Meatball Sub Soup Recipe

If you, like me, struggle with runaway meatballs whenever you try to chow down on a juicy sub sandwich full of meatballs (no matter how tightly you white knuckle it), this soup’s for you. It's a meatball sub in all its glory, but deconstructed into a soup. You get all of the flavors and all of the cheese without any of the fuss.

Frozen Meatballs to the Rescue

Frozen Italian-style meatballs cut down on an extra step and bring in a lot of flavor. They are readily available in the frozen aisle of conventional grocery stores and contain a classic blend of Italian seasonings like basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Any variety of frozen meatballs will work, but the Italian-style ones best complement this meatball sub soup.

Bowl of meatball sub soup in a pot-like ramekin at a table setting with spoons, table napkins, a bowl of parsley, glasses of water, and another serving of meatball soup in a ramekin — Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Top It Off With Cheesy Bread

Cheesy toasted baguette slices add the finishing touch. We opt for low-moisture mozzarella cheese, which bubbles and browns beautifully and a bit more quickly in the oven than full-moisture mozzarella.

If you have leftover bread and cheese, broil extra bread for dipping: simply slice, place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese, and broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

Make a Meatball Sub With Leftovers

Use leftovers to make your very own meatball sub, all you need is extra bread and a little bit of time. Let the soup simmer until it’s thickened and resembles marinara sauce. Scoop meatballs and sauce into a toasted sandwich roll like a hoagie, Italian, or French bread loaf, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, and toast for a few extra minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Meatball Mania

Meatball Sub Soup

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 4 servings

Yield 5 3/4 cups

If you don't have large oven-safe ramekins handy, make the cheesy bread separately on a baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese over top, and broil on high until cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with prepared cheesy bread on the side.

1 (14-ounce) bag store-bought Italian-style frozen meatballs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes with basil and oregano
2 1/2 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish
8 slices French baguette, cut 3/4 to 1-inch-thick
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

4 (16-ounce) oven-safe ramekins

Bake the meatballs:

Bake the meatballs according to the package directions. Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature until ready to use.

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
While the meatballs cook, make the soup:

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook, stirring often, until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned in some spots, about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the broth and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil.

Add the cooked meatballs, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Stir to combine. If the soup is too thick, thin it out with a little more stock. As soon as the soup comes back up to a boil, turn the heat off.

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Build the soup bowls:

Set the oven to broil on high. Ladle the soup into 4 (16-ounce) oven-safe ramekins, adding about 3 to 4 meatballs per ramekin. Top evenly with bread slices. Sprinkle the bread slices with mozzarella, about 1/4 cup per ramekin.

Simple Tip!

If you don’t have oven-safe ramekins or bowls, broil the cheesy bread on its own and then set on the soup for serving.
Broil the cheesy bread:

Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Top with a few grinds of black pepper and serve.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1186	Calories
44g	Fat
149g	Carbs
53g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	1186
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g	56%
Saturated Fat 15g	74%
Cholesterol 93mg	31%
Sodium 3303mg	144%
Total Carbohydrate 149g	54%
Dietary Fiber 11g	39%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 33mg	164%
Calcium 450mg	35%
Iron 13mg	71%
Potassium 1331mg	28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.