Description
Classic easy meatball sub bites combine Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and melted provolone for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Guests will savor these bite-sized delights that pack maximum flavor into compact, handheld portions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 meatballs (frozen or homemade, fully cooked)
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 can (8 oz / 226 g) crescent roll dough (or biscuit dough)
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp butter (melted)
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and lightly spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray to prevent adhesion.
- Dough Transformation: Unfold crescent dough and slice into 12 precise squares, ensuring uniform sizing for consistent cooking performance.
- Dough Placement: Carefully press each dough square into muffin cups, creating delicate cup-like vessels to cradle the forthcoming filling.
- Sauce Foundation: Deposit a precise dollop of marinara sauce into the center of each dough cup, establishing a robust flavor base.
- Protein Insertion: Gently nestle a precooked meatball into each sauce-lined dough cup, positioning centrally for optimal visual appeal and taste distribution.
- Cheese Enhancement: Lavishly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over meatballs, allowing for a luxurious melting process that creates a golden, appetizing crown.
- Herb Butter Preparation: Whisk melted butter with garlic powder and Italian seasoning to craft a fragrant, flavor-intensifying glaze.
- Butter Application: Delicately brush the exposed dough edges with the herb-infused butter mixture, promising a crisp, golden exterior.
- Baking Process: Slide the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, monitoring until the bites achieve a rich golden-brown hue and cheese bubbles enticingly.
- Cooling and Garnishing: Allow meatball bites to rest for 5 minutes, then embellish with finely chopped fresh basil or parsley to introduce a vibrant, aromatic finishing touch.
Notes
- Optimize Dough Handling: Work with crescent dough quickly while it’s cold to maintain its structure and prevent sticking, using light flour dusting on your work surface for easier manipulation.
- Prevent Soggy Bottoms: Ensure minimal marinara sauce is used to avoid making the dough base wet, which could result in undercooked or mushy texture.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Use a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan for optimal melting and flavor complexity, sprinkling cheese generously but not overloading the meatball bites.
- Customize Meatball Variations: Swap precooked meatballs with homemade or plant-based alternatives to accommodate different dietary preferences, keeping cooking time and temperature consistent.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 163
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 471 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg