These oven-baked vegan meatball subs make an easy family dinner for busy nights—kids love them! They’re also great for parties or game-day gatherings.
I made these a few weeks ago for my family and everyone loved them. My picky 10-year-old said they tasted a bit like pizza and ate the whole sandwich. I’ve made vegan meatball subs before, but this oven-baked version crisps the rolls lightly while keeping the interior soft and melts the non-dairy cheese into gooey perfection.
Baking these subs brings them to another level. The rolls get slightly crisp on the outside, the insides stay pillowy, and the cheese becomes warm and melty—delicious and comforting.
How do I make Oven Baked Vegan Meatball Subs?
It’s simple.
Start by preparing a batch of chickpea meatballs (use the linked recipe for chickpea meatballs if needed) and make one or two batches—doubling the recipe is handy because extra meatballs freeze well for future meals like spaghetti.
Warm the meatballs in a pot with your favorite jar of pasta sauce until they’re coated and heated through.
Spoon the sauced meatballs into sandwich rolls, arrange the filled rolls on a baking sheet, sprinkle with non-dairy cheese shreds (or homemade vegan mozzarella), and bake until everything is hot and the cheese has melted. That’s all there is to it.
Can I use homemade vegan cheese for this recipe?
Yes. If you don’t want to use store-bought shreds or can’t find them, homemade stretchy vegan mozzarella works wonderfully and tastes fantastic in these subs. When I have time, I prefer making my own.
Tip: A favorite store-bought option for me is Daiya’s Cutting Board Collection mozzarella-style shreds—they melt and taste closest to traditional mozzarella and are great for these subs and pizza when available.
For parties or larger groups, wrap individual subs in foil after baking to keep them warm until serving.
If you’d like another easy vegan sandwich, try a BBQ sandwich with soy curls or vegan BLTs—both are simple, flavorful options.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out—rate it or leave a comment and tag a photo on Instagram. Enjoy!
Oven Baked Vegan Meatball Subs
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Ingredients
- 1 recipe Chickpea Meatballs
- 6-8 sandwich rolls (check ingredients to ensure vegan)
- 1 jar your favorite pasta sauce (or make your own, about 3 cups)
- 1 bag non-dairy mozzarella-style cheese shreds OR use homemade vegan mozzarella
Instructions
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Make the chickpea meatballs if you haven’t already. Doubling the recipe is handy so you can freeze extras for later.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Place the chickpea meatballs in a large pot, cover with pasta sauce, and warm over low–medium heat until well coated and heated through.
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Fill each roll with 3–4 meatballs, spoon a little extra sauce over them, place the rolls close together on a baking sheet, and top with non-dairy cheese shreds or homemade mozzarella.
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Bake 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and everything is hot. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
- You can substitute stretchy vegan mozzarella in place of store-bought cheese shreds if you prefer.