HEALTHY Ground Turkey Kale Meatball Sub! These meatballs are fried on the stove and then covered with tomato sauce and American cheese on a sub roll! This homemade recipe is easy, healthy and your family will love it! Even my Midwest husband thinks this is the BEST meatball sandwich!
Who doesn’t like a good meatball sub? It’s quick, it’s hearty, it’s sloppy, you get to eat it with your fingers. It’s meat, cheese and tomato sauce – how can you go wrong?
But with this one we’re going to mix it up a little bit and add some kale to get your greens in! Don’t be alarmed by the combination of kale and meat together in this sub – once everything is mixed together, it just works. My husband is a Midwest boy who loves his hearty dinners and this sub is A+ in his book!
This meatball sub is based on my baked kale meatballs recipe which I first made last summer and fell in love with. These turkey meatballs are great over spaghetti, yummy grilled as a finger food on a stick, but they are delicious on a sub roll! This kale turkey sandwich is one of our dinner favorites!
A meatball sub isn’t finished until it’s slathered in tomato sauce and then American cheese is melted on top – then it’s ready to eat!
I hope you enjoy this meatball hoagie soon!
Pin for later:
Healthy Turkey Kale Meatball Sub
PrintIngredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups kale chopped
- Pinch dried rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg
- Sub Rolls
- American cheese slices
- Tomato Sauce
Instructions
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan over medium high heat. Add kale and spices. Cook until your kale is wilted.
- Put kale mixture and garlic into a food processor to mince. Add your turkey and egg and pulse until it’s all combined.
- Form this mixture into 2 inch balls.
- Use your same pan (its already greased) and heat to medium high.
- Add your meatballs and cook until browned on all sides (make sure to flip them), about 10-15 minutes.
For the sub
- Cut your sub rolls down the middle.
- Add meatballs on sub roll to fit.
- Add 2 slices of American cheese slices on top of the meatballs. Melt cheese in microwave or toaster oven if needed.
- Spoon tomato sauce on top.
Purabi Naha | Cosmopolitan Currymania says
OH MY! This is making me so hungry!! I loved the healthy kale in this tempting sub…yum!
Pamela says
Anyway I can try to add kale, I will! Enjoy! 🙂
Sophie33 says
I also made these lovely balls & pushed them in a great ciabatta & I adored these!!
They were superb, amazing & wonderfully easy to make too! 🙂 xxx
Pamela says
MMMM, a ciabatta sounds great! Glad you liked them! I could go for a meatball sub again very soon myself.. 🙂
Mary Frances @ LOVE - the secret ingredient says
Such a fantastic idea! Kale meatballs! I’m impressed. These look delicious!
Pamela says
Thanks so much Mary Frances!
Peter @ Feed Your Soul Too says
I really like this sandwich. I like the addition of the kale.
Pamela says
Thanks for stopping by Peter!
laurasmess says
Oh my. These look absolutely delicious! I love meatballs. I haven’t made them for ages, for some unknown reason. Love the look of your gorgeous tomato sauce also. I made my own tomato passata a couple of weeks ago too. So much better than shop bought! Thanks for this beautiful post (I still respect you, despite the crocs!) xxx
Pamela says
Thank you Laura, I hope you have a meatball sub soon! And I appreciate that you can see past the crocs 😉
gotasté says
You are making me really hungry. I need to make this. Can’t get kale over here though….
Jen L | Tartine and Apron Strings says
Without knowing that you had posted this recipe, I also made turkey and kale meatballs a few weeks ago!!! I guess, “great” minds think alike!
Pamela says
That made me smile Jen, great kale minds!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Your meatballs look so delicious with all that kale in them! Never thought to add kale to meatballs. Must try!
Pamela says
Thanks Christin, I hope you give these subs a try, they are yummy! Let me know how you like them.
Bam's Kitchen says
I love that picture of you with your garden shoes, too cute. This sounds like such a fun and a little healthier version of the much loved meatball sandwich. I think your photos look amazing almost like good daylight. I have the same issue we have such bad lighting as we have so many overcast days here in Hong Kong. Looking forward to keeping in touch. Take care, BAM
Pamela says
Thanks for stopping by Bam! This sandwich is one of my favorites of the moment, craving it for dinner tonight. 🙂
Nancy/SpicieFoodie says
Oh yum!! What a fantastic and healthy recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.:)
Pamela says
Thanks Nancy, it’s a great and yummy way to use kale.
Pam says
Love this! I too am always looking for recipes that I can add kale too. These subs look tempting and delicious.
Pamela says
Thanks Pam, I hope you try them.. let me know if you do! 🙂
Miss Messy says
Wow what brilliant presentation on these. they look fab
Pamela says
Thank you! 🙂
carrian says
when can I come over? 😉
Pamela says
Anytime you’d like! 🙂
jackie @ Marin mama cooks says
Hey girl! From one kale obsessed person to another, these meatball subs look amazing! I think it’s totally funny how kale reduces down so much in size. I can massage 3 heads of kale down into nothing. I think that is why people can eat a whole head of kale on one sitting without any problem. We often use our leftover meatballs and make meatball subs. The kids LOVE them. I mean what’s not to love, you have your melted cheese, meatballs, tomato sauce and your toasted carb. Yum! It’s better than pizza!
