Meatball Submarine Sandwich - Recipe

 It's all about the meatballs in a Meatball Sub, and my Meatball recipe is loaded. And I make gargantuan meatballs, so get ready for a big bite!

A warm Meatball Submarine Sandwich is a thing of beauty. Simply delicious. No need for anything extra but a thick Marinara Sauce. 

You do want a large bread roll to hold all this goodness. It can be a crusty one or a regular soft roll. I find mine in the bargain bin from my local grocery store.

     Click on any photo to see larger.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I enjoy a fast-food Subway Meatball Sandwich. When I order mine, I get everything on it. With all the salad toppings available, I go for it: cucumber slices, spinach, sliced tomato and red onion, black olives, and melted cheese, oh boy. 

But when I go to an old-school Italian deli for a Meatball Sub, well, it's back to basics, just the Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, please.

For my Loaded Meatball recipe, I use ground Italian-style ground pork. Ground pork is a little cheaper than ground beef.

I've made Meatballs with ground turkey, which I frequently find on sale. Of course, you can use any favorite ground meat(s). 

I mixed ground meat with spinach, sauteed onion, mushrooms, toasted bread, and garlic, making a typically heavy, meaty meatball so light it almost floats off the plate.  

Onions and garlic are cheap anytime. You can substitute with dried or powdered versions. 

One package of spinach leaves or a bundle of spinach is enough. You can use frozen spinach, too. (Drain excess liquid from frozen spinach.)

I have a small patio garden with fresh herbs like basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. You can, again, use dried herbs or an Italian Herb Mix.

Maybe you like a more solid Meatball, then leave out the sauteed veggies and toasted bread for a hefty Meatball. If my Meatballs are too large, then make them small. Make Meatballs your way - it's all good.

I finish the Meatballs with a canned tomato sauce. I've made an Easy Marinara Sauce (click here) with crushed, diced, whole, and just plain tomato sauce. I add a little red wine to this recipe, but you can just add some water that's sloshed around to rinse the tomato can.

I simmer the Meatballs for at least an hour so the sauce breaks down while absorbing the Meatball flavorings. If you are using whole canned tomatoes, then break them apart as the tomato sauce cooks.

Add or subtract any of the above Meatball ingredients. I've made different versions, and the Meatballs have all been tasty.  

My Meatball recipe does double duty; not only are they great added to your favorite pasta, but they fit perfectly into a hefty Meatball Sub.

Meatball Submarine Sandwich - VIDEO          Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 5 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients 

• Bread Rolls - for sandwiches. Okay to use any favorite bread, like buns or sliced bread.
• Ground Meat - 1 pound. Okay to use any favorite ground meat, including pork, beef, veal, or poultry, or a ground meat mix.
• Spinach - one bunch with most of the stems removed. Okay to use a 6-ounce package of spinach or frozen spinach.  
• Mushrooms - sliced or chopped. 1 package, about 4 to 5 ounces, of any favorite mushrooms.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or from a jar. Okay to use dried garlic.
• Bread - 2 slices toasted. Break into small pieces to mix into ground meat and sauteed veggies.
• Italian herbs - 1 teaspoon fresh or dried, including basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. For fresh herbs, add 2 teaspoons.
• Milk - 1/4 cup, optional.
• Salt & Pepper - to taste, or about half a teaspoon total.
• Oil - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. One tablespoon to saute the onion, and one tablespoon to saute the Meatballs.

Marinara Sauce

• Tomato Sauce - large 24-ounce can or jar. For a smooth texture, use tomato sauce, but I've made chunky sauce with whole, chopped, or crushed tomatoes. Just break up large tomato pieces as the sauce simmers.
• Red or White Wine - about 1 cup. Okay to substitute one cup of water rinsed from the tomato sauce can.

*I find the Meatballs have enough seasonings, so nothing more is needed in the Marinara Sauce.

Directions

In a large pan or pot, saute the onion for about 5  minutes in a tablespoon of oil until soft.

Add sliced or chopped mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add chopped garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh herbs. 

 Wash the spinach and remove most of the stems. Add spinach and cover the pot to steam and soften the spinach for a few minutes. Give them a stir as spinach cooks down.

In a large bowl mix, ground meat, milk, shredded bread, and sauteed veggies.

Form the meat mixture into meatballs, any size you like (I like large ones), and add to the heated pan with oil. 

Brown the meatballs for about 5 minutes on each side. You may need to do it in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your pan or pot. Partially covering the pan helps firm up the meatballs by steaming, thus making them easier to turn without breaking apart. 

Deglaze the pan with red wine and add tomato sauce. Add another can of tomato sauce for extra servings (especially for Meatball with Pasta). Okay to substitute red wine with a cup of water or a favorite broth.

 Cover and low-simmer meatballs in sauce for 1-2 hours until the sauce is reduced by half. Add water or broth if the liquid cooks out too much. I like a thick sauce, but make it the way you like.

When the Meatballs in Marinara Sauce are done, build a Meatball Sub. Pour on some Marinara Sauce on the bottom slice of the bread roll. Place enough Meatballs to cover the bottom bread roll slice. Close the roll and chow down.

