Bell Pepper Meatball Sub

Written by on in Dinner, Lunch, Recipes

I love sub sandwiches, but with everything closed at the moment (we are still in quarantine here), it’s been ages since I had a good one. To improvise, I made this healthy twist on a classic meatball sub sandwich at home.

Bell peppers as a bread alternative

In place of bread, I used roasted bell peppers, which turned out surprisingly well! I don’t know why bell peppers aren’t a more regular alternative to bread, as they pack added flavor and hold sandwiches together much more effectively than lettuce (which seems to be more commonly used as an alternative).

I already had meatballs in the freezer when I decided to make this, so this recipe uses frozen meatballs but you can sub that with any meatballs of your choosing (I happened to use meatless meatballs for this one).

How to make a bell pepper sub

Start by cutting the bell peppers in half and cleaning them of the core and seeds. Then, set the bell peppers with the cut side down on a baking sheet and back for 10 minutes at 425 degrees Farenheit.

Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, bring marinara sauce to a simmer. Add meatballs and continue to simmer until the meatballs are fully cooked through.

Next, remove the bell peppers from the oven and flip them over so that the cut sides are up. Place 3 meatballs each onto 2 of the bell pepper halves. Top the meatballs with cheese and return to the oven for 3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Remove from the oven and top the meatball halves with the other bell pepper halves and enjoy!

Looking for more lunch or dinner ideas?

If you need more family mealtime inspiration, check out these recipes:

Bell Pepper Meatball Sub
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Bell Pepper Meatball Sub

Recipe by bringingupfoodies

Ingredients

  • 2 bell peppers, cut in half with seeds removed

  • 1 cup marinara sauce

  • 6 pre-cooked meatballs

  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • On a lined or greased baking sheet, set bell peppers with cut side down and bake for 10 minutes.
  • In a pan over medium heat, add marinara sauce. Once simmering, add meatballs and continue to cook until the meatballs are fully warmed through (for frozen meatballs, this will be about 10 minutes).
  • Remove bell peppers from oven and flip to have the cut side up. Place 3 meatballs each into two of the halves and then top the meatballs with cheese.
  • Return the baking sheet to the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
  • Remove from the oven and top the meatball halves with the remaining bell pepper halves and enjoy!