If all you can think is “spaghetti” when considering meatballs for dinner then it’s time to shake up your meatball game. These slow cooker BBQ meatball subs cook low and slow all day in a quick and simple homemade BBQ sauce.
When it’s time for dinner just pile the savory meatballs onto toasted rolls and top with cheese and serve. So, forget the spaghetti and make these slow cooker BBQ meatball subs instead – it’s a slow cooker meal the whole family will love!
RELATED: If you love using your slow cooker and are always looking for new recipes, be sure to give our crockpot macaroni and cheese a try!
Slow Cooker BBQ Meatball Subs
Dinner ruts are the worst. Getting stuck in a never-ending merry-go-round of tacos, baked chicken, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs and casseroles for weeks on end can only lead to feeling bored in the kitchen.
Boring for the cook and boring for everyone gathering around the table, but I get it. Ease and convenience often take precedence over the need to feel creative.
Having your shopping list and dinner prep steps on autopilot isn’t always a bad thing, but sometimes it’s good to switch things up a bit especially if the new thing is simple, delicious, and bound to get everyone excited about pulling up a chair for dinner.
Hello, slow cooker BBQ meatball subs.
Things You’ll Need
If you like you can make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate them. If it will be more than two days before you toss them in the slow cooker, freeze them. You can toss them right into the crockpot frozen or you can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
For the Meatballs:
- Dried Breadcrumbs
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Parsley
- Egg
- Olive Oil
- Ground Beef
For the Barbecue Sauce:
- Ketchup
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Spend 10 minutes making the meatballs and super simple BBQ sauce in the morning and arrive home that night to a house filled with the savory scent of slow-cooked meatballs just begging to be piled into soft toasted rolls.
Go one step further with some melted provolone cheese and suddenly your standard meatball night is looking (and tasting!) all shiny and new again.
Can you hear the cheering yet?
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OTHER MEATBALL RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:
- Using refrigerator biscuits, meatballs and some cheese you can make these super delicious meatball stuffed biscuits that work as an appetizer or a grab and go dinner.
- Here’s a hearty meal that’s perfect for fall. My meatball soup is full of flavor and easy to make.
- If you love a classic supper of spaghetti and meatballs this one is for you!
- April over at Girl Gone Gourmet has a wonderful looking dish called Braised Meatballs with Buttered Noodles that you may want to try as well.
- This spaghetti and meatballs recipe is smothered in a flavorful marinara sauce that’s seasoned with fresh herbs.
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Slow Cooker BBQ Meatball Subs
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Print It Rate ItIngredients
- For the Meatballs
- ¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- For the BBQ Sauce or use your favorite jarred sauce
- 2 cups ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 4 to p-split rolls
- 4 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Mix the breadcrumbs and spices together in a large bowl. Add the parsley, egg, and olive oil and mix until well combined. Add the ground beef and, using your hands, mix until combined.
- To make the BBQ sauce combine all of the sauce ingredients together in the slow cooker.
- Scoop a couple generous tablespoons of the ground beef mixture to form each meatball, you should have approximately 16 meatballs when done. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the meatballs to coat. Cook on low for eight hours.
- To make the sandwiches: turn the oven to broil. Split the buns and place them on a baking sheet. Toast the buns under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown. Place the meatballs in each roll. Top with slices of provolone cheese and place under the broiler just until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Amanda Davis
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CC says
I made these the other day, and it was a hit with the kids and husband. They were way better than my previous recipe, which was too sweet and my family didn’t like it that much. In fact, I think they tasted better when warmed up the next day. The flavor really melded together. I followed the cooking recipe exactly. (I don’t think you should give a review if you didn’t follow the actual recipe anyways! Because then it’s not the posted recipe, is it?!) Only difference is I served it with white american cheese. I’m the only one who likes provolone… But the flavor of the meatballs were the prize winners and on point! I’ve been searching for a good meatball sub recipe, because I have 3 members who don’t like strong tomato based sauces, so marinara/spaghetti type sauces and such are out. This was perfect. Thank you!
Jamie says
Gonna have to try the meatball recipe