Kid-Friendly Mini Turkey Meatball Subs
Soft mini subs filled with juicy turkey meatballs simmered in a mild tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella—perfect for little appetites. This American-inspired sandwich and wrap recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 mini sub rolls
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- for garnish, optional fresh basil leaves
The sheet pan we’d roast this on → Best Sheet Pans in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine 1 lb ground turkey, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined.
- Step 2: Shape the mixture into 24 small meatballs, approximately 1-inch in diameter.
- Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and brown on all sides for about 3 minutes per batch.
- Step 4: Pour 2 cups marinara sauce over the browned meatballs in the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Step 5: Slice 8 mini sub rolls horizontally without cutting all the way through. Place 3 meatballs with sauce inside each roll and top evenly with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Step 6: Return the assembled subs to the oven on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
- Step 7: Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve warm.








