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!
Print
Vegan Meatball Sub
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These vegan meatball subs are easy to make and will satisfy any meat-lover’s cravings for a hearty, savory meal. If you like leftovers or are cooking for more than two, double the recipe!
Ingredients
- ½ jar (12 oz) of organic vegan pasta sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon of dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon of dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 1 package of frozen vegan meatballs (I’ve used Gardein and Beyond Meat)
- ½ chopped bell pepper (or 1 cup frozen bell peppers)
- ¼ cup of chopped onion
- ¼ 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)
Instructions
- 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.)
Notes
- 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.
Keywords: garden, hoagie, Italian, sandwich, sub, vegan meatballs
Watch This Recipe in Action!
Want to see this recipe come to life? Watch the recipe video below (and be sure to subscribe on YouTube for more vegan food and lifestyle content).
The Meatballs & Cheese
This recipe is best with Gardein’s classic vegan meatballs which are now widely available at mainstream grocery stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts, and even Target. These meatballs are quite firm and don’t fall apart after being cooked for a long time.
For the cheese, great options are Miyoko’s vegan mozz or Field Roast CHAO cheese slices. But you can use any plant-based cheese you can get your hands on!
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. They’ve now been served to countless friends and family members—vegan and omnivore alike—all with rave reviews.
More Delicious Recipe Ideas:
Vegan meatball subs recipe by Greg Hicks and photos by Michelle Cehn for World of Vegan. Article edited by Amanda Meth. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links which supports our work at World of Vegan. Hungry for more plant-based inspiration from Greg? Follow him on Instagram at @EmpowerVegans.
These meatball subs are so good—I love Gardein! Great for spicing up your lunch routine.
★★★★★
Wow, these subs look incredible and so so delicious! All of the photos look really great as well and are making me hungry! 🙂
★★★★★
I must have made these at LEAST a dozen times. SO good!
★★★★★
Out of this world!! They’re just like the meatball subs that my Italian grandmother used to make when I was growing up. I love them! The tips on how to get the sub itself prepped and how to add the cheese were really helpful. Even my non-vegan husband asked for more! Highly recommended!
★★★★★
These vegan meatball subs are incredible! Subway at home and cruelty-free!
★★★★★
Love that Greg’s meals live on!
★★★★★
Omg Subway can not top this! To make it even better its plant-based! 🙂
★★★★★