I have tons of dinner recipes on my blog and come wintertime, I have to rely on artificial lighting. It’s not perfect, but I don’t want to waste food and make meals during the day just for the light, when no one is going to eat them. I don’t want to serve my family re-heated food either. I think your photos turned out great with the artificial light source. Ok, off to be for me! Have a great night girl! xoxo, Jackie
Pamela says
Agreed, I love a good meatball sub, and throw in some greens and you have a perfectly balanced meal! 🙂 Thanks for your nice words, hope you’re having a great day!
Julie @ Table for Two says
I love that you added kale to the meatballs, YUM!!
Pamela says
Thanks for stopping by Julie!
Katie says
Simple and tasty and easy – that’s my kind of recipe. I was just out in my garden looking at the kale this morning and trying to come up with a new way to use it. I love it, but I tend to do the same things with it – stir fries and kale chips with the occasional raw massaged salad thrown in.
Do you think these would freeze well? I think I have some ground turkey in the freezer and I KNOW I have some kale that needs to be harvested.
Pamela says
Absolutely, I think they would freeze well! Pick that kale girl!
Katie says
Oh and no shame about the crocs. I have two pair. Just bought some Croc flops, in hot pink naturally. 😉
Pamela says
Ooooo nice, work them.
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
Holy moly, that looks AMAZING! I just want to sink my teeth into that. Love the addition of kale here. Super healthy! Love the turkey here too. Great post Pamela. 🙂
Pamela says
Thanks Anne!
Pam (Sidewalk Shoes) says
I love your garden crocs! I didn’t even realize they were crocs until you said so. These meatballs sound lovely, I hope my CSA gives me some kale!
Pamela says
Thanks Pam! I sure you hope you get some kale too!
Suzanne says
Love the addition of kale to the meatballs. Next time I make meatballs the kale is going in. Great recipe and the sub looks so wonderful.
Pamela says
Enjoy Suzanne, thanks for stopping by!
amy @ fearless homemaker says
YUM! I love meatball subs (in fact, that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight) + your version with turkey + kale look SO good … and better for you than most meatball recipes, too!
Pamela says
MMMMM, enjoy your dinner Amy!
Debra says
I just pulled the last of our kale out of the garden because it had bolted and gone to seed. I am ready for fall so I can have some kale (and these meatballs)!!!
Pamela says
I hear you Debra, good luck with your Fall kale! Planting 4 more kale plants so we’ll have 8..I can’t get enough of it!
Kelly says
I am kale obsessed too and I love that you put kale into these meatballs. The sub looks phenomenal with the oozy cheese – holy yum!! Pinned!
Pamela says
Thanks Kelly! Meatball subs always need some oozy cheese on top… mmm!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
Holy mouthwatering! These look amazing, Pamela. I love that you snuck in some super-healthy kale, too!
Pamela says
Thanks Georgia, I’m all about sneaking in some healthy greens!
Jaclyn says
I’m saving this recipe! Healthy and delicious sounding…and the pictures look really good for not being in natural sunlight!
Pamela says
Thanks Jaclyn! That makes me feel better! 🙂
Monica says
Now that’s a sub! I was watching The Chew last night (DVR) and the theme was street food. Your sandwich makes me think of the best kind of street fair food. I can imagine myself walking in the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy enjoying a sub. In my daydream, it wouldn’t be 95 degrees though. ; )
Pamela says
Maybe we can create a air conditioned street fair, now that would be something magical. 🙂 Hopefully it won’t be as hot this year! Thanks Monica!
Jamie G says
It seems I always add some type of green to my turkey burgers/meatballs. It really helps keep them from drying out.
I’m glad you disclosed your shoes are Crocs. They aren’t so bad. Much better than the Mario Batali bright orange old school ones. I have a pair of Crocs wedges that I get tons of compliments on. 🙂
Pamela says
Crocs! Don’t get me wrong, some aren’t so cute, but some are ok! I was just saying in a comment up above I have these aqua flat ones and friends ask me where they’re from and I tell them they’re Crocs. They have no idea what to say, they’re shocked! I think I know the wedge ones you mean, cuuuuute!
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig says
What a great healthy version! It looks amazing! Pinning!
Pamela says
Thanks Cathy! I hope you like them!
Francine says
Yummmm. Also, I have the exact same crocs. I use them as gardening shoes too! As well as beach shoes, boating shoes, kayaking shoes, horseshoe crab tagging shoes, or anything else involving dirt and/or water.
Pamela says
Don’t tell anyone but sometimes I wear them to the pharmacy a few blocks away. 😉 To be honest, I also have another pair of Crocs which are aqua color but they are more flat looking, and I wear them so many places. Who knew, Crocs, cute shoe maker!
ashley - baker by nature says
This sub looks sensational, lady love!!!
Pamela says
Thanks Ashley! Yummy subby love!