This grilled cheese is loaded with the easiest and most delicious spaghetti and meatballs!
Carb lovers, this one’s for you. If you’ve ever wanted something gloriously indulgent and totally necessary, this is it. Read on and I’ll walk you through it.
Spaghetti Meatballs
Spaghetti sandwiches are usually filled with spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti bolognese, or just plain spaghetti. Today we’re going with meatballs for extra heartiness and flavor.
“Cheatballs”
To keep things simple, try the sausage trick: use herby or Italian pork sausages, squeeze out small portions of the filling (discard the skins) and roll them into mini meatballs. If you prefer, make traditional meatballs or use store-bought ones, but make sure they’re small enough to fit comfortably inside the sandwich.
Marinara Sauce
This sauce is genuinely quick and flavorful—worth making from scratch. If you have a jarred marinara you love, that’ll work in a pinch, but a simple homemade sauce elevates the sandwich.
Can I turn this into a bolognese/meat sauce?
Yes. Swap the sausages for the same weight of ground beef and follow the same steps. The sauce works just as well with meatballs or loose meat.
Process shots: fry meatballs, soften onion & garlic, add passata and herbs, simmer until thickened, add spaghetti and toss to combine.
Garlic Butter
Garlic butter is essential here. It transforms the bread into garlic bread and gives the sandwich an irresistible savory edge.
Garlic Butter Ingredients
- Garlic – Finely grate the cloves and mash them into a paste with the blade of a knife. This helps prevent burning and releases more flavor.
- Butter – Slightly softened, preferably salted.
- Parsley – Fresh and very finely chopped.
Process shots: combine butter, garlic and parsley in a small pot, then mash to a smooth spread.
Spaghetti Sandwich
Now for the fun part: building a grilled cheese stuffed with spaghetti and mini meatballs. Yes, really.
What bread to use?
Use a sturdy white loaf with thick slices. The filling is generous, so the bread needs to hold everything together without getting soggy.
What cheese to use?
Mozzarella gives the best pull and mild creaminess, while grated Parmesan adds a sharp, salty punch. Cheddar or Swiss would also work if you prefer.
Low and slow
Cook the sandwich over low to medium heat so the cheese melts evenly while the bread browns gently. This also prevents the garlic butter from burning.
Process shots: spread garlic butter on the bread, layer mozzarella and parmesan, add sauced spaghetti and meatballs, top with more cheese and the buttered slice.
Serving Spaghetti Sandwiches
These sandwiches make an excellent dinner. Serve them on their own for a decadent meal or alongside a simple side salad if you want a lighter contrast.
Can I make these ahead of time?
I don’t recommend assembling the entire sandwich ahead of time, as it won’t reheat or crisp up the same. You can, however, prepare the garlic butter and the spaghetti sauce in advance and reheat them when ready to assemble.
Can I use leftover spaghetti?
Absolutely. Leftover spaghetti tossed in the sauce is perfect for these sandwiches, making them a great way to repurpose dinner from the night before.
Ready for the full recipe? Here’s everything you need to make these epic spaghetti grilled cheese sandwiches.
How to make a Spaghetti Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)
Epic Spaghetti Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Equipment
- Large pan & wooden spoon
- Large pot & colander
- Sharp knife & chopping board
- Small pot (for garlic butter)
- Fine cheese grater (for Parmesan)
- Pasta tongs
Ingredients
Spaghetti
- 1/2 lb / 250 g Dried spaghetti
- 3 cups / 750 ml Tomato passata (pureed/strained tomatoes)
- 6 Pork sausages (optional; see notes)
- 1 small/medium Onion, finely diced
- 1 small bunch (≈30 g) Fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp Chilli flakes, or to taste
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, as needed
Garlic Butter
- 6 tbsp / 90 g Butter
- 3 Garlic cloves, finely grated and mashed into a paste
- 1 heaped tbsp Fresh parsley, very finely diced
Sandwich
- 8 Large thick slices of bread
- 12 Square slices of mozzarella (or 3 cups / 300 g shredded)
- 1 cup / 80 g Freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Meatballs: Remove sausage skins, squeeze out small chunks (about 4–6 per sausage) and roll into mini meatballs. Fry in a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and nearly cooked through.
- Sauce: Lower heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Fry until softened and lightly browned, then add the passata, basil, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Stir, lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20–30 minutes.
- Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss through the simmered sauce, then turn off the heat.
- Garlic butter: Combine butter, grated garlic and parsley in a small pot and mash to combine. Spread the mixture over one side of each slice of bread.
- Sandwich assembly: Flip half the slices so the buttered side is down. Layer mozzarella and Parmesan on each, use tongs to add sauced spaghetti (and meatballs if using), then top with more Parmesan and mozzarella. Place the remaining slices of bread butter-side-up to close the sandwiches.
- Cook: Working two sandwiches at a time, fry them in a pan over low-medium heat until both sides are golden and the cheese is melted. Keep the heat low to avoid burning the garlic butter.
- Serve: Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, slice in half and enjoy immediately.
Quick Demo
Notes
a) Do I have to make the meatballs? No. You can fill the sandwiches with sauced spaghetti only. The sausage mini-meatballs are a quick, tasty option I call “cheatballs.” If using store-bought meatballs, make sure they’re small enough to fit. Six pork sausages weigh about 400 g.
b) Can I make it into a bolognese? Yes. Use 400 g (14 oz) beef mince, fry it after the onions and garlic, then follow the recipe as written.
c) Make ahead: Don’t assemble the full sandwich ahead of time. You can prepare and store the garlic butter and sauce in advance; freeze the sauce if desired and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
d) Serving: This recipe makes four very large sandwiches, or about five more moderately sized ones depending on your bread.
For another pasta sandwich try the mac and cheese grilled cheese variation.
Hungry for more? Try these similar sandwiches:
Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Leftover Bolognese Grilled Cheese
- Italian Sausage Grilled Cheese
- Pizza Grilled Cheese
- Bruschetta Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
If you loved this spaghetti sandwich recipe, pin it for later. Made it or have a question? Leave a comment below!