The Store-Bought Meat You Need For An Even Better Meatball Sub

Meatball subs, otherwise known as Italian meatball sandwiches, aren't just a cozy lunchtime meal; they're a great way to repurpose last night's leftovers for something that's both filling and tasty. All you need to do is slather your marinara-coated meatballs with a layer of melted mozzarella and tuck the whole thing inside a sub roll, and you can have a meal on the table in a matter of minutes. However, making a fresh sandwich from scratch isn't a bad idea if you have an hour to spare.

Since the meatballs are the star of this sandwich, you can't settle for a lackluster recipe. While adding other meats like pork and veal is a great way to infuse a more complex, robust flavor into your meatballs, there's an even better option to include in your recipe. Take a trip through the refrigerated meat aisle of your grocery store and pick up a pack of pepperoni. Although it might seem unconventional to mix this classic pizza topping with a meatball, the salty and umami flavor of the pepperoni will be a great addition to a beefy ball. 

The easiest way to incorporate the pepperoni into the body of the meatball is to toss the rounds into a food processor and pulse them until they're fine. It will give you an even distribution of flavor within every bite. 

While adding roni slices to your meatballs is as simple as chopping it into small pieces and tossing it in with the ground meat and binders, there are numerous other ways to infuse the flavor of pepperoni into this sandwich than just upgrading your meatballs. For one, you can add pepperoni slices to your tomato sauce as it's cooking down for an extra salty flavor in your marinara base. Pepperoni can still be invited to the party even if you use a sauce besides marinara for your meatballs. For example, a spicy arrabbiata could really benefit from the salty reprieve of the pepperoni.

Sauce aside, another option would be to layer pepperoni slices on the top of your meatballs either before or after you pack on the gooey cheese. It will give your sandwich a tasty pizza effect and ensures that you have a balance of cheese, sauce, pepperoni, and meatball with every bite. You can also go a step further and bake your pepperoni in the oven and add a sprinkle to your sandwich right before you serve it. It's a great option if you want a little saltiness but want to stay true to your favorite meatball recipe.