Juicy turkey meatballs are tossed in flavorful basil pesto and baked with lots of gooey havarti cheese in this pesto meatball sandwich.
It’s always a good day when a big ol’ meatball sandwich is on the dinner agenda! These cheesy beauts are giving your typical marinara-sauced subs a serious run for their money.
Tons of basil pesto and a whole lot of melty Havarti cheese spruce up juicy turkey meatballs and it all gets piled into a toasted bun and broiled to melty meatball perfection.
Seriously, this is how you do a meatball dinner, folks.
40 minutes and a few simple ingredients are all that stands between you and these meatball sandwiches making them the ideal addition your meal rotation if you need some new favorites onboard!
Believe me, these sandwiches will have no problem making the favorite list.
This Meatball Sandwich features…
- Juicy ground turkey pork meatballs
- Flavorful basil pesto and gooey harvarti cheese
- Crispy toasted hoagie buns
Making the Meatball Sandwich
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground turkey
- Ground pork
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Basil pesto
- Garlic
- Buns
- Harvarti cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
Tips for Perfect Meatball Sandwiches
- Form meatballs into uniform balls – uniformity will ensure that the meatballs cook up evenly.
- Toss meatballs with pesto after baking – this will ensure the pesto flavor stays fresh.
- Toast buns before adding meatballs – a quick toast will crisp up the bread before adding the saucy meatballs. Make sure to only toast until a very light golden brown since the subs have to go back under the broiler again once the meatballs and cheese are added.
- Top subs with fresh basil – a little fresh basil sprinkled on top adds an additional pop of herby flavor.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these sandwiches.
- Use chicken – replace the ground turkey with ground chicken.
- Add greens – top sandwiches with arugula after broiling.
- Use another cheese – try pepper jack, mozzarella, gouda, or asiago.
Make Ahead Instructions
If you would like to prep these sandwiches ahead of time, follow steps 1-3 and store baked meatballs in refrigerator up to 6 days.
When ready to assemble, reheat meatballs to 165F, toast buns, top with meatballs and cheese, and broil according to recipe instructions.
The creamy gooiness from the melted havarti smothering all that juicy meatball business with pops of herby basil pesto in every bite is almost an unholy experience in these subs. Marinara sauce who??
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Try these other meatball favorites next!
Havarti Pesto Meatball Sandwich
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup basil pesto, divided
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 hoagie or hot dog buns, split
- 1 cup shredded havarti cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh minced basil for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a medium sheet pan.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon pesto, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Scoop mixture into 1-in meatballs and place on prepared sheet pan.
- Bake meatballs at 400F 15-20 minutes until meatballs register 165F. Toss remaining 1/2 cup pesto with meatballs and set aside for a moment.
- Place split hoagie buns on a separate medium sheet pan and broil on high 1-2 minutes until a very light golden brown.
- Divide meatballs between hoagie buns and top with cheeses. Broil sandwiches on high an additional 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown. Top sandwiches with fresh basil and serve warm. Enjoy!
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