The 11 Best Breads For A Delicious Meatball Sub

A timeless comfort food that always hits the spot, the iconic meatball sub is a delightfully rich, saucy, and indulgent sandwich choice. And of course, while perfecting the meatballs and fine-tuning that marinara sauce is key, the bread holding it all together is just as important. Ideally, the bread should offer just the right balance of softness and structure, complement the flavors of the fillings, and be able to withstand the glorious mess of sauce, melted cheese, and juicy meatballs, without falling apart halfway through.

But when it comes to this hearty delight, there certainly isn't one single bread that's best for the job. There are plenty of different options to explore, with each providing a slightly different balance of texture and taste. Crusty loaves can bring a rustic edge, whilst softer rolls deliver a pillowy feel that really lets the fillings shine. And, if you're looking for balance, there are those perfectly toasted in-betweens — golden on the outside and tender within.

So, whether you prefer your meatball subs made the classic way or upgraded with extra add-ins, make sure your choice of bread is not left as an afterthought. After all, it's a crucial component of any successful sandwich! So, let's explore 11 of the best bread options for your next meatball masterpiece.

Typically topped with meats and cheeses or slathered with garlicky butter, a French baguette isn't a traditional choice for a meatball sub. But it most definitely results in a robust, satisfying sandwich. With its signature crackly crust and chewy interior, this bread brings a rustic edge to the meaty sandwich, making it feel a little more elevated.

Perhaps the biggest pro that comes with choosing this bread is its sturdy structure — when you're dealing with saucy meatballs and gooey melted cheese, this is crucial. A crusty French baguette will certainly deliver a reliable foundation, and there's also the option to lightly toast it to further enhance the crunch. You'll find that this moreish texture contrasts beautifully with the tenderness of the meatballs inside.

The shape and size of a classic French baguette is another useful characteristic. Being long and narrow, the bread offers a slightly easier and less messy eating experience than a round roll, making each bite feel a little more manageable. And, even better, there's a generous amount of surface area available to cover with those all-important fillings. If you're a keen home baker, you could even go all out and make your own French bread. Once you've sliced it down the middle, there's also the option to remove a portion of the bread's soft interior, to make more space for the cheese and saucy meatballs.

Another not-so-obvious pick for a meatball sub, focaccia is a favorite for dipping in oil and vinegar or turning into crusty croutons. Pairing this bread with hearty meatballs is a game-changing way to use it. The Italian flatbread has a springy, airy texture, and a rich olive oil-infused flavor that works seamlessly alongside the savory depth of classic meatball sub ingredients. Focaccia's pillowy interior is reminiscent of a doughy pizza, thought it certainly boasts an elegant feel. And, despite its tender texture, it's also remarkably robust, so you won't have to worry about this bread falling apart in your hands.

Focaccia is typically baked in rectangular slabs. This makes it super easy to slice horizontally and create a nice wide base. Some versions are topped with fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, or even roasted garlic or colorful veggies for extra flavor. You can absolutely toast this bread, too, which will add a subtle crunch to the outer surface.

Crafting your meatball sub with focaccia offers the perfect opportunity to incorporate some complementary add-ins. A fantastic option that ties in with the richness of the bread beautifully, is a briny olive tapenade. Grab a store-bought jar, or whip up your own by blending pitted olives with sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil. This can then be spread over the sliced bread before adding the other sandwich components.

The hoagie roll is one of the most classic bread choices for a meatball sub, and for good reason. This bread is thought to have originated in Italian-American delis in the early 1900s, and it seems almost purpose-built for housing saucy meatballs. Hoagie rolls have an elongated shape, with a thin crust that's slightly chewy in texture. This provides enough structure to keep everything contained without the level of crunch you'd get from a French baguette. Inside, the crumb is more tender and airy, but most definitely still up to the job of holding that sweet and tangy marinara sauce without any unwanted sogginess.

For a toastier and even more flavorful finish, try brushing the sliced hoagie rolls with garlic and herb butter and popping them in the oven for five minutes or so until golden and crisp. Or, if you prefer to max things out when it comes to the fillings, hollowing out some of the roll's interior to make some extra room is a great option. A top tip for making your hoagie meatball sub taste extra special is to incorporate a medley of cheeses. A trio of creamy Provolone, melty mozzarella, and nutty Parmesan makes for a rather delicious combination.

