Three Meats, Fresh Herbs, and a Secret Anchovy: The Italian Meatball Sub That Wowed Guy Fieri
“That’s what I thought it was,” Guy declared after taking his first bite of a loaded Italian meatball sub. “This meatball, nice and tender. The marinara is on point, especially the fresh herbs, wild garlic, touch of that anchovy in there.”
That anchovy comment wasn’t throwaway praise—it was Guy picking up on one of the more unexpected ingredients in the marinara sauce. But we’ll get to that.
Building the Perfect Meatball
What makes this meatball sub stand out starts with the meat blend: ground veal, ground chuck, and sweet Italian sausage. Three meats coming together at what Guy noted was a burger joint—proof that great meatballs can come from unexpected places.
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
The meatball mixture itself reads like a classic Italian playbook, which Guy called “meatball 101”: two eggs, bread crumbs (ground fresh from French baguettes, not the pre-made stuff), fresh basil, minced garlic, oregano, minced onions, parmesan cheese, pepper, and milk. Everything gets folded together, then portioned by eye—no scale needed. “We just kind of eyeball them,” the cook explained, though Guy observed these weren’t small: “That’s a big one. That’s a racquetball.”
The meatballs hit a 350-degree oven to brown up before meeting their saucy destiny.
The Marinara With a Twist
The sauce starts with tomatoes that have been boiled, peeled, and seeded—poured into a pot and left to cook down. Then comes the sauté: onions and anchovies. “That’s a new one,” Guy remarked when he saw a whole mess of anchovies going into the pan. Once cooked down, it all goes straight into the tomato sauce to simmer for an hour and a half.
The final step brings it all together: fresh oregano, parsley, and what Guy described as “massive basil,” plus salt and pepper. A can of tomato sauce gets added, then the whole thing gets hit with an immersion blender. After resting for about half an hour with parmesan cheese stirred in, the marinara is ready.
If you love dishes where the sauce does the heavy lifting, this one delivers—similar to the commitment you see in spots like Italian Stuffed Jalapeños | Big Bite, where the details matter.
The Assembly
The meatballs get reheated on the flat top while the bread gets a quick toast. Then it’s meatballs on bread, loaded with cheese, and thrown under the salamander until everything melts together. A ladle of marinara goes on top, and the result is substantial enough that Guy had to cut it to eat it.
“Very cheesy,” he noted. “Good marinara sauce. It’s delicious.”
Tips From the Kitchen
Grind your own bread crumbs: Using fresh French baguettes instead of store-bought crumbs makes a difference in texture.
Don’t fear the anchovy: A small amount cooked down in the sauce adds depth without making it taste fishy—even Guy was impressed by the “touch” it added.
Let your marinara rest: That half-hour sitting time after blending allows the flavors to marry.
This segment showcased the kind of multi-step, made-from-scratch cooking that Guy loves to find—restaurants putting in the work when shortcuts would be easier. It’s the same energy you’ll find in classics like One MONSTER Pastrami Sandwich in Denver, where the process matters as much as the final plate.
Looking for more Triple D spots serving up serious Italian-American comfort food? Check out our restaurant directory to find locations near you.