You can also add any favorite topping like sliced black olives, onion, and cheese.

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This International  Poor Man's Chef brings a traditional English dish from across the pond to these cheapskate shores -- a hearty Shepherd's Pie that will leave you gobsmacked. Also called a Cottage Pie (when using ground beef,) it's a thick top crust of squidgy (mashed) potatoes covering a rich beef sauce loaded with carrots, onion, peas, and ground poultry. You may think I'm off my trolley,  but I guarantee you will be begging for seconds!

This one-pot meal is the Mutt's and absolutely fabulous on a cloudy and parky winter's day. Plus it's cheap, just the way this threepenny bit pinching bloke likes it. You could even bring this as a potluck dish to your next do.

I'm not codswalloping when I say it's really so easy peasy to do: just saute some ground meat, onion, carrots, and green peas, then add a cracking rich broth of beef stock and tomato paste flavored with Worcestershire sauce. This luscious filling is thick like a chicken pot pie. You finish it with a topping of your favorite mashed potato recipe, bake for half an hour, and Bob's your uncle!

A traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with leftover meat, usually lamb. You can my recipe low-fat using ground turkey or chicken -- but don't worry it's still scrummy.

I get beef shank because it is the cheapest cut of meat I could find. These days even ground beef is more expensive! It's easy enough to use lamb if you like.

You can't get cheaper than onions, carrots and potatoes. Frozen packages of carrots, corn, and green peas are an easy way to go.

There's more to British food than popular Fish and Chips (of course I have my own recipe version here) -- so, if you fancy, do give my latest entree a butcher's hook. You will happily devour The 99 Cent Chef's savory Shepherd's Pie, it's the bees' knees.

Cheers!

Click here to translate all the italicized British slang that I used.

Shepherd's - Video

               Play it here, video runs 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (about 4 - 6 servings)

• 1 pound Beef Steak, cubed - Okay to use ground beef for a faster cooking version. For a traditional Shepherd's Pie use lamb.
• 4-6 medium-size Potatoes - about 3 pounds. At least 2 cups total when mashed. I used russet, but okay to use any type you like, even sweet potato.
• 1 cup Carrots - roughly chopped
• 1 cup frozen Peas - thawed. Canned peas are too mushy, but go ahead and use a drained can if that's all you've got. Okay to use fresh peas or even peas in their pods.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• 2 tablespoons of Tomato Paste - If you use tomato sauce, about 1/2 cup.
• 2 tablespoons of  Worcestershire sauce. 
• 2 cups Water - or favorite stock.
• 1 cup Red Wine - optional. Okay to use white wine.
• 1 tablespoon of Oil - to saute veggies and meat.
• 3 tablespoons of Flour - to thicken the sauce.
• 1/2 cup of Milk - for mashed potatoes. Add more milk or cream to suit your taste and mashed potato texture. Okay to use half and half or whipping cream.
• 2 tablespoons of Butter - optional.
• Salt and Pepper to taste. You can leave out the salt if you use a salty bouillon cube.
• Water to cover and boil potatoes.

Directions

Start potatoes boiling. Should take about 1 hour, depending on how large they are. Done when a fork pierces the potato easily.

Peel boiled potatoes when cool enough to handle. Add milk or cream with butter.

Mash potatoes to desired creaminess. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until final assembly for baking.

You should get about 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of mashed potatoes. If you have a favorite mashed potato recipe then use that.

Slice beef into bite sizes. Add to pot at medium/high heat. For fatty beef, no oil is needed. Add oil for lean beef. For ground beef no oil is needed, as it has enough fat. 

Add flour and mix well. Saute for 5 minutes to take out the raw flour flavor.

Next, add the chopped onion. Stir and saute until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Now it's time to make the sauce. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, water, or stock to sauting veggies and meat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

If you are cooking with ground meat, it will be quicker to cook, about 45 minutes.

When meat is tender add chopped carrots and cook another 20 minutes to tenderize to your taste. 

Finally, add the fresh or fresh frozen peas. They only need about 10 minutes of cooking.

Now time to assemble it all. In a deep baking dish add the meat and veggie filling - don't fill it up all the way, leave about an inch clearance. Now spoon on the mashed potatoes to cover the top of the meat and veggie filling. You can carefully smooth out the mashed potatoes to cover the top. 

Place the uncovered dish of  Shepherd's Pie in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. You may want to place a large cookie sheet pan underneath the dish in case some of the beef stew liquid bubbles out.

Remove from oven and allow to cool down for a few minutes, this will also allow the sauce to thicken. 

Hindsight

For a more diet-friendly and healthier topping (I know spuds are too carb-heavy for some) try boiled or microwaved sweet potatoes. You could use steamed and mashed cauliflower, squash (butternut or acorn,) carrots, pumpkin, turnips, or any favorite veggie that you can mash.

You could also substitute green peas with shelled edamame (soybeans) or green beans. Sometimes, I'll add a few sauteed sliced mushrooms.

Instead of peas and carrots, you can just use a bag of your favorite frozen veggie blend. For frozen veggies allow to defrost in the heating of the sauce (after the meat is done.)