Garlic bread is a true crowd-pleaser, and it's not just for dunking into soup or mopping up pasta sauce. It can also serve as a flavor-boosting foundation for an epic homemade meatball sub. The combination of buttery richness, aromatic garlic, and crispy toasted edges adds the most wonderfully indulgent twist to the classic version, and there are a few different ways you can build this garlic-infused sandwich.

A great option is to go for a store-bought, baguette-style garlic bread, slicing it lengthways down the middle. The meatballs, sauce, and cheese can then be arranged snugly inside. Alternatively, you can stack the fillings onto individual, toasted slices of garlic bread. With this method, you'll likely only fit two or three meatballs on each slice, but the resulting fully-loaded toasts can serve as a fun appetizer or snack.

For maximum freshness and flavor, making your own garlic bread from scratch always comes highly recommended. Whether you opt for a crusty French loaf, chewy ciabatta, or sturdy sourdough, all you'll need to do is spread the slices with a mixture of softened butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley and pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. A sprinkling of Parmesan wouldn't go amiss here, either.

When you need a bread with texture and character, sourdough is a solid choice. While this one might not seem like the most natural fit for a meatball sub, it can be a surprisingly good option. Firstly, sourdough is amongst the most structurally sound varieties of sandwich bread. It boasts a dense, chewy texture and thick crust, providing the much needed sturdiness that the fillings require. That being said, this bread also won't feel overly stiff, and it'll toast brilliantly too.

Another great thing about sourdough it its distinct flavor. Thanks to the fermentation process involved in making it, this bread offers a subtle tang that works beautifully alongside the richness of the meatballs, marinara sauce, and cheese. So, switching to this bread is the perfect way to add a little complexity to your sandwich without altering the fillings.

A slightly wider loaf will work best here, giving ample surface area to accommodate those mouth-watering meaty morsels. Perhaps you've even nursed your own sourdough starter, and mastered the art of making the perfect crusty sourdough loaf at home! If you fancy injecting your sourdough sandwich with some bolder flavors, consider filling it with spicy chili-infused meatballs, or amp up the tanginess with a scattering of crumbled blue cheese. A layer of sweet caramelized onions or roasted peppers can also make excellent accompaniments to the other rich, savory elements.

Bringing a rich, buttery softness to the meatball sub, brioche rolls are an ideal choice if you're looking to create a slightly more indulgent sandwich. These rolls have a subtle sweetness to them, and with their shiny, golden exterior, they look rather pleasing too.

As well as the bread-making staples of flour and yeast, an authentic brioche should contain copious amounts of both butter and eggs. It's these ingredients that give the bread its unique richness. Texture-wise, brioche is moist and light, with a pillowy softness like no other. And, its sweetness contrasts amazingly with savory filling ingredients. Brioche comes in various forms, from larger sandwich-style loaves that can be cut into thick slices, to round burger buns and elongated rolls. It's down to you which shape you go for, though the longer, hot dog-style subs are particularly ideal for stuffing with meatballs. You could even make use of mini brioche buns to create slider versions of the classic sub.

Toasting the cut sides of the brioche can add a light crispiness, and prevent the sandwich for veering into overly soft territory once filled with saucy, gooey ingredients. The bread's sweet profile will work especially well alongside meatballs that have been more heavily seasoned with herbs or spices, or sharper cheeses like Parmesan or aged cheddar.

When it comes to flatbread, there's no one-size-fits-all. This term can refer to various types of bread, including naans, chapatis, and tortillas. But in general, flatbreads are light, flexible, and offer a conveniently large surface area. So, they're in fact remarkably well-suited to wrapping around those delicious fillings. Opting for a flatbread is a great way to turn the sandwich into something less heavy and more casual, almost like a cross between a sub and a wrap.

Go for naan bread, and the resulting dish will offer a subtle chew and buttery flavor. As a bonus, these flatbreads often come enhanced with herby or aromatic flavors like garlic or cilantro, so you can use the naan almost like a pizza base. Just smear the marinara sauce all over the bread, scatter over your shredded cheese of choice, and arrange the meatballs evenly over the surface. Then bake it in the oven until the cheese is delightfully melty. 

