diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/subp-method.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/subp-method.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..161e90c9484f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/subp-method.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+## Set [[dependency]] and [[subproject]] build method
+
+Subprojects can already define a build method in their `.wrap` file. It can
+now also be done with [[dependency]]'s `fallback_method` and [[subproject]]'s
+`method` keyword arguments. Supported values are `meson`, `cmake` and `cargo`.
+It defaults to the `method` field in the wrap file if any, otherwise it defaults
+to `meson`.
diff --git a/docs/yaml/functions/dependency.yaml b/docs/yaml/functions/dependency.yaml
index 9d4dfc6d06c9..a4bce64394bd 100644
--- a/docs/yaml/functions/dependency.yaml
+++ b/docs/yaml/functions/dependency.yaml
@@ -123,6 +123,15 @@ kwargs:
       If the value is an empty array it has the same effect as
       `allow_fallback: false`.
 
+  fallback_method:
+    type: str
+    since: 1.10.0
+    description: |
+      Specifies which method should be used to configure the fallback if the
+      dependency is not found in the system. Supported values are `meson`,
+      `cmake` and `cargo`. It defaults to the `method` field in the wrap file
+      if any, otherwise it defaults to `meson`.
+
   language:
     type: str
     since: 0.42.0
diff --git a/docs/yaml/functions/subproject.yaml b/docs/yaml/functions/subproject.yaml
index 508837c2ba67..edfdb14e81f0 100644
--- a/docs/yaml/functions/subproject.yaml
+++ b/docs/yaml/functions/subproject.yaml
@@ -65,3 +65,11 @@ kwargs:
     default: true
     description: |
       Works just the same as in [[dependency]].
+
+  method:
+    type: str
+    since: 1.10.0
+    description: |
+      Specifies which method should be used to configure the subproject.
+      Supported values are `meson`, `cmake` and `cargo`. It defaults to the
+      `method` field in the wrap file if any, otherwise it defaults to `meson`.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/cargo/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/cargo/interpreter.py
index ba08e6d7c1d8..52c4816f8b5a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/cargo/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/cargo/interpreter.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def interpret_package(self, manifest: Manifest, build: builder.Builder, subdir:
             member = ws.packages_to_member[manifest.package.name]
             pkg = ws.packages[member]
         else:
-            pkg, cached = self._fetch_package(manifest.package.name, manifest.package.api)
+            pkg, cached = self._fetch_package_from_manifest(manifest)
             if not cached:
                 # This is an entry point, always enable the 'default' feature.
                 # FIXME: We should have a Meson option similar to `cargo build --no-default-features`
@@ -223,15 +223,15 @@ def _require_workspace_member(self, ws: WorkspaceState, member: str) -> PackageS
             ws.required_members.append(member)
         return pkg
 
-    def _fetch_package(self, package_name: str, api: str) -> T.Tuple[PackageState, bool]:
+    def _fetch_package(self, package_name: str, api: str) -> PackageState:
         key = PackageKey(package_name, api)
         pkg = self.packages.get(key)
         if pkg:
-            return pkg, True
+            return pkg
         meson_depname = _dependency_name(package_name, api)
         return self._fetch_package_from_subproject(package_name, meson_depname)
 
-    def _fetch_package_from_subproject(self, package_name: str, meson_depname: str) -> T.Tuple[PackageState, bool]:
+    def _fetch_package_from_subproject(self, package_name: str, meson_depname: str) -> PackageState:
         subp_name, _ = self.environment.wrap_resolver.find_dep_provider(meson_depname)
         if subp_name is None:
             # If Cargo.lock has a different version, this could be a resolution
@@ -251,17 +251,28 @@ def _fetch_package_from_subproject(self, package_name: str, meson_depname: str)
         downloaded = \
             subp_name in self.environment.wrap_resolver.wraps and \
             self.environment.wrap_resolver.wraps[subp_name].type is not None
+
         if isinstance(manifest, Workspace):
             ws = self._get_workspace(manifest, subdir)
             member = ws.packages_to_member[package_name]
             pkg = self._require_workspace_member(ws, member)
-            return pkg, False
+            return pkg
+
         key = PackageKey(package_name, version.api(manifest.package.version))
+        pkg = self.packages.get(key)
+        if pkg:
+            return pkg
+        pkg = PackageState(manifest, downloaded)
+        self.packages[key] = pkg
+        self._prepare_package(pkg)
+        return pkg
 
