Joey’s Meatball Sub Recipe

This Joey’s Meatball Sub recipe fills toasted Italian rolls with tender beef-and-pork meatballs, homemade herb-packed marinara sauce, melted mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and fresh parsley. Every sandwich delivers the comforting combination of juicy meatballs, rich tomato sauce, and melted cheese.

The Inspiration

Joey Tribbiani’s love of food is an essential part of Friends, but sandwiches occupy a particularly important place in his heart. A generously filled meatball sub featuring plenty of sauce and melted cheese is therefore a natural tribute to the character.

Joey’s Meatball Sub comes directly from Friends: The Television Series – The Official Cookbook and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe combines familiar Italian-American comfort-food flavours in a substantial sandwich worthy of Joey’s famous appetite.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

¾ pound ground pork
¾ pound ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp oregano, measured and roughly chopped
2 tbsp parsley, measured and roughly chopped
2 tbsp thyme, measured and roughly chopped
2 tbsp basil, measured and roughly torn
½ cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup red wine
2 eggs
1/3 pine nuts, toasted

For the Sandwiches

3 cups Joey’s Marinara Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought
Six 6-inch Italian sub rolls
12 slices mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grate Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped, for garnishing

For Joey’s Marinara Sauce

5 lbs Roma tomatoes or two 28 oz cans crushed or stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup basil, torn
1/3 cup oregano, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup thyme, chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water (optional)
2 tbsp honey (optional)

Method

Make the Marinara Sauce

If using canned tomatoes, skip ahead and start cooking the onion. If using fresh tomatoes, gently cut an X in the bottom of each tomato, just deep enough to pierce the skin. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil.
While the water is heating, fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water.
Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes, and allow to cook until the skin begins to peel away from the tomato, about 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes and plunge into ice bath.
Cut the tomatoes into fourths, peel the skin off, and remove the seeds. Discard the skin and seeds, then set aside the tomato flesh.
Heat a large heavy saucepan on medium. Once hot, add the olive oil. Allow to heat, about 1 minute, and then add the onions. Sauté the onions until translucent and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the tomato, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and garlic, season again with salt and pepper, then stir. Allow ingredients to come to a rolling boil, about 2 to 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for about 1 hour.
If the sauce is too thick, add the optional water. If sauce needs to be a bit less acidic, add the optional honey.

Make the Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, use your hands to combine all the ingredients. Be careful not to overmix, as this will make the mixture tough.
Form meatballs 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown about 20 minutes.

Make the Sandwiches

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the marinara sauce. Once the meatballs are baked, place them in the marinara sauce and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
While meatballs are simmering, cut the Italian subs three-quarters of the way open. Place 1 or 2 slices of cheese inside and place the Italian subs ion a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the cheese soft and melted, about 5 minutes.
Once the subs are ready, place 3 or 4 meatballs inside each sub, being sure to include some of the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley to serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Joey’s Meatball Subs hot while the mozzarella is melted and the Italian rolls remain lightly crisp. Provide extra marinara on the side for dipping and plenty of napkins for this generously sauced sandwich.

Pair the subs with a green salad, Caesar salad, roasted vegetables, French fries, potato wedges, or crunchy pickles. For a Friends-themed gathering, arrange the sandwiches on a large platter and let guests help themselves—although Joey might prefer not to share.

Final Thoughts

This Joey’s Meatball Sub recipe creates the ultimate combination of juicy beef-and-pork meatballs, aromatic marinara, melted mozzarella, Parmesan, and toasted Italian rolls. Fresh herbs, red wine, and pine nuts give the meatballs a flavourful and distinctive finish.

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