Air Fryer Meatball Subs
Air Fryer Meatball Subs are an easy, healthy twist on the classic. Made with homemade meatballs, marinara, and cheese all tucked into a roll for a quick, high-protein dinner your family will love!
Air Fryer lovers, this Air Fryer Meatball Sub recipe is a game-changer for busy weeknights! Juicy homemade meatballs (I used ground chicken, but you can easily swap in turkey or beef), topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese, are tucked into warm rolls and crisped up in the air fryer for a healthier, mess-free dinner. It’s an easy weeknight win and a lighter take on the classic meatball sub.
My air fryer is always on my counter—it’s a weeknight game changer for meals like this meatball sub. Instead of heating up the oven or making a mess on the stove, everything comes together fast with hardly any cleanup.
- 1¼ lb 93% lean ground chicken
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs, plain, seasoned or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth, for moisture
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 4 small Portuguese rolls, about 2 oz each (or gluten-free buns)
- 1 cup marinara sauce, homemade or jarred (¼ cup per sub)
- 4 slices part-skim mozzarella, provolone or muenster cheese, or 4 ounces shredded