Game Day Meatball Sub Bites (Printable)
Mini meatballs with marinara, mozzarella, and toasted bread create delicious, easy-to-serve bites.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ For Assembly
10 - 24 small cubes (1-inch) Italian or French bread
11 - 1 cup marinara sauce
12 - 24 mini mozzarella balls or 24 cubes mozzarella cheese
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - 2 tbsp melted butter
15 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil for garnish
17 - 24 wooden skewers or sturdy toothpicks
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined; do not overwork.
03 - Shape mixture into 24 small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Place on prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
05 - Toss bread cubes with olive oil and garlic powder. Arrange on separate baking sheet and toast in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.
06 - Warm marinara sauce in small saucepan over low heat.
07 - Thread one toasted bread cube, one meatball, a mozzarella ball, and another bread cube onto each skewer.
08 - Arrange skewers on serving platter. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve warm with extra marinara sauce for dipping.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything tastes better on a stick and these deliver all the meatball sub flavors without the mess
- You can prep everything ahead and just assemble when guests arrive
02 -
- I learned the hard way that room temperature meat mixes more evenly than cold meat right from the fridge
- The bread needs to be completely cool before assembling or the cheese starts melting too fast
03 -
- A light spray of cooking oil on the parchment keeps the meatballs from sticking without adding excess grease
- Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after baking so they do not fall apart when you skewer them