I recently fell into the world of veganism. Though I was loving many new plant-based dishes and creations, I found myself wondering when my desires for some old meat-lover favorites would surface and pull me back.
While shopping at Sprouts one day, I came across Gardein’s meatless meatballs and had an ah-ha moment: What if I could re-create one of my all-time favorites but plant-based? That’s how these awesome vegan meatball subs came to be.
These fabulous vegan meatball subs fast filled a void I assumed I’d live with when I went plant-based. Excited by how delicious these were, I’ve shared them with many friends and family and everyone has loved them. Give them a try, you’ll love ’em too!
- 1/2 jar (12 oz) of organic vegan pasta sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 1 package of frozen vegan meatballs (I've used Gardein and Beyond Meat)
- 1/2 chopped bell pepper (or 1 cup frozen bell peppers)
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 diced jalapeño (optional for additional spice)
- Hoagie rolls (deli fresh—I've also used whole grain)
- Vegan mozzarella cheese (I've used grated Miyoko's mozz and Field Roast Chao slices)
- In a large saucepan add marinara sauce and spices and mix thoroughly.
- Then add frozen meatballs, cover over medium heat, and allow to come to a boil (about 15 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low, add bell peppers, onions, and optional jalapeño and allow to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes (or until meatballs are hot all the way through), stirring occasionally.
- To prepare rolls, slice open and use your fingers to compress the inner roll. Add cheese inside the roll and heat in microwave for 10-15 seconds per roll to soften and melt.
- Fill each roll with piping hot meatballs and sauce. (If desired, add extra cheese on top and broil briefly to melt.)
- If you're cooking for more than two or love leftovers, double the recipe! The leftover meatballs and sauce make a great addition to a pasta marinara for dinner the following night.
- You can find vegan hoagie rolls at many mainstream grocery stores in their fresh-baked section—but it will take some label reading! I've found them at both Safeway and Ralph's.
Take it to a party!
These vegan meatball subs make for a great dish to take to parties. For a recent football get together, I took a crock pot of my marinara meatballs and some slider rolls and they were a huge hit.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration from Greg? Follow him on Instagram at @EmpowerVegans. Vegan meatball subs photos by Michelle Cehn for World of Vegan.
