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Home » Main Dishes » Sandwiches

Hot Sausage Sandwich Boats

A closeup photo of Tiffany holding a bouquet.
By Tiffany
Modified: Oct 28, 2026 · Published: Jun 28, 2025

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These hot sausage sandwich boats are made with a toasted garlic bread hoagie bun topped with ground Italian pork sausage and fresh, melted mozzarella.

Two hot sausage sandwich boats on white paper.

This recipe for a hot sausage sandwich boat came from my in-laws, who serve it as a complete sandwich with a top bun. My husband loves them.

However, anytime he has a sandwich, he complains of too much bread and usually tears off a large portion of it. He’s a big fan of open-faced sandwiches and pizza boats, so this is a combination of the two.

Now, when it comes to the mozzarella cheese, I highly, highly recommend fresh mozzarella. Shredded cheese is coated with things like cellulose that prevent it from clumping, which also makes it harder to melt together. Fresh mozzarella, on the other hand, gets nice and gooey.

When it comes to finding fresh mozzarella in the grocery store, I never see it with the sliced or shredded cheese in the dairy aisles. It’s always in with the deli and their fancy cheeses.

A package of BelGioioso sliced mozzarella cheese. A hand is holding a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

  • Italian Hoagie Buns
  • Butter
  • Garlic Salt
  • Ground Italian Sausage
  • Marinara Sauce
  • Sliced Pepperoncini
  • Fresh Mozzarella

How to Make Hot Sausage Sandwich Boats

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
A process shot of a white background with a rectangle baking sheet on it. There are six half slices of hoagie bun topped with butter on top of the baking sheet. A small wood-handled butter spreader sits on top of it.
A process shot of a white background with a gray rectangle baking sheet topped with foil and six baked half slices of hoagie buns.
  • Slice hoagie buns in half and spread butter onto the inside of each half. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Place the hoagie halves onto the baking sheet with the buttered side up. Bake for 5 minutes.
An overhead view of a large hexclad skillet filled with ground Italian pork sausage on a black electric stovetop.
An overhead view of a large hexclad skillet filled with ground Italian pork sausage and marinara sauce on a black electric stovetop.
  • Cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Drain grease. Add marinara sauce and stir to combine.
A white background with a gray rectangle baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and six halves of hoagies topped with Italian sausage.
A process shot of unbaked hot sausage sandwich boats topped with pepperoncini.
  • Spoon the cooked ground Italian sausage onto each hoagie boat. Add pepperoncini. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella.
A process shot of unbaked hot sausage sandwich boats topped with pepperoncini and mozzarella slices.
A process shot of baked hot sausage sandwich boats topped with pepperoncini and melted mozzarella slices.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the hoagies are browned. To get the cheese bubbly and molten hot, turn the broiler on high for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully not to burn them.
A black spatula and hand holding up a hot sausage sandwich boat. The melted mozzarella cheese is stringing to the next sandwich boat.

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Two hot sausage sandwich boats on white paper.

Hot Sausage Sandwich Boats

Tiffany
These hot sausage sandwich boats are made with a toasted garlic bread hoagie bun topped with ground Italian pork sausage and fresh, melted mozzarella.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 27 minutes mins
Total Time 37 minutes mins
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 566 kcal

Equipment

  • Nordic Ware Baking Sheets

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Italian Hoagie Buns
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Salt
  • 1 pound Ground Italian Sausage
  • 12 ounces Marinara Sauce
  • ½ cup Sliced Pepperoncini
  • 10 ounces Fresh Slices of Mozzarella fresh mozzarella gets gooey and allows it to get golden brown bubbles on top

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Slice hoagie buns in half and spread butter onto the inside of each half. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Place the hoagie halves onto the baking sheet with the buttered side up. Bake for 5 minutes.
  • Cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Drain grease. Add marinara sauce and stir to combine.
  • Spoon the cooked ground Italian sausage onto each hoagie boat. Add pepperoncini. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the hoagies are browned. To get the cheese bubbly and molten hot, turn the broiler on high for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully not to burn them.

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 25gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1532mgPotassium: 441mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 740IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 313mgIron: 3mg

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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A closeup photo of Tiffany holding a bouquet.

Hello! I'm Tiffany.

I'm the recipe developer and food photographer behind Simply Happenings. I'm also a wife, mom to two adventurous little boys, registered nurse, and I live in the great Midwest. I like to feature high-protein recipes, one-pot meals, and delicious recipes you can cook with your favorite household appliances.

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