Description
Baked meatballs—easier and better! These juicy beauties are tossed in a simple marinara, then piled high on toasted ciabatta rolls.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) goat cheese
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) chopped basil
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) minced parsley
- 2 large eggs
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lbs (454 g) ground beef
- 3/4 lbs (340 g) hot italian pork sausage, taken out of casing
- Ciabatta buns
- Extra chopped basil
- Extra garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, minced
- Red pepper flakes
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, goat cheese, basil, parsley, eggs, minced garlic, milk, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Add beef and sausage; gently mix to combine.
- Roll the mixture into 2 1/4″ meatballs.
- Place meatballs on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes at 400°F (204°C), until browned and at an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- While meatballs bake, warm oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
- Add red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, and pepper.
- Simmer sauce for 10 minutes; taste and adjust seasoning.
- Stir in goat cheese; keep warm.
- Add cooked meatballs to sauce; stir to coat.
- Cut ciabatta buns in half and toast them.
- Rub a peeled garlic clove over the cut side of each bun.
- Put 3-4 meatballs on each sandwich and top with chopped basil.
Notes
- For richer flavor, lightly brown the sausage before adding it to the meatball mixture.
- To make ahead, bake the meatballs and prepare the sauce one day in advance; reheat gently before assembling the subs.
- If you don’t have ciabatta rolls, substitute with another sturdy roll, such as a hoagie roll or sub roll.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 150