Vegan Dairy Free Meatball Sub

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

These hearty, garlic-and-herb-packed meatballs get a deep sear before they finish simmering in a bright, oregano-laced marinara, soaking up all that tomato-and-red-pepper-flake flavor as they cook. Toasted hoagie rolls hold everything together, piled high with saucy meatballs and finished under the broiler until the mozzarella turns glossy and bubbling. A scatter of torn fresh basil at the end adds a fresh, herbaceous lift that cuts through the richness of the sauce. Every component here — from the seasoned breadcrumb mixture to the slow-simmered marinara — is built to deliver that classic sandwich-shop experience in a fully plant-based format. It's a satisfying, saucy, messy-in-the-best-way sub that fits neatly into a vegan spread without sacrificing any of the comfort-food payoff. Keep this one in your regular rotation for game day, casual dinners, or anytime you're craving a proper sub.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground beef (80/20)
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Chef's tip
Pick the form that matches the recipe - a raw, moldable ground for patties, meatballs, or meatloaf; crumbles only for loose browned meat. Cook it in the recipe like the meat, checking doneness against the package guidance.
½ lb ground pork
Chef's tip
Pick the form that matches the recipe - a raw, moldable ground for patties, meatballs, or meatloaf; crumbles only for loose browned meat. Cook it in the recipe like the meat, checking doneness against the package guidance.
½ cup dairy free breadcrumbs
¼ cup dairy free milk
1 large egg
Chef's tip
For each egg, mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and let it sit until it thickens. It holds ingredients together but won't make things rise - best in pancakes, muffins, and cookies.
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

For the marinara

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp kosher salt

For assembly

4 dairy free hoagie rolls, split
1 cup dairy free mozzarella, shredded

For serving

2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dairy free breadcrumbs and dairy free milk and let stand for 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk. Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, minced garlic (for the meatballs), parsley, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — stop as soon as no streaks of breadcrumb remain.
2
Roll the mixture into 16 meatballs, each about 1.5 inches in diameter (roughly 2 oz each). Set aside on a plate.

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