Vegan Meatball Sub

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on January 30, 2025

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I love making my Vegan Meatball Sub as a hearty lunch or dinner, even on busy weeknights! Completely ready in one hour, it’s packed with healthy marinara sauce, tender tofu meatballs, and all the comforting goodness of a classic sub, easy to make and perfect for the whole family.

Hand holding a half eaten vegan meatball sub sandwich.

I created this recipe because I wanted a hearty, flavor-packed sandwich that was just as satisfying as my favorite comfort foods but completely plant-based and easy to make. After perfecting my vegan philly cheesesteak, I knew I needed another go-to sub for busy nights, and this vegan meatball sub quickly became a family favorite.

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

❓Recipe FAQs

🥪 More Vegan Sandwich Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

Plus, as a mom of two, I know how hectic mealtimes can be! On busy days, if I’ve got my homemade meatballs ready, I love that I can just run to the store, grab the rest of the ingredients, and have this delicious healthy meatball sub on the table in no time.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe

I can’t even tell you how many times this Vegan Meatball Sub has saved me when I had zero dinner inspiration and two hungry kids staring at me. It’s quick, easy, totally delicious, and feels like a real treat every time. If you’re a mom, or just a busy person trying to survive mealtime madness, you know exactly what I mean!

I make this vegan sub recipe with everything I want in a comforting meal; juicy, tender meatballs, rich healthy marinara, and garlicky greens, all wrapped in a toasty bun. The real star of the show? My homemade tofu meatballs, they’re packed with flavor, have the perfect bite, and honestly, I can never resist sneaking one straight from the pan before it even makes it into the sandwich. Ha!

And let’s talk convenience, these vegan meatballs freeze beautifully, so I can always have a stash ready for an easy, delicious sub whenever I need it. And you already know I’ve got two picky eaters on my hands. They’d probably push a bowl of greens across the table without a second thought, but tucked into this saucy vegan meatballs sub? Not a peep – just happy, messy bites.

If you love hearty Italian recipes just as much as I do, be sure to also check out my veggie supreme pizza and my vegan bolognese, both are just as satisfying!

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🥘 Ingredients

The best part about my vegan meatball sub recipe is that it’s made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or can easily grab at any local store.

White bowl with vegan meatballs next to a bowl of marinara, garlic and kale.

Vegan Meatballs: I make my tofu meatballs from firm tofu, Italian herbs, and a simple egg substitute for the perfect plant-based bite. They’re flavorful, hearty, and totally satisfying!

Marinara Sauce: I love using my healthy marinara sauce , made with fresh plum tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. It’s smooth, rich, and has no added sugar or preservatives!

Kale, Garlic, Oil: I toss kale and fresh garlic into a pan with olive oil for an easy, flavorful way to sneak in extra greens. It adds the perfect garlicky bite to the sandwich!

Bread: I’ve tried everything from hot dog buns to baguettes, and they all work great. Just use a gluten-free option if needed!

Swaps

Oil and Greens: I sometimes swap kale for spinach or another green, and avocado oil or veggie broth works just as well as olive oil. It’s easy to tweak based on what I have on hand.

🔪 How to Make

For me, the key to making this vegan meatball sub is having everything prepped ahead of time. That way, when it’s time to eat, I can have it all assembled in just minutes, just follow my easy steps below.

Sauté the Kale and Garlic: I sauté the kale and garlic in a pan with a little oil or veggie broth, letting it cook until the kale is perfectly wilted and fragrant.

Add Marinara: Next, I pour in the marinara sauce and let everything simmer until it’s warmed through and full of flavor.

Glass jar with spoon in it filled with red tomato sauce

Assemble the Sandwiches: I start by toasting the buns, then I add three vegan meatballs to each one, making sure they’re nestled in just right.

Open faced vegan meatball sub next to bowls of marinara and vegan meatballs.

Top and Serve: Finally, I pile the marinara and kale mixture over the meatballs, add any extra toppings I’m craving, and serve it up hot.

