Air Fryer Meatball Subs With Marinara

I don’t personally have an air fryer. Not because I don’t want one, but because space is limited and do I really need another kitchen gadget? Luckily, we purchased an air fryer for the Cutco kitchen and I’ve had the opportunity to try some recipes in it. Now, I’m not saying I’m in a rush to purchase one, but I have to say, it is fun creating recipes for the air fryer and seeing what we can make.

Air Fryer Meatball Subs With Marinara is one of those recipes we tried and felt was good enough to pass along. It is easy to pull together and using the air fryer makes for easy clean-up. The key to this recipe is making homemade meatballs. We went with lean ground beef to minimize the grease and then made sure to season the meatballs with Parmesan cheese, garlic, seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. While these meatballs can be eaten on their own or in spaghetti, placing them into the buns and then topping with marinara sauce and cheese takes them over-the-top.

Prepping the Ingredients

Using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife, cut the top of the onion off and then cut in half from the root to stem. Remove the skin, lay the halves flat on the cutting board and make vertical slices along the radius, from the stem end to the root end, but leaving the root intact. Rotate the onion and slice crosswise to dice. Check out our How to Cut Onions 3 Ways video for more tips.

Slice the sub buns with a sharp bread knife, like the 7-3/4″ Petite Slicer.

Making the Meatball Subs

In a large bowl, mix the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until just combined, taking care to not overmix. Form this mix into 16 individual meatballs.

Place the meatballs into the air fryer basket and cook for 10 to 12 minutes at 375 F. An internal temperature of 165 F should be reached. Remove the cooked meatballs and toss them with the marinara sauce in a large bowl. Using a Stainless Soup Spoon, place four meatballs into each bun and ensure they are covered in sauce.

Place the meatball subs into the air fryer basket and top with mozzarella cheese. Cook until the cheese is completely melted. Remove and serve.

Air Fryer Meatball Subs are easy to make with great flavor. They really hit the spot for a great lunch or to serve with a side salad to make a complete dinner. There wasn’t a crumb to be found in the Cutco kitchen, we call that a win!