Meatball Marinara is usually the cheapest sub on the Subway board and one of the two or three most ordered. It is also the most divisive: order it well and it is a genuinely satisfying hot sandwich for under seven dollars, order it carelessly and you get a wet paper package.
What's in it
A 6-inch comes with four meatballs (a Footlong gets eight) in marinara sauce, held hot behind the counter, typically finished with shredded mozzarella or provolone and toasted. The meatballs are beef and pork based with breadcrumb and seasoning; the marinara is a tomato sauce with garlic, onion and Italian herbs. Nothing on the standard build is spicy.
Calories and price
| Build | Calories | Protein | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-inch, Italian bread, no cheese | ~430–480 | ~19 g | $5.49 – $8.29 |
| 6-inch with mozzarella, toasted | ~500–540 | ~23 g | $6.19 – $9.29 |
| Footlong with cheese | ~1,000–1,080 | ~45 g | $9.29 – $12.99 |
| Meatball No Bready Bowl | ~540–600 | ~28 g | $11.99 – $15.99 |
Per dollar it is the highest-calorie and one of the highest-protein items on the menu, which is exactly why it is a student and shift-worker staple. Sodium is high — plan around it if you are watching it, using the tables in our nutrition guide.
Three requests that fix the soggy problem
- Ask for the bread toasted before the meatballs go in. Some stores will do a quick toast with cheese first, then add sauce — a dry, crisp base changes everything.
- Ask for "light sauce" or sauce shaken off. You lose nothing in flavour and the sandwich survives a fifteen-minute walk.
- Keep vegetables off it, or on the side. Lettuce and tomato release water into hot sauce. Green pepper, onion and jalapeño hold up; the rest do not.
If you are ordering for delivery, add "extra napkins, sauce light" in the notes and expect it to arrive softer than in store — see our delivery guide.
The upgrades worth paying for
- Pepperoni (+$1–2). Turns it into an unofficial pizza sub. Add extra mozzarella and you have the most requested item on our secret menu list.
- Double cheese. Cheap, and it forms a barrier between sauce and bread.
- Chipotle Southwest instead of nothing. A thin line adds smoke and heat without more sweetness.
Is it kid-friendly?
Extremely popular with children and extremely messy. A 4-inch mini meatball sub is available in most stores as part of the kids meal — cut in half, light sauce, no toasting. Details in our kids menu guide.
Meatball Marinara contains beef, pork, wheat and usually milk. Prices and nutrition are approximate 2026 US figures and vary by franchise.
