Delicious vegan meatball subs! They are made with homemade eggplant meatballs, marinara sauce, vegan parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley for the ULTIMATE vegan sandwich.
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Who else loves a good sandwich?
It’s that perfect mixture of savory meatiness, crunchy vegetables, and sweet and spicy sauces. So good! On My Darling Vegan, you’ll find a few vegan sandwich recipes. There is the Tempeh Rueben, my take on the BLT with Avocado Mayo, and of course, my favorite, Tofu Banh Mi.
Get all my vegan sandwich recipes here.
I've got a new sandwich for you today and I think you've going to love it. It's meaty, saucy, and so so good.
It's a vegan meatball sub!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Made with eggplant meatballs, sweet and savory marinara sauce, and vegan parmesan cheese, these meatball sub sandwiches are something worth getting excited about!
Here is everything you need.
- Vegan Meatballs - For this recipe, I recommend using my eggplant meatballs. If you don't like eggplant, you can swap them for tempeh meatballs or storebought vegan meatballs. My recommended store bought brand is Gardein.
- Marinara Sauce - Use either store bought or homemade tomato sauce.
- Hoagie Rolls
- Parmesan Cheese - I recommend Violife parmesan. It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan.
- Fresh Parsley
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One- Make the Eggplant Meatballs
For this recipe, I recommend my Homemade Eggplant Meatballs. They are hearty, meaty, fresh, filled with good-for-you vegetables, and oh so good!
These eggplant meatballs can be made in 3 simple steps. All you need to do is:
- Sauté the eggplant until it is tender
- Blend it with all the other ingredients
- Roll them into balls and bake.
Check out the full instructions.
Time Saving Tip: If you want to save on time, make this recipe with store bought vegan meatballs. I recommend Gardein. They are the BEST vegan meatballs on the market and available in the freezer section at most well-stocked grocery stores.
Step Two - Assemble & Bake
Once your meatballs are made, it's time to assemble the meatball subs. To do this, grab four hoagie rolls and evenly divide the meatballs and marinara between each sub.
Bake the sandwiches at 400 F for about 10 minutes until the hoagie rolls get nice and crusty. Once they are ready, remove them from the oven and top them with vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Serve this sandwich shortly after assembling. If it sits too long the bread will start to get soggy and the meatballs will get cold.
Storing - Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also free them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reuse, toss in tomato sauce and gently reheat in the oven or microwave.
Tips and Tricks
- If using homemade eggplant meatballs, thoroughly sauté the eggplant to bring out the rich flavors.
- Do not over-mix your eggplant mixture or you’ll end up with a gummy paste. Blend it until it just comes together.
- Use Violife Parmesan if you can find it. It's melty, stretchy, and so so good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope. If you don't like eggplant or it's not in season, you can whip up a batch of these tempeh meatballs or, for a super quick and delicious vegan meal, you can use storebought meatballs.
My family LOVES the vegan meatballs from Gardein. They are the BEST vegan meatballs on the market and available in the freezer section at most well-stocked grocery stores.
For this recipe, I recommend Violife parmesan. It is my favorite store bought vegan cheese, hands down. It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. I find their cheeses at Whole Foods but you can also check out this map to find Violife near you.
If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan.
Yes! If you want to make the meatballs in advance, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also free them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to use, gently reheat them over the stove with marinara sauce and assemble your sandwich!
More Vegan Sandwich Recipes
- Tempeh Reuben Sandwich
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich with Avocado Slaw
- Vegan Sliders with Portobello Steak
- Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Ultimate BLT with Avocado Mayo
- Vegan Black Bean Burger
Vegan Meatball Subs
Ingredients
- 1 batch Eggplant Meatballs*
- 1 cup Marinara Sauce
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 4 hoagie rolls
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the Eggplant Meatballs according to these instructions. To save on time, you can make this recipe in advance and freeze the meatballs until ready to use. Place the meatballs in a small sauté pan with marinara sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes. If using frozen meatballs, simmer for about 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked all the way through.
- Place 3-4 meatballs (depending on the size) inside each hoagie roll. Top with extra marinara sauce and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the hoagie roll is toasted.
- Remove from oven and immediately top with vegan parmesan and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
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