Garlic Parmesan Turkey Meatball Subs (Printable)

Savory turkey meatballs in creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, piled onto toasted sub rolls with melted mozzarella for a hearty, flavor-packed meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 1 cup whole milk
14 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - Salt to taste

→ Subs

17 - 4 Italian sub rolls or hoagie rolls
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
03 - Shape the mixture into 16 even meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
04 - While meatballs bake, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Whisk flour into the butter and garlic mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
06 - Gradually add milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Simmer until thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs to the cream sauce, turning gently to coat evenly. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Preheat broiler. Split sub rolls and brush the insides lightly with olive oil. Toast under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
09 - Place 4 meatballs with sauce into each toasted roll. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of each sub.
10 - Return assembled subs to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Remove from broiler and garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Turkey stays surprisingly juicy when you don't overmix, and the cream sauce does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which feels impossible when you taste how restaurant-quality it turns out.
  • You get to use a broiler, which is basically a cheat code for melting cheese into something magic.
02 -
  • If your cream sauce breaks or gets lumpy, stop everything and pour it through a fine sieve into a clean pot, then whisk in a splash of cold milk to smooth it back out.
  • The meatballs finish cooking in the oven, so don't panic if they look a little pale when they come out, because the sauce will keep them moist and the broiler will add color.
03 -
  • Use an ice cream scoop to portion your meatballs evenly so they all cook at the same rate and look impressive on the plate.
  • Don't skip the parchment paper on your baking sheet because it's the difference between meatballs that slide right off and ones you have to scrape and mutilate.
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