Beanball Parm Subs with Sautéed Spinach
All the goodness of a meatball sub with none of the meat, these Beanball Parm Subs are so drop-dead delicious they'll have you craving a repeat performance.
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
White Bean & Quinoa Beanballs
- 1 can white beans drained
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs divided
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- 1½ tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 eggs beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 85g (3oz) mozzarella cut into cubes
- ½ cup canola oil for frying
Garlic Butter Buns
- 4 hoagie buns split
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
Sautéed Spinach
- 142g (5oz) baby spinach
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sandwich Toppings
- 2 cups marinara sauce storebought or leftover
- ¼ cup parmesan shredded
Instructions
For the Beanballs
- Place white beans, garlic, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of the salt, oregano, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds in a large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the bean mixture until it forms a paste. Incorporate the quinoa into the bean mixture using your hands.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together. Pour the flour into a separate bowl and combine the remaining breadcrumbs, salt, and Parmesan in another. Using a tablespoon, portion out the beanball mixture. Place a cube of mozzarella in the center of each portion and form into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Roll the balls in the flour followed by the egg followed by the bread rumb mixture and set aside.
- Heat 1-inch of oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet. Fry beanballs until golden brown. Remember to keep rolling them as they cook, so they brown on all sides. Place finished beanballs on a plate lined with a paper towel and sprinkle with additional salt.**
For the Garlic Butter Buns
- In a small bowl, stir the butter, garlic, and oregano together. Spread the garlic butter on the hoagie buns and place them butter side up on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet under the broiler until the edges are browned. Set aside until ready to use.
For the Spinach
- Heat a quarter-sized amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the spinach, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Sauté until the spinach is wilted and remove from heat.
To Assemble
- Spread some sauce on one half of the hoagie buns. Add a bed of sautéed spinach and place three beanballs on top. Cover the beanballs with additional sauce. Top the beanballs with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
- Place the dressed halves of the hoagie buns on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Place the naked halves buttered side down next to the dressed halves. Put the baking sheet under the broiler and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the undressed halves are toasted. Remove from the oven and place the naked halves on top of the bubbly cheese and eat immediately with lots of napkins.
Notes
** At this point, you can let them cool, freeze them, and, when ready to use, reheat them in a 375F oven. Or you can pop them in a 150° F oven to keep them warm.