Description
Creamy Meatball Boats are a delicious and comforting American main course featuring tender, fully cooked meatballs smothered in a rich Parmesan cream sauce, nestled inside soft sub rolls and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a quick dinner that’s both indulgent and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball and Sauce
- 12 fully cooked meatballs (beef, pork, or turkey)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Assembly
- 4 small sub rolls or hoagie buns
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure it is ready to melt the cheese and warm the meatball boats to perfection.
- Prepare Sauce: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, then add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 3–5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add Meatballs: Place the fully cooked meatballs into the cream sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
- Prepare Rolls: Cut a shallow trench into the tops of the sub rolls, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Assemble Boats: Place 3 meatballs inside each roll. Spoon extra cream sauce over the meatballs, then sprinkle each with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Arrange the filled rolls on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley for a fresh touch, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use store-bought or homemade meatballs depending on your preference.
- Toast the rolls before filling for extra crunch and texture.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes to the cream sauce for a spicy kick.
- Swap the Parmesan cream sauce with Alfredo sauce for a different creamy flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 boat
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 670mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
