Meatball Sub Casserole

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: beef, pork, turkey

Servings: servings

Calories: 467kcal

Ingredients

12.5 ounce Italian loaf or French bread loaf sliced into 10 1-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces cream cheese regular or 1/3-less fat, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise regular or light
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1-2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt blend or 1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces mozzarella cheese slices about 12 slices, divided
18-24 ounces meatballs about 20-30 meatballs (see note)
24 ounce jar marinara sauce
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese more for garnish

Instructions

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

Video

Notes

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.

Nutrition

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