Slow Cooker Meatball Subs
15 Comments May 09, 2022
Updated May 11, 2025
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With only four ingredients and all the tasty Italian flavors, this slow cooker meatball subs recipe is sure to make your busy weeknight meal plan shine. There is little to no prep time and a modest cook time that helps take the stress out of knowing what to cook last minute.
This meatball hoagie is the perfect stress-free recipe, whether you are looking for something quick and super easy to put on the dinner table or a dish that can easily be transported to a potluck. You don’t have to worry about making the meatballs yourself. There are only a couple of seasonings in addition to the marinara sauce base.
Ingredients needed for Meatballs Subs
So easy to throw together! Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the images.
- Frozen meatballs: grab your preferred meat version, whether it’s beef, pork, turkey, or chicken, from the freezer section of your local grocery store. We love the Italian frozen meatballs for this recipe. If you have a homemade meatball recipe you like, you can use that instead. Frozen meatballs are very versatile! We also make Grape Jelly Meatballs and Teriyaki Meatballs for parties when we aren’t making this!
- Marinara sauce: Like spaghetti sauce, marinara creates the pizza-like sauce base for the subs and can be used as an extra topping.
- Seasonings: Italian seasonings and garlic powder give the overall dish a kick of flavor.
- Olive oil spray: used to create a nonstick barrier in the crockpot.
How to Make Meatball Subs with a Crockpot
Step One – Add the marinara pasta sauce and seasonings into an olive oil-sprayed crockpot and stir.
Step Two – Add the meatballs to the sauce mixture. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 5 hours. Stir occasionally to avoid burning around the edges. Serve the hot meatballs on sub rolls, hot dog buns or hoagie buns.
How to Serve Frozen Meatballs
This basic recipe of meatballs and marinara can be served in so many ways:
Sliders: In this crock pot meatball subs recipe, we suggest putting the meatballs on hoagie buns or hoagie rolls, instead, use small slider buns and use only one meatball per bun. Top it with additional sauce and sliced provolone cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese.
Pizza Subs: Add a pepperoni on top of each meatball for a pizza-flavored sub. Also, top with chopped onions, mozzarella cheese, and olives. (Grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes are great, too!)
Appetizer: Leaving the meatballs as-is will give you a good appetizer choice. Consider serving with a side of toothpicks and small squares of cheese.
Casserole: With the meatballs already made, you could easily use them for a cheesy casserole. Cook them in the crockpot according to the directions below and top them with cheese. Serve the meatball sandwiches with pasta and a side of garlic bread or garlic sticks.
Featured Comment
This is truly a great way to utilize the slow cooker! Simple ingredients and minimal prep time make these meatballs a go to for me. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting a very good one here!
– Louis
Slow Cooker Meatball Subs Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 oz. package frozen meatballs
- 48 oz. marinara sauce, (two 24-oz. jars)
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
For the subs:
- split hoagie rolls
- sliced provolone or shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the sauce to the slow cooker and add garlic powder and Italian seasonings. Stir.
- Add the meatballs to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 5 hours. Stir occasionally to avoid burning around the edges.
- Serve the meatballs on split hoagie rolls along with your favorite cheese.
- PRO tip: Place the cheese down first, so your buns don't get soggy.
Sarah’s Notes
- Sliders: In this recipe, we suggest putting the meatballs on hoagie buns or hoagie rolls, instead use small slider buns and use only one meatball per bun. Top it with additional sauce and sliced provolone or shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Pizza Subs: Add a pepperoni on top of each meatball for a pizza-flavored sub. Also, top with red onion and olives.
- Appetizer: Leaving the meatballs as-is will give you a good appetizer choice. Consider serving with a side of toothpicks and small squares of cheese.
- Casserole: With the meatballs already made, you could easily use them for a cheesy casserole. Cook them in the crockpot according to the directions below and top them with cheese. Serve with pasta and a side of garlic bread or garlic sticks.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Slow Cooker Meatball Recipes
Pizza Meatballs are loaded with Italian flavor and make a fun twist on traditional meatballs. Slow Cooker Meatball Sliders are perfect for game day or casual dinners. Make our popular Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs which also uses frozen meatballs.
Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs are creamy and comforting, great over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Grape Jelly Meatballs are sweet, tangy, and always a party favorite.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs are packed with bold, tangy flavor. Apple Butter Meatballs bring a cozy, sweet-savory combo that’s perfect for fall gatherings.
Thaw meatballs before cooking? I’m new to using a slow cooker. THANKS!
No, these do not need to be thawed.
I have a few questions about the recipe. How many hoagie rolls should I purchase? I can only find 20 ounce bags of chicken meatballs. Would two bags be too many? I don’t have a scale to measure the weight to get 32 ounces.
You can do a bag in a half, does not need to be exact. I would buy 8 hoagie rolls.
Thanks.
I was thinking; since they’re precooked can’t I just make them on the stove? Won’t they overcook in a slow cooker?I will be trying it tonight! Either way it’s a great recipe!
No, they soak up the sauce in the slow cooker.
Will this recipe work for frozen VEGAN meatballs too? Thanks!
Yes, if you like the flavor of them.
Can i use homemade meatballs for this
Yes! I usually do 4-5 hours on low for homemade meatballs.
Look great.will be trying these thank you.
If I’m only making this for 2 people, can I half the recipe and use just one jar of sauce?
Yes! You can’t ruin this recipe. That will work great.
This is truly a great way to utilize the slow cooker! Simple ingredients and minimal prep time make these meatballs a go to for me. Just a cautionary note in terms of the all around flavor. Be sure to use quality Frozen Italian meatballs. Turkey meatballs work fine also, and are obviously a more healthier choice. I was going to refrain from posting name brands here…but I’m going to recommend 2 of them. “Boves” has a version of both turkey or Italian beef. And my personal favorite….Shady Brook Farms Turkey meatballs. They sell them fresh at the supermarkets in quantities of 16 per package. What I do is freeze them first then use them in this recipe. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting a very good one here!