Meatball Sub Cups
A fun sandwich in handheld form, these Meatball Sub Cups are a fun and easy appetizer or dinner recipe for the whole family!
A HAND-HELD SANDWICH RECIPE
If you have been following my recipes for some time then you will know that I love making many variations of “cups” and these Meatball Sub Cups are one of my newest and absolute favorites. I love a good meatball sub! With this Meatball Sub Cup recipe, you get a smaller version that is handheld and you can eat as many as you want without all the mess! They make the perfect appetizer or a whole meal in itself! With homemade meatballs, cheese, sauce and dough you really cannot go wrong with this fun recipe!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
No you can use the regular triangle crescent rolls but you will want to make sure the dough is spread out enough to cover the filling. You may need to press two triangles together to make a square and seal the seams.
Yes! You should be able to use frozen meatballs, they will be a little smaller than the homemade but they should work. Just make sure they are defrosted before continuing with the rest of the recipe.
Yes! You can use any of your favorite spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce with this as well.
We find it easy to just run a knife around the sides of the cups to loosen them and then they will just pop right out.
For this I used shredded mozzarella but we really also love provolone so that is another great option. You can also use an Italian cheese or any blend that you like. This is a personal preference and you can play around with the cheese flavors to find one that you really like.
These can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container where they will keep for up to 3-4 days. These can also be frozen. Place in a freezer-safe container and they will keep for up to 6 months. To defrost, remove from freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the microwave.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- egg – this acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together
- parmesan cheese – you can use the stuff in the green can or freshly grated
- plain breadcrumbs – you could also use panko breadcrumbs or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried oregano
- kosher salt and pepper
- lean ground beef – I like to use a lean ground beef since it produces less grease
- crescent roll dough sheet – if you can’t find the sheets you can purchase the perorated one but you’ll need to push them together really well so you can cut out the squares
- mozzarella cheese – freshly shredded or store-bought works fine
- marinara sauce – store-bought (I like Rao’s or Prego) or homemade works fine
HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL SUB CUPS:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl mix together the egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
Add in the ground beef and mix it in until combined, I like to do this by hand.
Portion the meatball mix into 8 equal portions, roll them between your hands to form meatballs. Place them on the lined sheet tray not touching.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Place the sheet tray on the counter until ready to assemble the cups.
Place the oven on 375°F. Spray 8 sections of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Lay the crescent dough out on a clean work surface and cut it into 8 even pieces. Gently press the cut dough into the greased sections of the muffin tins. Make sure the corners of the dough overlap the tin.
Divide 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the bottom of each cup.
Place the marinara sauce in a small bowl. Dip the meatballs one by one into the marinara until coated.
Press a meatball into the cups.
Fold the crescent dough flaps over themselves up and over the meatball to form little cups.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Take the cups out immediately and serve with a parsley garnish, optional.
Serve with more marinara on the side for dipping.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Meatball Sub Cups
Ingredients
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 8 ounce can crescent roll dough sheet
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup marinara sauce plus more for dipping
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside. In a large bowl mix together the egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Add in the ground beef and mix it in until combined, I like to do this by hand.
- Portion the meatball mix into 8 equal portions, roll them between your hands to form meatballs. Place them on the lined sheet tray not touching. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Place the sheet tray on the counter until ready to assemble the cups.
- Place the oven on 375°F. Spray 8 sections of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Lay the crescent dough out on a clean work surface and cut it into 8 even pieces. Gently press the cut dough into the greased sections of the muffin tins. Make sure the corners of the dough overlap the tin.
- Divide 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the bottom of each cup.
- Place the marinara sauce in a small bowl. Dip the meatballs one by one into the marinara until coated. Press a meatball into the cups. Fold the crescent dough flaps over themselves up and over the meatball to form little cups. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Take the cups out immediately and serve with a parsley garnish, optional. Serve with more marinara on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Spaghetti sauce can be used in place of marinara, use your favorite.
- Frozen meatballs should work, they just will not be as thick.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- Other cheeses can be used, see above for ideas.
- You can use regular crescent rolls in place of the dough sheet, make sure that the perforations are sealed really well.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
