Italian Loose Meat Hoagies

Italian Loose Meat Hoagies – These Italian inspired loose meat hoagies are a favorite meal at our house. They’re quick, filling and fun to eat.  They’re one of those meals we often refer to as “party food.”  I couldn’t resist making an Italian version of a loose meat sandwich and piling it high on a toasted hoagie roll.  It’s sort of a sloppy version of an Italian meatball hoagie cooked with onions and sweet peppers then dressed with pizza sauce.

My sons really took to the loose meat idea and now this has become a regular rotation on our menu.  I recommend using hoagie rolls that can be cut on top, so they remain upright in the oven when melting and covering with gooey cheese.  It’s a tasty treat for game days, too.  The filling can be made in advance, and it freezes well making for low-stress meal-time preparation.

Ingredients you’ll need:
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
olive oil
3 clove garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage sweet or spicy, your preference
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 [16] oz pizza sauce
2 tsp dry Italian, Mediterranean Herb or Pizza & Pasta Magic seasoning
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and black pepper
16 slices provolone or mozzerella cheese
Hoagie rolls, buttered and toasted

Directions:
In a medium saucepan on the stovetop, saute the diced onion over medium-high in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.  Saute until the onion softens and is beginning to brown, then add the sliced peppers.

Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the minced garlic, ground beef and Italian sausage.  Season the meat with salt and black pepper.  Cook until no pink remains and the sausage and ground beef have browned.  Drain all excess fat from the pan.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning and oregano. Stir well, then cook for another 5-7 minutes until heated through.

Set the oven on the broil setting.  Butter and lightly toast the hoagie rolls.  Fill with loose meat and top with slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese.  Return to the oven to melt the cheese.  Yield: 8-10 hoagies

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Italian Loose Meat Hoagies

Servings 8 -10

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet onion diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
• olive oil
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage sweet or spicy your preference
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 [16] oz pizza sauce
• 2 tsp dry Italian Mediterranean Herb or Pizza & Pasta Magic seasoning
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• salt and black pepper
• 16 slices provolone or mozzerella cheese
• Hoagie rolls buttered and toasted

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan on the stovetop, saute the diced onion over medium-high in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste. Saute until the onion softens and is beginning to brown, then add the sliced peppers.
2. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the minced garlic, ground beef and Italian sausage. Season the meat with salt and black pepper. Cook until no pink remains and the sausage and ground beef have browned. Drain all excess fat from the pan.
3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning and oregano. Stir well, then cook for another 5-7 minutes until heated through.
4. Set the oven on the broil setting. Butter and lightly toast the hoagie rolls.
5. Fill with loose meat and top with slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese.
6. Return to the oven to melt the cheese.
7. Serve immediately.