Alternatively, for an ultra-light version that really lets the meatballs, cheese, and sauce shine, you could use a large flour tortilla as your base. Due to their thin and pliable nature, tortillas will likely work best with smaller meatballs, or you can simply chop larger ones up into bite-sized pieces. Once everything is warm and gooey, you can enjoy it folded, rolled, or simply open-faced.

For a fun, bite-sized twist on the classic meatball sub, why not make mini bagels your bread of choice? Offering a chewy texture and pleasing visual appeal, these yeasted breads are ideal if you're whipping up a batch of dinner party starters, or any time you're in the mood for a satisfying snack. Mini bagels are just the right size for housing one or two meatballs, and they offer just as much substance as their larger counterparts.

Bagels have a glossy and slightly crisp exterior, thanks to the boiling step that comes before they're baked. This cooking technique also makes them conveniently sturdy, which we know is vital when there's marinara in the picture.

While plain bagels are a great choice, you can totally experiment with other flavors here, such as sesame-coated or garlic-infused versions. Feel free to toast the bagels in the oven either before or after assembling them with the fillings. Cutting the meatballs in half before stacking them onto the bread is the best approach here, to give them a larger surface area and ensure that every bite of bagel is packed with meaty goodness.

A great choice for an on-the-go lunch, pita pocket breads are a fuss-free way to enjoy a meatball sub without the mess. The pita's stuff-able format means the fillings can be neatly tucked inside, rather than precariously stacked up. The result is a compact, easy-to-eat take version of the classic dish.

The mild flavor and soft, chewy texture of pita makes it a versatile base for a whole host of fillings. When it's paired with meatballs and marinara, the fillings can really take center stage. Try warming the pita first, either by popping it in the toaster or briefly heating it in a pan, to soften it up and make the pocket easier to open without tearing. With your pita prepped, fill it with a good dollop of marinara and halved, cooked meatballs. You could even switch these out for seasoned ground beef. Add a scattering of shredded cheese (mozzarella or provolone are ideal), and finish things off with something fresh. A handful of arugula or sprinkling of basil leaves would go along with it nicely.

If you're using a pocketless, Greek-style pita, you can fold the bread over the fillings as you would with other types of flatbread, instead. This will make things less portable, but offer more space and sturdiness.

This one is a strong contender if you're a fan of rustic charm and contrasting textures. Ciabatta is sure to deliver on both structure and flavor, while providing plenty of aesthetic appeal, too. It's a classic Italian bread with a crackly crust and wonderfully light interior, so it's sturdy without feeling heavy. Much like sourdough, ciabatta undergoes a fermentation process before baking — however, these two breads have their own distinct characteristics. Ciabatta is classed as a high-hydration bread, with a stickier dough that results in a more open crumb. It's known for its airy texture and visibly holey appearance. Sourdough, on the other hand, contains less water. This makes it much chewier and crustier, with a stronger tangy taste.

Ciabatta's version of the sourdough starter is called "biga", and you won't have to tend to it for days on end. Instead, biga is ready to use after just 24 hours, so that's all the more reason to make your own ciabatta loaf!

When sliced lengthways and toasted, ciabatta is the perfect foundation for juicy fillings and a generous layer of cheese. Just pile everything on and pop it under the broiler for the ultimate bubbly, toasted finish. Or, if you want to jazz things up even further, try layering on slices of grilled eggplant or roasted peppers, scattering over a handful of fresh herbs, or even adding some tangy sun-dried tomatoes.

They're a go-to for building an epic eggs Benedict stack, but English muffins can be equally fitting as a base for sauce-covered meatballs. This unique version of the standard sub is perfect if you're aiming for something smaller, or if you fancy enjoying your sandwich in a more refined, open-faced style.

English muffins are soft yet a little chewy, and somehow strike the perfect balance between elegance and heartiness. Slice and toast them and they'll crisp up with ease, provide a pleasant  bite. Their smaller size makes them a portable option too, if you're making a meatball sandwich to grab and go.

To build your English muffin sub, just arrange your fillings atop the bottom half of the toasted muffin (melting the cheese under the broiler if desired), and pop the top back on.If you're leaving the sandwich open-faced, this offers even more opportunity to load the slices up with as much meat, sauce, and cheese as possible! There's also the option to switch the meatballs out for a more conveniently-shaped beef burger patty, while sticking to the usual additions of marinara and creamy provolone, cheddar, or mozzarella.