Meatball Sub Casserole

Prep 15 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 55 mins
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Are you a big fan of meatball subs and sandwiches? If the answer is yes, then this Meatball Sub Casserole is a total win for you. Filled with delicious Italian meatballs and stringy mozzarella cheese, this easy casserole recipe is sure to be a hit with your family!

This Cozy Meatball Sub Casserole is a Family Favorite

When it comes to comfort food, Italian dishes are hard to beat. And this meatball casserole? Definitely not an exception. It’s a heavenly mixture of meatballs, biscuit pieces, and marinara sauce, with a layer of creamy mozzarella cheese on top!

A hearty casserole like this is perfect for when the weather gets colder, but honestly, it’s the kind of meal that stays on my menu all year long. Not only does Meatball Sub Casserole taste out-of-this-world amazing, it’s also really easy to make! Just grab those frozen meatballs out of the freezer, get some refrigerated biscuits, and you’re basically good to go.

Looking for more easy meatball dinner recipes? Make sure to also check out my favorite homemade Swedish Meatballs in a cream sauce, ready in just 30 minutes!

Fork full of baked meatball sub casserole, with pan in the background.

Recipe Ingredients

Ready for some serious comfort food? Me too! Here are the ingredients you’ll need to round up before you start cooking:

  • Olive Oil
  • Yellow Onion
  • Green Bell Pepper
  • Fresh Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic will give you a lot more flavor than jarred garlic.
  • Marinara Sauce: Use whatever sauce you love, we love Rao’s marinara sauce the best if using store bought. Or if you have the time, this Homemade Marinara is worth the extra few minutes of work!
  • Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Salt, and Pepper
  • 8 Count Refrigerated Biscuits
  • Frozen Italian Style Meatballs: Or you can make your own Homemade Italian Meatballs, just bake them before putting them into the casserole!
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Fresh Herbs: Freshly minced parsley or basil for topping, optional.

How to Make a Meatball Sub Casserole

Preheat: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish, set aside.

Sauté: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until wilted. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Mix: In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Add: Cut each biscuit into 6 equal pieces and gently toss cut biscuits in the marinara mixture. Add meatballs and fold just a couple of times to disperse meatballs (they don’t have to be fully coated in sauce).

Bake: Transfer mixture into greased casserole dish. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes

Remove: Remove foil, add cheeses, and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted. If desired, broil a minute or two top crisp the top just slightly.

Serve: Sprinkle top with fresh herbs if desired and serve hot!

Baked meatball sub casserole with sprinkled herbs on top.

Tips for the Best Meatball Casserole

As you can see, it’s a pretty straight-forward recipe, but there are a few tips that might be useful before you start: 

  • Sauce Choice: a thick, blended marinara sauce will keep the biscuit pieces from getting too soggy, but keep in mind that the pieces will still be a little soft.
  • Homemade Meatballs: if you’re going to use homemade meatballs make sure you’ve cooked them through first, because the original recipe calls for store-bought meatballs.
  • Biscuit Substitute: you can use garlic bread instead of biscuit pieces if you want; just make sure you toast it before you add it into the casserole.
  • Vegetarian Option: this recipe could easily be vegetarian with the use of plant-based meatballs! 
Up close image of Meatball Sub Casserole with pulled cheese on a spoon.

Serving Suggestions

This casserole serves 4-6 people comfortably, and possibly more if you’re cooking for little ones. In addition to that, a small salad or some greens go great on the side. I always love this Maggiano’s Chopped Salad on the side.

As for the casserole itself, it tastes best when it’s served hot from the oven – let it cool down a little bit though, nobody likes a burnt tongue!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

To preserve this casserole (if there’s anything left to preserve), you’ll want to store it in an airtight container and eat it within 4-5 days. Later, when you’re ready to eat it again, pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes to reheat it, and enjoy once more!

Plate of meatball sub casserole with a fork on a blue tablecloth.

Looking for more easy Dinner recipes?

Lucky for you, I have a ton! And if you didn’t already know, I have a second recipe site that is only Easy Dinner Ideas where you will find a ton of quick and easy dinner recipes.

Here are a few of my favorite easy dinners that I think you will enjoy:

Yield: 4-6 servings

Meatball Sub Casserole

A fork full of meatball sub casserole with cheese hanging off of it.

Filled with delicious Italian meatballs, bites of bread and stringy mozzarella cheese, this easy casserole recipe is sure to be a hit with your family!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, cored seeded and diced
  • 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 can (16.3 oz) 8 count refrigerated biscuits
  • 16 oz bag Frozen Italian Style Meatballs, thawed
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • fresh parsley or basil, finely minced (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish, set aside.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil until
    wilted. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
  3. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and
    pepper.
  4. Cut each biscuit into 6 equal pieces and gently toss cut biscuits in the marinara mixture. Add meatballs and fold just a couple of times to disperse meatballs (they don’t
    have to be fully coated in sauce)
  5. Transfer mixture into greased casserole dish. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake
    for 25 minutes.
  6. Remove foil, add cheeses, and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbly and cheese
    is melted. If desired, broil a minute or two top crisp the top just slightly.
  7. Sprinkle top with fresh herbs if desired and serve hot!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 455Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1388mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 22g

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3 Responses
  1. Katie

    I never leave a comment but I’m going to now. I just made this recipe and I cooked it for 375 for 25 minutes the first time took it out and the meatballs were still frozen, biscuits weren’t near done and the sauce was still cold so I decided to cook it for 30 more minutes before adding the cheese to see if that works. I’ll update when it’s done

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Katie! After the first 25 minutes, you remove the foil and bake it for an additional 20 minutes (with no foil). So yes, it wasn’t done baking yet and should finish in the next 20 minutes of baking time and be nice and hot!

Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.
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