Meatball Sub - Lunch Idea For Kids

Use a panini press to make this easy Meatball Sub. A great lunch idea for kids. You can even cook the meatballs directly on it!

Coming up with different lunch ideas for the kids, particularly in the school holidays, can be a tiresome task. There's nothing wrong with a simple sandwich but if you want to mix it up a little then this is a great idea.

A meatball sub - but made super simple as you cook the meatballs in the panini press first. Minimal washing up, my kind of recipe!

These are the meatballs that I used. Homemade meatballs may work aswell just be aware that they might fall apart when squashed down in the panini press.

If you are using frozen meatballs, be sure to defrost them first.

How To Make A Meatball Sub

The full recipe with all the ingredients and measurements is in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post. But I've included some step by step images here that might be helpful.

1. Grease a panini press well with oil.

2. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Heat some pizza sauce in the microwave.

4. The meatballs should be at least 75c inside when cooked.

Then you just need to make up the sub. Cut the panini roll open, add the pizza sauce, the cooked meatballs and some grated cheese. I used a mixture of grated cheddar and mozzarella but any kind of cheese will be fine.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the bread and they're ready to serve up.

What Temperature Should Meatballs Be Cooked To

Five minutes was enough time in my panini press to cook the meatballs fully but the time may vary depending on how hot your machine gets.

If you are worried about the meatballs being fully cooked throughout, then use a meat thermometer to test the inside. They should be at least 75 degree celsius.

More Lunch Recipes for Kids

Looking for more Lunch Ideas For Kids? Try some of these recipes. I also highly recommend these Cheesy Carrot Waffles.

Product Recommendation

I highly recommend this waffle maker. It's a 3 in 1 which means you can change the plates and also use it as a toastie maker and a panini grill.

GRAB IT HERE

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Meatball Sub - Lunch Idea For Kids

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• Author: Ciara Attwell
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 9 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x
• Category: Lunch

Print Recipe

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Description

Use a panini press to make this easy Meatball Sub. A great lunch idea for kids. You can even cook the meatballs directly on it!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• spray oil
• 4 meatballs
• 4 tbsp pizza sauce
• 40g grated cheese
• 2 panini rolls 

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Turn on your panini press and spray the top and bottom plates with some oil.
2. Use a pastry brush to spread the oil over the plates.
3. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes. If you want to check that the meatballs are properly cooked use a meat thermometer inserted into the middle. They should be at least 75 degrees celsius. 
4. Whilst the meatballs are cooking add the pizza sauce to a small bowl and heat in the microwave.
5. When the meatballs are cooked, remove them and use some kitchen paper to wipe the plates clean.
6. Cut open the panini rolls, add the heated pizza sauce, meatballs and grated cheese.
7. Put the filled panini rolls into the machine and cook for 1-2 minutes.

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Notes

These meatball subs are best eaten immediately after making.