Meatball Sub Casserole

Name: Meatball Sub Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: italian
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)

5.0 (2 Reviews)

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.

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
Marinara Sauce: a blended sauce works best
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
8 Count Refrigerated Biscuits
Frozen Italian Style Meatballs
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Parsley or Basil: finely minced (for garnish)

You can always make your own meatballs or biscuits instead, if you’re going for a totally homemade meal!

How to Make a Meatball Sub Casserole

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

Pan of sauteed peppers and onions with a pan of meatballs and a bowl of biscuit pieces.

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.

Bowl of biscuit pieces and sauteed peppers and onions, with marinara sauce poured on top.

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

Bowl of meatballs mixed in with marinara sauce.

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)

Pan of meatballs in marinara sauce, partially covered with aluminum foil.

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

Pan of meatball sub casserole with cheese sprinkled on top.

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.

Meatball sub casserole with shredded mozzarella on top.

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.

I’m excited for you to try this Meatball Sub Casserole with your family as it is one of our favorites! Don’t skip on the cheese and watch this casserole disappear in record time!

It’s so easy to make and ultimate cheesy comfort food. If you are a big meatball fan, also make sure to check out our favorite Easy Swedish Meatballs!

Yield: 4-6 servings