Dairy-Free Meatball Subs
Hearty and filling, these dairy-free meatball subs are a comfort food classic! Perfect for a filling weeknight dinner, these hoagies stuffed with homemade meatballs, drenched in marinara sauce, and topped with some vegan cheese are deliciously dairy-free!
If I’m being totally honest with you, I don’t think I have had a meatball sub before starting on this recipe. Probably because when I go to sandwich places the only thing I want is a roast beef sandwich. When I started working on this recipe there were a few things I wanted to make sure I got right. For starters, I wanted the juiciest meatballs to stuff the hoagies.
While looking for juicy meatballs, I stumbled upon a recipe that used a slice of bread soaked in milk instead of bread crumbs for the base. I was sold. For starters I didn’t have any breadcrumbs in the house and I also had some bread that was begging for an oat milk soak.
Once the meatballs were assembled, a simple simmer in sauce, stuffed hoagie, and vegan cheese topping took these hearty meatball subs to the next level. If you are a fan of this comforting Italian sandwich but looking to ditch the dairy, this recipe is a must-make.
Why We LOVE These Dairy-Free Meatball Subs
Juicy, filling, and so fun to eat, what’s not to love about a warm and melty meatball sub? My love for these sandwiches goes beyond their deliciousness. Some other reasons I love this dairy-free meatball sub recipe include…
- Comforting and filling. Juicy meatballs, sweet marinara sauce, crispy baked bread, and vegan cheese, these delicious subs are the ultimate comfort food.
- Excellent freezer meal. Package cooked meatballs in the freezer to save for a later date.
- Minimal hands on time. Once the meatballs are in the skillet, this easy meatball sub recipe can be made with minimal hands-on time.
Dairy-Free Changes to Meatball Subs
There are a few things to keep in mind when you plan to make a dairy-free meatball sub.
- Dairy-Free Meatballs– Many meatballs are made with cream or cheese, these homemade meatballs use oat milk and no added cheeses for a deliciously moist finish.
- Vegan Cheese– If you plan to top these meatball subs with some non-dairy cheese, here are a cheeses I have tried and liked on these meatball subs:
- Chao Creamy Original Slices
- Miyoko’s Pourable Plant Cheese– Shown in the pictures
- Dairy-Free Bread– Check to make sure the hoagie rolls you use for these dairy-free meatball subs are made without milk or cheese before you buy them.
How to Make The BEST Dairy-Free Meatball Subs
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sliced Bread- Chopped into cubes and soaked in non-dairy milk for added juicy flavor to the meatball.
- Oat Milk- Soaked the sliced bread to add a moist mixture perfect for juicy meatballs. You can use any unsweetened plant-based milk such as coconut milk or a plant-based heavy cream alternative.
- Worcestershire- Adds a delicious savory flavor to the meatballs.
- Spices- A blend of parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper season the meatball meat.
- Egg- Used to bind all of the meatball ingredients together.
- Ground Beef- The meat in these meatball subs. You can also try using ground turkey or ground chicken if you wish.
- Spaghetti sauce- A large jar of tomato sauce cooked with the meatballs.
- Hoagies- You’ll want sturdy hoagies to cup and cradle the meatballs in these filling subs.
- Cheese- You can use a dairy-free cheese slices, shreds, or a liquid vegan cheese to top these homemade meatball subs.
Step-By-Step Directions for Meatballs
- Soak bread. In a large bowl stir together chopped bread cubes and oat milk. Allow to sit for at least 3 minutes.
- Season the meatballs. After 3 minutes, add the ground beef, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, and onion to the bowl.
- Mix to combine. (If you want to use your hands to squish all of this delicious meaty goodness together, I’m not here to stop or judge you, okay?)
- Form meatballs. Scoop the meatball mixture into 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls. I used my handy 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop for this task.
- Cook meatballs. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until hot. Add the meatballs into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip meatballs. After 5 minutes, turn the meatballs over and cook an additional 5 minutes to brown the other side.
- Sauce and simmer. Next pour the jar of marinara sauce over the meatballs, cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.
Assemble the Dairy-Free Meatball Sub Sandwiches
- Prepare for baking. While the meatballs are cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Cut hoagies. If the hoagies are not sliced, slice until they are almost cut through.
- Fill with meatballs. Place 3 meatballs per hoagie and cover with sauce. I would recommend placing all the meatballs first then go back and hit them with the sauce to make sure your sauce to sandwich ratio is equal for each sandwich.
- Top with cheese (optional). Next, top with dairy-free cheese, such as Chao slices or Violife Mozzarella shreds.
- Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes until cheese is melty and the hoagies are crisp.
How to Prepare Meatball Subs for the Freezer
If you are making these to prep and freeze for a later date, here is how I would prepare them.
- Follow the directions as stated until the meatballs finish cooking in the marinara sauce.
- Freeze the meatballs with sauce until you are ready to bake them.
- Remove the meatballs from the freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Assemble the meatball subs by placing 3 meatballs, topping with sauce, and covering with cheese. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze until you are ready to thaw assemble.
- Follow baking assembly and baking directions listed above and enjoy!
What do you put on a dairy-free meatball sub?
Some other toppings you might want to include on your homemade meatball sub include:
- Cooked peppers
- Caramelized onions
- Fresh basil or parsley
Helpful Kitchen Tools
When you are ready to whip up a batch of these dairy-free meatball subs, here are some helpful kitchen tools you might like to have on hand.
- 1.5 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop– Used to scoop the meatballs into consistent balls.
- Non-stick skillet– Best for cooking the meatballs through and with a marinara sauce.
- Baking Dish– The high sides help prevent the subs from falling over during the baking process.
Serving Suggestions for Meatball Subs
Want to go all out with these filling dairy-free meatball subs? Here are some sides that would pair perfectly with these sub sandwiches.
- A side salad. Add a little green to your plate with a simple garden salad.
- French fries. A fresh plate of fries will compliment these subs perfectly.
- Pasta salad. Balance the warm, comforting flavors of a meatball sub with light and fresh pasta salad.
Dinner Recipes to Try Next
- Mom’s Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells
- Sausage and Veggie Orzo
- Turkey Enchiladas
If you tried these filling Meatball Subs and enjoyed them, feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Dairy-Free Meatball Subs
Filling and flavorful these dairy-free meatballs subs are the perfect Friday night dinner at home!
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 Slice of Bread
- 2 Tablespoons Oat Milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ Onion finely diced
- 1 Egg
- 1 lb Ground Beef
Meatball Subs
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 24 ounces Marinara Sauce
- 6 Hoagies
- Vegan Cheese
Instructions
Make the Meatballs
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In a large bowl stir together chopped bread cubes and 2 Tablespoons oat milk. Allow to sit for at least 3 minutes.
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After 3 minutes, add 1 pound ground beef, 1 Tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 egg, and ¼ minced onion to the bowl.
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Mix to combine throughly.
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Scoop the meatball mixture into 1 ½ Tablespoon sized balls.
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In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil until hot. Add the meatballs into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
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After 5 minutes, turn the meatballs over and cook an additional 5 minutes to brown the other side.
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Next pour the jar of maranara sauce over the meatballs, cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.
Assemble the Meatball Subs
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While the meatballs are cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil. If the hoagies are not sliced, slice until they are almost cut through.
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Place 3 meatballs per hoagie and cover with sauce. I would recommend placing all the meatballs first then go back and hit them with the sauce to make sure your sauce to sandwich ratio is equal for each sandwich.
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Next, top with dairy-free cheese, such as Chao slices or Violife Mozzarella shreds.
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Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes until cheese is melty and the hoagies are crisp.
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