Okay, so yesterday I was making meatball subs, right? Classic comfort food. But I was like, “I can’t just serve these things solo. Gotta have some side action happening.” So, I started brainstorming.
First thought: Salad! Always a good bet. I went with a simple Italian salad. Grabbed some romaine lettuce, chopped it up, threw in some cherry tomatoes (halved ’em, of course), a red onion (thinly sliced, makes all the difference), and some black olives. Then, I whipped up a quick vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Shook it all up in a jar and drizzled it over the salad right before serving. Kept things fresh and light to balance out the heavy subs.
Next up: Roasted Veggies. I had some zucchini and bell peppers hanging out in the fridge, begging to be used. So I chopped them into bite-sized pieces, tossed them with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Spread ’em out on a baking sheet and roasted them at 400°F (around 200°C) for about 20 minutes, until they were tender and slightly browned. The sweetness of the roasted veggies was a great contrast to the savory meatballs.
Then, I figured I needed something a little more substantial. I decided on: Garlic Knots. I cheated a little here. I bought some pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store. Rolled it out, cut it into strips, tied each strip into a knot, brushed them with melted butter, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese, and baked them in the oven until they were golden brown. These were gone in like, five minutes. Seriously.
Lastly, I was feeling fancy. I made some: Pasta Salad. Cooked some rotini pasta according to the package directions, drained it, and rinsed it with cold water. Then, I added some chopped pepperoni, mozzarella cheese cubes, and some more of those cherry tomatoes and black olives from the salad. For the dressing, I just used some Italian dressing from a bottle. Easy peasy. It was a cool and refreshing side that everyone seemed to enjoy.
So, there you have it. My meatball sub side dish extravaganza. It was a little bit of everything – fresh, roasted, cheesy, and pasta-y. Definitely elevated the whole meatball sub experience.
- Italian Salad
- Roasted Veggies
- Garlic Knots
- Pasta Salad
Would I do it all again? Absolutely. Maybe next time I’ll try some different roasted veggies, like broccoli or Brussels sprouts. But overall, it was a winning combination. Meatball subs are even better with friends. Side dish friends, that is.
