Meatball Sub Bites
Craving all the gooey, saucy glory of a classic meatball sub without the fork-and-napkin drama? Meet Meatball Sub Bites: juicy frozen meatballs brushed with marinara and tucked with melty mozzarella into buttery crescent roll triangles, then baked golden and dusted with garlic-Parmesan magic.
Who doesn’t lose their mind over a dripping, cheesy meatball sub? Now imagine all that saucy, garlicky goodness shrunk down into adorable bites that disappear faster than the fourth quarter.
These Meatball Sub Bites are pure comfort food turned party MVP: juicy meatballs, tangy marinara, and melty mozzarella nested in crescent rolls then brushed with garlic-herb butter and baked until golden. Made with frozen meatballs and ready in under 30 minutes, they’re the ultimate lazy-genius appetizer for game days, family movie nights, or anytime you want to be crowned snack champion. One pan, zero forks, total touchdown. Your crowd is about to go wild!
This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase we might receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Sink your teeth into these ridiculously addictive Meatball Sub Bites and prepare for flavor fireworks. Juicy meatballs, tangy marinara, and oozy mozzarella are packed into crescent rolls, then baked to golden perfection. Ready in under 30 minutes, these poppable appetizers are the ultimate no-mess win for game days, family movie nights, or anytime you need snack-sized Italian heaven. Serve with extra sauce for dipping and watch them score every time!
All the glory of a classic meatball sub—no drippy chin, no fork required, just pure handheld happiness.
Whether it’s game day, family movie night, or “we need snacks now,” these little legends disappear the second they hit the table. Messy sandwich? Hard pass. These mini meatball sub bites are the fuss-free, crowd-approved upgrade you didn’t know you needed. Game on!
Meatball Sub Bites Recipe:
Ingredients
- 8-ounce package crescent roll dough
- 16 frozen meatballs
- ½ cup marinara sauce, divided
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Equipment Needed:
- Pizza Cutter or Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Sheet Pan
- Parchment paper
- Basting Brush
🥣 Recipe Pro Tips
- Flavor-infuse the meatballs like a boss – Before rolling, thaw the frozen meatballs in the microwave for 30–60 seconds (just enough to soften, not cook). This lets the marinara brush on evenly and seep in for juicier, more flavorful bites—no more dry surprises. Pro move: Mix a pinch of Italian seasoning into your sauce for an herby kick that elevates the whole sub vibe.
- Cheese hack for oozy perfection – Cut your mozzarella strips super thin (about ⅛-inch) so they melt seamlessly inside without leaking out during baking. If you’re feeling fancy, tuck a tiny basil leaf or red pepper flake alongside for a fresh, spicy pop that screams “gourmet appetizer” without extra work.
- Golden crunch without the guesswork – After brushing with butter, give the pan a quick rotate halfway through baking (around 7 minutes) for even browning—ovens can be sneaky hot spots! For next-level dip appeal, warm your extra marinara with a splash of cream to make it silky.
These bad boys are done in 25 minutes total, but they’ll have your crowd cheering like it’s overtime.
How to make Meatball Sub Bites with frozen meatballs and crescent rolls:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (this keeps everything golden and cleanup easy).
- Unroll the crescent dough and separate it into the 8 big triangles. Grab a pizza cutter or sharp knife and slice each triangle lengthwise into two long, skinny triangles—you’ll end up with 16 pieces total. Boom—mini slider bases ready!
- Cut each slice of mozzarella into 4 long strips (you’ll use one strip per bite). Lay a strip right down the center of each skinny crescent triangle.
- Grab your thawed meatballs and nestle one onto the wide end of each dough strip.
- Scoop a little marinara into a small bowl and brush each meatball generously so they’re glossy and saucy (this keeps everything extra juicy and flavorful). Ready for roll-up!
- Starting at the wide end, gently roll the dough (with the cheese strip inside) around the saucy meatball, tucking everything in like a tiny edible burrito.
- Place each little bundle seam-side down on your parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Repeat until all the meatballs are snugly wrapped and ready for their buttery glow-up!
- Brush each wrapped meatball generously with the melted butter—don’t be shy, full coverage is the secret to that golden, garlicky crust!
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, dried parsley, and grated Parmesan until evenly mixed. This is your magic dusting powder—get ready to make these bites absolutely irresistible.
- Sprinkle a generous pinch of the garlic-parsley-Parmesan mixture over each buttery bite (the more, the merrier).
- Slide the pan into your preheated 375°F oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, until the crescent rolls are puffed, golden brown, and smelling like pure victory. Pull them out, let them cool for just a minute.
- Pull them out of the oven while they’re golden and steamy, then serve immediately with a bowl of warm marinara for dunking.
Who doesn’t go weak in the knees for a dripping, cheesy meatball sub? All that juicy meatball, tangy marinara, and molten mozzarella glory… but who has time for a fork-and-napkin situation every day?
Enter Meatball Sub Bites: the same epic flavor explosion, now perfectly portioned into golden, poppable sliders that fit in one hand and disappear in one bite. They’re the ultimate snack hack for game nights, family movie marathons, or those random “I need something delicious right now” moments. Ready in under 30 minutes, zero mess, maximum cheers. Let’s roll!
🥣 Recipe
Equipment
- Pizza Cutter or Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package crescent roll dough
- 16 frozen meatballs
- ½ cup marinara sauce divided
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (this keeps everything golden and cleanup easy).
- Unroll the crescent dough and separate it into the 8 big triangles. Grab a pizza cutter or sharp knife and slice each triangle lengthwise into two long, skinny triangles—you’ll end up with 16 pieces total. Boom—mini slider bases ready!
- Cut each slice of mozzarella into 4 long strips (you’ll use one strip per bite). Lay a strip right down the center of each skinny crescent triangle.
- Grab your thawed meatballs and nestle one onto the wide end of each dough strip.
- Scoop a little marinara into a small bowl and brush each meatball generously so they’re glossy and saucy (this keeps everything extra juicy and flavorful). Ready for roll-up!
- Starting at the wide end, gently roll the dough (with the cheese strip inside) around the saucy meatball, tucking everything in like a tiny edible burrito.
- Place each little bundle seam-side down on your parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat until all the meatballs are snugly wrapped and ready for their buttery glow-up!
- Brush each wrapped meatball generously with the melted butter—don’t be shy, full coverage is the secret to that golden, garlicky crust
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, dried parsley, and grated Parmesan until evenly mixed. This is your magic dusting powder—get ready to make these bites absolutely irresistible.
- Sprinkle a generous pinch of the garlic-parsley-Parmesan mixture over each buttery bite (the more, the merrier).
- Slide the pan into your preheated 375°F oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, until the crescent rolls are puffed, golden brown, and smelling like pure victory. Pull them out, let them cool for just a minute.
- Pull them out of the oven while they’re golden and steamy, then serve immediately with a bowl of warm marinara for dunking.
Nutrition
Click HERE to save this Meatball Sub Bites Recipe to Pinterest
