The 50-Year-Old Iowa State Fair Recipe My Family Will Never Stop Making Recipe
A nostalgic and flavorful Iowa State Fair classic featuring a savory blend of seasoned ground beef and Italian sausage topped with melted mozzarella on toasted hoagie rolls. This hearty sandwich is perfect for a comforting family meal or game day treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Sandwich
- 4 hoagie rolls
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground hot Italian pork sausage
- 8 ounce jar pizza sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional Topping
- Banana pepper rings (to taste)
Instructions
- Brown the Meats: In a pan over medium-high heat, combine the ground beef and hot Italian pork sausage. Cook until the meat is fully browned and no longer pink, then drain off any excess grease.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix together the minced onion, chopped basil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir this seasoning mixture into the jar of pizza sauce, then add it to the browned meat in the pan.
- Simmer the Sauce and Meat: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the meat and sauce mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir regularly to meld the flavors and thicken the mixture slightly.
- Preheat Oven and Assemble Sandwiches: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Split each hoagie roll open lengthwise and layer generously with the hot meat and sauce mixture, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the Sandwiches: Wrap each assembled sandwich individually in aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sandwiches are heated through.
- Serve: Carefully unwrap the sandwiches and serve hot. Optionally, top with banana pepper rings for an extra burst of flavor and a little heat.
Notes
- Draining the grease from the meats is essential to avoid a soggy sandwich and reduce excess fat.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your preferred spice level.
- Banana pepper rings add a nice tangy and mild spicy contrast but can be omitted if preferred.
- Using hoagie rolls ensures the sandwich holds together well and provides a sturdy base for the filling.
Keywords: Iowa State Fair recipe, meatball sandwich, Italian sausage sandwich, hoagie roll sandwich, mozzarella sandwich, baked sandwich