If you like a saucy filling, then add more stock - you may need a larger (or an extra) baking dish or pot.

Meatballs In Marinara Sauce

I have a way with meatballs. Mixing ground turkey with sauteed onion, spinach, mushrooms, toasted bread, and garlic makes a Meatball so light it almost floats off the plate. 

Maybe you like a more solid Meatball, then leave out the sauteed veggies and toast for a hefty Meatball. Make Meatballs your way - it's all good.

99c only Stores carry packaged fresh spinach, so it's a natural progression to blend the side dish into the entree -- combining sauteed spinach and Meatballs. If you have a favorite green then add that. You want to saute them until soft, so the Meatballs hold their shape better.

And mushrooms go with meat any day. I like sauteed musky mushrooms on my grilled steak and hamburger. Add any favorite sliced mushrooms.

Onions and garlic are cheap anytime. You can substitute with dried or powdered versions. 

I have a small patio garden with fresh herbs like basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. You can, again, use dried herbs or an Italian Herb Mix.

                        Click on any photo to see larger.

I finish the Meatballs with a canned tomato sauce. I made the sauce with crushed, whole, and plain tomato sauce. I simmer the Meatballs for at least an hour so the sauce breaks down while absorbing the Meatball flavorings. If you are using whole canned tomatoes, break them apart as the tomato sauce cooks.

The meat part is the expensive part. I can find little ground beef and turkey patties for a buck, not enough for a pot of meatballs. I find larger packages of ground pork for breakfast sausage for a dollar. One-pound packages of ground turkey and pork are usually cheaper than ground beef.  

For lighter Meatballs use ground turkey or chicken. Ground poultry is mushier so I sometimes add an egg to the mix to firm up the Meatballs, it's the same way I firm up my Homemade Meatloaf.

Add or subtract any of the above Meatball ingredients. I've made different versions and the Meatballs have all been tasty.  

Meatballs in Marinara Sauce - Video        Play it here, video runs 6 minutes, 19 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6)

• Ground Meat - 1 pound. Okay to use any favorite ground meat including pork, beef, veal, chicken, turkey, or a ground meat mix.
• Spinach - one bunch with most of the stems removed. Okay to use a 6-ounce package of spinach, or frozen spinach. If you have other favorite greens then use them.
• Mushrooms - sliced or chopped. 1 package, about 4 ounces, of any favorite mushrooms.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or from a jar. Okay to use dried garlic.
• Bread - 2 toasted slices. Break into small pieces to mix into ground meat and sauteed veggies.
• Italian Herbs - 1 teaspoon fresh or dried, including basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. For fresh herbs add 2 teaspoons.
• Milk - 1/4 cup, optional.
• Oil - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. One tablespoon to saute onion, and one tablespoon to saute Meatballs.
• Salt & Pepper - to taste, or about half a teaspoon total.

Marinara Sauce

• Red Wine - 1 cup, optional. Okay to use white wine or a favorite broth.
• Tomato Sauce - 24 oz. can of crushed, diced, or tomato sauce. I often use 2 small 16-ounce cans of tomato. If I am feeding extra guests then I will add one more small can of tomato sauce, water, wine, or broth - you can never have too much tomato sauce with meatballs.

Directions

In a large pan or pot saute onion for about 5  minutes in a tablespoon of oil until soft.

Add sliced or chopped mushrooms and saute until soft about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and herbs then saute another minute.

Wash the spinach and remove most of the stems. Add spinach and cover the pot to steam spinach to softness for a few minutes. Give them a stir as spinach cooks down.

In a large bowl mix ground meat, toasted bread, milk, and sauteed veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.

Form the meat mixture into Meatballs of any size you like (I like large ones,) and add to the heated pan with oil. 

Brown the Meatballs for about 5 minutes on each side. You may need to do it in a couple of batches depending on the size of your pan or pot. Partially covering the pan helps firm up the Meatballs by steaming, thus making them easier to turn without breaking apart. 

Add red wine (optional) and tomato sauce. Rinse out the tomato sauce can and add the water to the sauce. Okay to add an extra 8-ounce can of tomato sauce for more servings.

Cover and low-simmer Meatballs in the sauce for 1-2 hours until sauce is reduced by half. This is the kind of sauce you can keep warm for a few hours. If too watery then cook the sauce uncovered to thicken.

Add water or broth if the liquid cooks out too much. I like a thick sauce, but make it your way.

Serve Meatballs in Marinara Sauce over your favorite pasta. And you can build a perfect Meatball Submarine Sandwich with my recipe.

Hindsight

I like a lot of veggies in my Meatballs. I've made meatballs without spinach or mushrooms so use what veggies you have on hand - chopped carrot, celery, and bell pepper are other veggies to add. I use this same ground meat and veggie combo for a Loaded Homemade Meatloaf.

 It's okay to make more traditional Meatballs without added veggies. Just season ground meat and mix in a teaspoon of Italian herbs. Form the ground meat into Meatballs and brown them. Finish cooking with tomato sauce and wine. 

An extra flavor to add to Meatballs is a teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce.

Ground chicken and turkey can be mushy, so I will add a large egg into the mix so the Meatballs will firm up better.