often love to use leftover meatballs in this recipe.
Only 10 ingredients. It's a simple shopping list for a recipe that can feed the family for a few days!
Great for kids and adults alike. Every member of the family will be a fan of this casserole, it's hard to go wrong here with tender meatballs and gooey cheese.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Italian loaf or French bread loaf: The bread that structures the meatball bake. Either Italian or French bread works great.
Cream cheese (regular or ⅓-less fat): Spread on the inside of the bread to create that custardy texture with the melted cheese in each bite.
Mayonnaise (regular or light): Adds creaminess to the casserole.
Italian seasoning: Gives an herby, seasoned flavor in every bite.
Garlic powder or fresh garlic cloves: Infuses each bite with nice garlic flavor.
Seasoning salt blend: A mixture of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Boosts the flavors of each ingredient. Livia’s Seasoning Salt is my go-to blend.
Mozzarella cheese slices: The cheese is the best part, gives it that gooey and melty quality.
Meatballs: Use frozen for ease or fresh too if you have time. See my meatball options section for all the great variations you can use!
Marinara sauce: Buy the best brand you can, the freshest tomato flavor is ideal.
Shredded parmesan cheese: Gives a salty, cheese quality that's perfect for meatball casserole.

The ingredients needed to make meatball casserole.

How to Make Meatball Sub Casserole

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Arrange the Italian bread slices in a single layer in the bottom of a 13"x9" baking dish.

Drizzle or spritz the bread slices with the olive oil, ensuring they are lightly coated. Bake for 5-7 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and seasoning salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.

Making the cream cheese mixture in a bowl for meatball casserole.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the toasted bread slices.

Spreading a cream cheese mixture on bread in a baking dish.

Place 6 of the mozzarella cheese slices in an even layer on the cream cheese mixture.
In a large bowl, coat meatballs in the marinara sauce. Arrange the meatballs evenly over the cheese slices.

Adding the meatball layer to meatball casserole.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top, then add the last 6 slices of mozzarella in an even layer.

Adding the mozzarella layer to meatball casserole.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and meatballs reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
Slice and serve as you would a lasagna, making sure each portion has plenty of meatballs, sauce, and cheesy goodness. Add additional parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Meatball Options

Fresh or frozen, it's up to you! Store-bought are totally fine if it's a busy weeknight and you need to get dinner on the table fast. Frozen meatball bags come in SO many sizes, shapes, and types of meat. Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, meatless, Italian, spicy, mild...it's up to you. Around 20-30 meatballs works nicely.

My FAVORITE homemade meatball recipe to make ahead of time and then use in this dish is from my Homemade Spaghettios and Meatballs recipe. Make and bake the meatballs just as that recipe says, then proceed with this recipe as written.

Pro Tips

Toast the bread before building the subs. This is crucial to giving the casserole the right structure in every bite.
Make it spicy. Add red chili flakes or diced Calabrian chilies for a bit of heat!
Add more cheese. You can also use provolone if desired for a twist on the mozzarella theme, or use a mix of both!

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven for the best consistency. This helps the bread toast again and not become to soggy.

We don't recommend freezing this casserole as it can compromise the texture of the bread.

You can make this bake ahead of time but not too far in advance. We recommend only 4 hours before baking and serving. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy.

FAQs

What type of bread is best for this casserole?

French or Italian bread, you will layer it almost like a lasagna for easy building and slicing.

How do I keep the bread in the casserole from becoming soggy?

Make sure you toast each layer when indicated to make sure the bread stays nice and toasted.

Can this meatball sub casserole be made in advance?

You can assemble it up to four hours in advance and then bake it when your company arrives.

Can I add other mix-ins to the bake?

Yes, you can add other veggies like peppers, onions, spinach, herbs, and spices that all pair with the meatball sub.

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