Air Fryer Meatball Sub

These air fryer meatball subs are one of my favorite easy dinners. Homemade meatballs, toasty rolls, melted provolone – it all comes together in about 20 minutes.

The air fryer does an awesome job with meatballs. They come out perfectly browned on the outside and juicy on the inside, without any oil splattering on your stovetop.

And once the meatballs are done, you use the same air fryer to toast the hoagie rolls and melt the cheese. So cleanup is pretty minimal too.

The meatball mixture is simple – ground beef with some breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, and a few seasonings. Nothing fancy, but it works really well.

If you have been looking for a solid meatball sub recipe that doesn’t require turning on the oven, this one is for you.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Juicy Tender Meatballs – The mix of parmesan and milk keeps these meatballs incredibly moist and tender on the inside.

Perfectly Crispy Outside – The air fryer gives each meatball a golden brown crust you just cannot get from baking in an oven.

Melty Bubbly Cheese – That provolone melts right over the meatballs into a stretchy gooey layer that makes every bite amazing.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 lb Ground Beef (80/20)
• 1/3 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1 large Egg
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

For the Subs

• 4 Hoagie Rolls, split open
• 1 1/4 cups Marinara Sauce, warmed
• 6 slices Provolone Cheese
• 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
• Fresh Basil, for garnish

How To Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, italian seasoned breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, milk, egg, garlic, parsley, italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat or the meatballs will become dense.

Step 2

Roll the mixture into approximately 16 meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Try to keep them uniform in size so they cook at the same rate.

Step 3

Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little space between each one. Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket gently halfway through, until the meatballs are browned on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Step 4

While the meatballs cook, lightly spread the softened butter on the cut sides of each hoagie roll. Once the meatballs are done, remove them and set aside. Place the rolls cut-side up in the air fryer basket and toast at 375 degrees F for about 2 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.

Step 5

Remove the toasted rolls and spoon a generous layer of warm marinara sauce along the bottom of each roll. Nestle 4 meatballs into each sub, then spoon a bit more marinara over the top of the meatballs.

Step 6

Lay a slice and a half of provolone cheese over the meatballs on each sub. Return the open-faced subs to the air fryer at 375 degrees F for about 1 to 2 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 7

Remove the subs from the air fryer, garnish with fresh basil leaves, close the rolls, and serve immediately while hot and gooey.

Tips

Don’t Overwork the Meat

This is the single biggest thing that determines whether your meatballs come out tender or tough. When you mix everything together, use your hands and gently fold the ingredients in until they’re just combined.

The moment you stop seeing dry breadcrumbs or pockets of egg, stop mixing. If you keep going, the proteins in the beef tighten up and you’ll end up with dense, rubbery meatballs instead of soft, juicy ones.

A good trick is to slightly wet your hands before mixing. It keeps the meat from sticking to your fingers and helps you work faster so you’re not handling it longer than you need to.

Get the Meatball Size Right

You want about 16 meatballs from this pound of beef, which works out to roughly 1 and 1/2 inches each. If you eyeball it, you’ll probably end up with some big ones and some small ones, and the small ones will dry out before the big ones are done.

The easiest way to keep them even is to use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure. About 1.5 tablespoons of meat per meatball gets you right in that sweet spot.

Once you scoop them, roll each one gently between your palms just enough to form a ball. Don’t compress them tightly or they’ll come out dense.

Give the Meatballs Space in the Basket

It’s tempting to crowd them all in so you only have to do one batch, but meatballs need airflow on all sides to brown evenly. If they’re touching, the sides that are pressed together will steam instead of getting that nice crispy exterior.

Leave about half an inch between each meatball. Depending on your air fryer size, you might need to cook them in two batches. It’s worth the extra few minutes.

When you shake the basket halfway through, be gentle. A light shake or nudge with a spoon is all you need. If you’re too rough, the meatballs can break apart since they’re still soft at that point.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Cheesy Stuffed Meatballs
• Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
• Air Fryer Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks
• Air Fryer Italian Sausage & Peppers
• Air Fryer Crispy Ravioli with Marinara

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef?

You can definitely swap in ground turkey or ground chicken, but keep in mind that leaner meats tend to produce drier meatballs. If you go that route, you might want to add an extra tablespoon of milk or even a small splash of olive oil to help keep them moist.

The 80/20 ground beef in this recipe works so well because that fat content keeps the meatballs juicy and tender as they cook in the air fryer. With leaner meat, just watch the cook time closely so you don’t overdo it.