The Italian bomb sandwich has homemade marinara sauce (it’s easy with the Instant Pot!), sliced Italian sausages, garlic butter spread and melty cheese. Basically, you’re going to love this sandwich.

Italian Bomb Sandwich (Instant Pot)
When I graduated from high school I won a sandwich maker at the all night grad party. Random. I brought it to college with me and would make pizza sandwiches in it all the time. Bread, marinara sauce and cheese. Back then that was a gourmet dinner for me. Today, I leveled up my college pizza sandwich into something that is going to knock your socks off. This sandwich has Italian sausage, homemade marinara, a garlic butter spread, provolone cheese and it’s served on a hoagie bun. These sandwiches are soooo good! I think your family will agree. Try it for dinner one of these nights. In my opinion, sandwiches are a highly underrated dinner!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Italian sausage links
- Tomato juice–or broth or V8
- Crushed tomatoes–for best consistency use crushed tomatoes. I can find them in a 14.5 ounce can at Smiths
- Butter
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Provolone cheese–or another type of cheese like pepper jack or mozzarella
- Hoagie buns–or another type of roll or bun you like
- Butter–or margarine spread
- Italian seasoning
Steps
- Brown the sausage links: Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says hot add in the sausage and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes. They will not be cooked through. Add in the tomato juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Add rest of marinara ingredients: Turn off sauté setting. Dump in the crushed tomatoes, butter, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting and remove the lid.
- Slice sausages: Use tongs to move the sausages to a cutting board. Slice the sausages in half lengthwise and then into thirds. Stir the sauce that is in the Instant Pot.
- Heat oven: Turn oven to 350 degrees F to heat up. Slice open the hoagie buns and lay them open on a baking sheet.
- Make garlic butter spread: In a small bowl stir together the butter, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Butter the insides of both halves of the bread.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Sauce the insides of both halves of the bread with the sauce in the Instant Pot. Lay the cheese slices on top of the sauce on the bread half that will be the sandwich top. Place the sausage link pieces on top of the sauce on the bread half that will be the bottom of the sandwich. Carefully place the top of the sandwich on top of the bottom.
- Bake: Cover the sandwiches tightly with foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve: Use a serrated bread knife to slice the sandwiches into thirds and serve!
Notes/Tips
- There is probably enough sauce to make 6 sandwiches. I used the leftover sauce for pasta another day.
- Serve with a side salad. I love the Olive Garden Italian salad dressing that you can buy at any grocery store.
- Try adding a layer of pepperoni and banana peppers inside the sandwich.
- Buy a good quality hoagie bun for the sandwich. I used the Great Grains® Rustic Hoagie Cheddar Cheese Buns.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also use a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with crushed tomatoes are Instant Pot Tuscan Parmesan Chicken and Instant Pot Beef Stew.

More sandwich recipes to love…
- Instant Pot Sloppy Dorothy Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Manna Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Po Boy Roast Beef Sandwich
- Instant Pot Steak Bomb Sandwich
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
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Italian Bomb Sandwich (Instant Pot)
- Yield: 4 large sandwiches 1x
Description
The Italian bomb sandwich has homemade marinara sauce (it’s easy with the Instant Pot!), sliced Italian sausages, garlic butter spread and melty cheese. Basically you’re going to love this sandwich.
Ingredients
- 4 Italian sausage links
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 slices of provolone cheese
- 4 large hoagie buns
For the garlic butter:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says hot add in the sausage and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes. Add in the tomato juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Turn off sauté setting. Dump in the crushed tomatoes, butter, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting and remove the lid.
- Use tongs to move the sausages to a cutting board. Slice the sausages in half lengthwise and then into thirds. Stir the sauce that is in the Instant Pot.
- Turn oven to 350 degrees F to heat up. Slice open the hoagie buns and lay them open on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl stir together the butter, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Butter the insides of both halves of the bread.
- Sauce the insides of both halves of the bread with the sauce in the Instant Pot.
- Lay the cheese slices on top of the sauce on the bread half that will be the sandwich top.
- Place the sausage link pieces on top of the sauce on the bread half that will be the bottom of the sandwich.
- Carefully place the top of the sandwich on top of the bottom.
- Cover the sandwiches tightly with foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Use a serrated bread knife to slice the sandwiches into thirds and serve!
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It’s so funny how sometimes I think our minds are aligned! Just the other day I made what I called Italian Sloppy Joes. I used 1 lb ground Italian sausage & 1 lb of very lean ground beef. 1 onion & 1 green pepper, chopped. 1 teaspoon Spice World minced garlic. Basil, oregano, salt & pepper (I didn’t measure, just to taste) 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes. I browned the meats together, drained off excess fat (there was minimal), added onion & pepper, sauted till softened. Added seasonings & tomatoes. Sealed, set to 4 minutes & ran to the store for buns. Got back & pot was ready (npr) put mozz & provolone on the sliced gently toasted buns (slathered them with LOLgarlic herb butter & toasted in a skillet), added Italian Sloppy Joe mixture, more cheese & lightly broiled till melted & bubbly. Then we all tore them up! Wasn’t even enough left for leftovers the next day!
That sounds amazing!!!