Saucy Meatball Sub Skillet

Remember when deconstructing classic recipes was all the rage? When was that? The nineties? Early aughts? I can’t quite pin it down but I do remember a point in culinary time when there was nary a restaurant menu in all the land that didn’t sport some sort of deconstructed this or that. I recall watching Ina Garten throw down some very good looking deconstructed guacamole on her show once and I felt actively i n s p i r e d. I remember seeing some mixed up version of a BLT once that made very little sense but seemed just automatically cool because it was tres’ tres’ deconstructed. So, this VERY easy, 7-ingredient Saucy Meatball Sub Skillet is a bit of a nod to those days of yore when deconstructed food was all the rage.

And to be honest, I think I might prefer this iteration to the sub-sandwiched version. It’s fun to dunk and slather and drag your garlicky bread through all that sauce, slaloming in and out of those juicy meatballs. It’s delightful and as such, I do recommend serving this one family-style, your big skillet posted up right smack dab in the middle of the table so everyone can join in the delicious, saucy fun.

(Also, if you’re interested, here is the pan I use in the photos. It’s a ride or die type of cooking vessel, and if you don’t already have one, I highly recommend!)

How to make this Saucy Meatball Sub Skillet

With only a handful of ingredients required, this saucy meatball sub skillet easily qualifies as one of the fastest, most low-maintenance dinner recipes you’ll ever comes across. You could, of course, make your favorite meatballs and use those – that would be excellent. But because this is meant to be hella fast and easy for you, I’m going to suggest you peruse the deli/meat section of your supermarket and pick up a package or two of fresh Italian style meatballs. You can find them near the ground pork, typically, and they’re just great in this recipe.

In that same vein, I’m going to have you grab a jar of your favorite marinara as well. Again, you can sub in your own homemade sauce if you like, or if you happen to already have a couple of cups on hand, in the freezer, etc. But there is an unbelievable selection of high-quality store-bought marinaras out there, and this recipe is the PERFECT time to use them.

When the sauce roasts away in the oven, the extra bit of olive oil in the pan adds richness to it. Plus, and most notably, the salty, savory meatballs will release their juices into the sauce, bolstering the flavor and essentially making it SO so delicious.

You can use whatever garlicky bread you like here, but I find it very easy to simply tear up a baguette, slick it with lots of fruity olive oil and flavor it quickly with some garlic powder (a perfect time to use that stuff) and a sprinkle of salt. Shower with some grated parmesan and just throw that bread right into the hot oven to toast up alongside the skillet of meatballs.

Easy does it with this one. Enjoy, y’all.

If you like the looks of this post, be sure to check out:

Incredible Slow Cooker Marinara

Blushing Italian Sausage & Rigatoni Bake

Easiest Hands-Off Spaghetti & Meatballs

Here is a ready-made pin for you! Simply save it to your “easy dinners” or “one-pan meals” boards and you’ll be all set when the craving strikes.

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