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one toasted sub roll holding four small meatballs in thick red roasted-pepper tomato sauce under melted pale Fontina on an ordinary plate, with no Hawaiian rolls, pepper strips, parsley or garnish
Rachel Kim

Crockpot Meatball Subs

Turkey and Italian pork sausage make a meatball with enough flavor to hold up inside a toasted roll. Roasted red peppers blend into the tomato sauce, so the filling tastes different from a plain marinara sub without leaving slippery pepper strips to pull out of the bread. Fontina melts over the meatballs near serving, after the rolls have had a short toast. Keep the sauce on the meatballs rather than filling the hollow of the roll with every loose spoonful in the crock. Four small meatballs fit more neatly than two large ones, and a brief rest gives the cheese time to hold them in place.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb raw mild Italian pork sausage casings removed
  • 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for meatballs
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp neutral oil for sheet pan
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers drained
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 oz
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 6 sturdy 6-inch sub rolls split without cutting through
  • 6 oz Fontina grated

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and oil a rimmed sheet. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 3 minutes, then mix gently with turkey, sausage, egg, basil, meatball salt and garlic powder. Shape 24 small meatballs and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the centers reach 165°F.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan and cook onion for 6 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds, then blend roasted peppers with crushed tomatoes until fairly smooth and pour into the pan with sauce salt; simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer hot sauce and hot meatballs to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, turning gently once, until the meatballs remain at least 165°F and the sauce clings to them.
  4. Near serving, toast the split rolls cut-side up on a sheet at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes until the edges are lightly crisp.
  5. Place 4 meatballs in each roll with a modest spoonful of sauce and divide Fontina over them. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes until melted.
  6. Rest for 2 minutes and serve one sub per person, spooning any extra sauce alongside only as needed.