💭 Expert Tip

My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to avoid overloading the sandwich!

It can be tempting to fill the sandwich with lots of delicious vegan meatballs and savory sauce – I get it! But I recommend sticking to only 3 meatballs per sub, and not overdoing it with the marinara sauce and other toppings. This will help to prevent the sub from falling apart or becoming too messy when eating. By filling the sandwich appropriately, you will get the perfect bite each time without any of the ingredients falling out.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Thicker Sauce: If you prefer a thicker sauce, then I recommend simmering for an additional ten minutes to let it reduce a little further.
Use A Food Processor: For a smoother texture and faster prep when making homemade meatballs, I combine the tofu and other ingredients in a food processor. This helps to evenly distribute the flavors and create a uniform mixture.
Kid-Friendly: As a mom, I’ve learned that letting the kids build their own sandwiches with their favorite toppings is a game-changer! They have fun, they eat without complaints, and I get a little break, total win-win!

📖 Variations

I love how easy it is to make this vegan meatball sub my own, and if you’re feeling creative, try these variations:

Spicy Kick Sub: I love adding red pepper flakes to the marinara for an extra kick, a drizzle of sriracha or spicy vegan mayo takes it to the next level.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Sub: I brush the buns with garlic butter, toast them until golden, and melt some vegan cheese on top, it’s like having garlic bread and a meatball sub all in one.

Pesto Lover’s Sub: I swap the marinara for my pesto without pine nuts and top it with roasted cherry tomatoes; it’s fresh, herby, and packed with flavor.

Other Meat Options: If you’re not vegan, regular meatballs work too; for other plant-based options, I love using my portobello mushroom steaks (sliced smaller) or vegan sausage balls.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

While my vegan meatball sub sandwich is perfect all on its own, it’s always fun to serve them with a side.

Snacks: I love making these yuca fries because they turn out perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; they’re so good with my vegan sub.

Salads and Soups: My spinach and arugula salad is light, fresh, and a little peppery, I toss it with vinaigrette for the perfect balance to my hearty sub. And in my house, a warm bowl of vegan minestrone soup alongside it is always a must!

Roasted Veggies: I love serving my sub with my roasted potatoes, they are crispy, golden, and packed with flavor; I love how the rosemary makes them extra fragrant.

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I prep the marinara ahead of time and store in the fridge if I plan to use it that week. (I freeze it if I need longer storage – you can double the marinara recipe and freeze in small portions to pull out as needed).

Freezing: When I want to prep ahead a bit I make my vegan meatballs and then freeze them for later! I have froze them both raw and cooked, either way works but they are best frozen raw and baked fresh right before. If you are ok compromising on the texture then freeze them baked. To prevent freezer burn, wrap in parchment then foil. Then put in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container.

Reheating: When I am ready to assemble my meatball sub I will reheat the meatballs first. I usually defrost them the morning of until they reach room temperature. Then, I bake them in the oven. If they have already been baked before freezing, you just need to warm them.

❓Recipe FAQs

WHAT IS THE BEST BREAD FOR A MEATBALL SUB?

I love using sub rolls, baguettes, or even toasted ciabatta, anything sturdy enough to hold all that saucy goodness!

WHY IS MY MEATBALL SUB SO SOGGY?

This vegan meatball sub can become soggy for a couple of reasons. First, I like to make my marinara thicker so that it sits on top of the meatballs and doesn’t soak into the bread quite as much. Additionally, I recommend that you do not add too much sauce. This will help to keep the bread more intact. You can always serve alongside some extra sauce to dip into or add with each bite.

CAN I USE STORE-BOUGHT VEGAN MEATBALLS?

Yes! Gardein Classic Meatless Meatballs and Beyond Meat’s plant-based meatballs are completely vegan and 100% plant-based. Trader Joe’s also offers a Meatless Italian-Style Meatball that is fully plant-based, making all three great options for this sub!

🥪 More Vegan Sandwich Recipes!

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