Italian Meatball Sandwiches

with Caesar-Style Romaine Salad

40 MIN

4 Servings

Wellness at Blue Apron

Find recipes that suit your lifestyle with our new nutritionist-approved dietary tags.

Vegetarian

These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.

Carb Conscious

This applies to meal kit recipes with 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. Carb Conscious Add-ons contain 20g or less net carbs.

Mediterranean Diet

Our Mediterranean recipes are inspired by the Mediterranean Diet, a healthy eating plan recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans published jointly every five years by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). This eating plan highlights the flavors and cooking styles from countries along the Mediterranean Sea, including those in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. These recipes showcase a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, as well as lean proteins and moderate portions of dairy.

600 Calories or Less

These meals contain 600 calories or less per serving. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.

Wellness Grain

These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.

Pescatarian

These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.

30g Of Protein

These meals contain 30g or more of protein per serving, and are ideal for those looking to focus their meals around protein intake.

Keto Friendly

These meals have approximately 10% of calories from carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 70% from dietary fats (per serving).

45g Of Protein

These meal kit recipes contain 45g or more of protein per serving, and are ideal for those looking to focus their meals around protein intake.

Nutritionist's Pick

These meals are selected by Blue Apron’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. They are centered around nutritious and wholesome ingredients, featuring whole grains and fresh produce which provide fiber. They also contain moderate portions of dairy and lean protein while being mindful of saturated fat.

Wheat Free

These meals are prepared with ingredients that do not contain wheat. They feature grains such as barley and rice as well as proteins and vegetables.

Reduced Sodium

These Prepared and Ready dishes contain at least 25% less sodium per 100 grams (or 3.5 oz) than our average Prepared and Ready Meal as of October 1, 2024. Sodium content has been reduced from 330 mg per 100 grams to 250 mg per 100 grams. These dishes focus on ingredients with strong flavor and moderate salt.

Vegan

To view a recipe's full nutrition information, head to your Upcoming page at blueapron.com, click on a specific recipe, then head to the Nutrition tab and select 'View Full Nutrition.' Nutrition Facts Panels are available up to 1.5 weeks in advance

From the Test Kitchen

Depending on the region, this classic Italian-American sandwich goes by many names, from hoagie to hero to grinder to sub. Most believe that it originated in the Northeastern U.S., spreading from Maine down through New England. Now, it’s a national staple—and whatever you call it at home, the sandwich is incredibly delicious. Served on a hearty Italian roll, ours is filled with traditionally-spiced meatballs and topped with homemade tomato sauce, Parmesan and melty mozzarella.

See Plans

Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

700 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

1⅛ lbs Ground Beef
4 Sub Rolls
1 28-Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
4 cloves Garlic
1 head Romaine Lettuce
1 Lemon
1 Yellow Onion
2 tsps Dijon Mustard
⅓ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
⅓ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
½ tsp Italian Seasoning

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and small dice the onion. Slice the rolls lengthwise, keeping them intact (they should look like hot dog buns). Thinly slice the mozzarella cheese. Cut off and discard the root end of the lettuce; roughly chop the leaves. Quarter and deseed the lemon.

2 Cook the aromatics:

In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, onion and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Remove from heat. Transfer half the cooked aromatics to a large bowl, leaving the remaining cooked aromatics in the pan.

3 Form & brown the meatballs:

Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs and half the Parmesan cheese to the bowl of cooked aromatics; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix until just combined. Using your hands, form the mixture into 16 equal-sized meatballs. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the meatballs and cook, flipping occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned on all sides.

4 Make the sauce & finish the meatballs:

While the meatballs cook, add the crushed tomatoes to the pan of remaining cooked aromatics; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened; season with salt and pepper. Add the browned meatballs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove from heat.

5 Assemble & toast the sandwiches:

Place the rolls on a sheet pan, cut sides up. Spread a layer of the sauce into each roll (you may have extra sauce). Divide the finished meatballs, mozzarella cheese and half the remaining Parmesan cheese between the rolls. Toast in the oven 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.

6 Make the salad & serve your dish:

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, remaining Parmesan cheese and the juice of 2 lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined. Place the lettuce in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add enough of the dressing to coat the salad (you may have extra dressing); toss to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve the toasted sandwiches and salad with the remaining lemon wedges and any remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!