+    def _fetch_package_from_manifest(self, manifest: Manifest) -> T.Tuple[PackageState, bool]:
+        key = PackageKey(manifest.package.name, version.api(manifest.package.version))
         pkg = self.packages.get(key)
         if pkg:
             return pkg, True
-        pkg = PackageState(manifest, downloaded)
+        pkg = PackageState(manifest, downloaded=False)
         self.packages[key] = pkg
         self._prepare_package(pkg)
         return pkg, False
@@ -287,7 +298,7 @@ def _dep_package(self, pkg: PackageState, dep: Dependency) -> PackageState:
             dep_pkg = self._require_workspace_member(ws, dep_member)
         elif dep.git:
             _, _, directory = _parse_git_url(dep.git, dep.branch)
-            dep_pkg, _ = self._fetch_package_from_subproject(dep.package, directory)
+            dep_pkg = self._fetch_package_from_subproject(dep.package, directory)
         else:
             # From all available versions from Cargo.lock, pick the most recent
             # satisfying the constraints
@@ -302,7 +313,7 @@ def _dep_package(self, pkg: PackageState, dep: Dependency) -> PackageState:
             else:
                 if not dep.meson_version:
                     raise MesonException(f'Cannot determine version of cargo package {dep.package}')
-            dep_pkg, _ = self._fetch_package(dep.package, dep.api)
+            dep_pkg = self._fetch_package(dep.package, dep.api)
         return dep_pkg
 
     def _load_manifest(self, subdir: str, workspace: T.Optional[Workspace] = None, member_path: str = '') -> T.Union[Manifest, Workspace]:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/detect.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/detect.py
index 4cdf16de58fc..5f9294dad927 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/detect.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/detect.py
@@ -45,20 +45,21 @@ def get_dep_identifier(name: str, kwargs: T.Dict[str, T.Any]) -> 'TV_DepID':
     nkwargs.update(kwargs)
 
     from ..interpreter import permitted_dependency_kwargs
-    assert len(permitted_dependency_kwargs) == 19, \
+    assert len(permitted_dependency_kwargs) == 20, \
            'Extra kwargs have been added to dependency(), please review if it makes sense to handle it here'
     for key, value in nkwargs.items():
         # 'version' is irrelevant for caching; the caller must check version matches
         # 'native' is handled above with `for_machine`
         # 'required' is irrelevant for caching; the caller handles it separately
-        # 'fallback' and 'allow_fallback' is not part of the cache because,
-        #     once a dependency has been found through a fallback, it should
-        #     be used for the rest of the Meson run.
+        # 'fallback', 'allow_fallback' and 'fallback_method' are not part of the
+        #     cache because, once a dependency has been found through a fallback,
+        #     it should be used for the rest of the Meson run.
         # 'default_options' is only used in fallback case
         # 'not_found_message' has no impact on the dependency lookup
         # 'include_type' is handled after the dependency lookup
-        if key in {'version', 'native', 'required', 'fallback', 'allow_fallback', 'default_options',
-                   'not_found_message', 'include_type'}:
+        if key in {'version', 'native', 'required', 'fallback', 'allow_fallback',
+                   'fallback_method', 'default_options', 'not_found_message',
+                   'include_type'}:
             continue
         # All keyword arguments are strings, ints, or lists (or lists of lists)
         if isinstance(value, list):
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/dependencyfallbacks.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/dependencyfallbacks.py
index f415026aa05c..6acbf5bc7209 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/dependencyfallbacks.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/dependencyfallbacks.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     from .interpreter import Interpreter
     from ..interpreterbase import TYPE_nkwargs, TYPE_nvar
     from .interpreterobjects import SubprojectHolder
+    from ..wrap.wrap import Method
 
 
 class DependencyFallbacksHolder(MesonInterpreterObject):
@@ -27,7 +28,8 @@ def __init__(self,
                  interpreter: 'Interpreter',
                  names: T.List[str],
                  allow_fallback: T.Optional[bool] = None,
-                 default_options: T.Optional[T.Dict[str, str]] = None) -> None:
+                 default_options: T.Optional[T.Dict[str, str]] = None,
+                 fallback_method: Method = 'meson') -> None:
         super().__init__(subproject=interpreter.subproject)
         self.interpreter = interpreter
         self.subproject = interpreter.subproject
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.names: T.List[str] = []
         self.forcefallback: bool = False
         self.nofallback: bool = False
+        self.fallback_method = fallback_method
         for name in names:
             if not name:
                 raise InterpreterException('dependency_fallbacks empty name \'\' is not allowed')
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ def _do_subproject(self, kwargs: TYPE_nkwargs, func_args: TYPE_nvar, func_kwargs
         subp_name = self.subproject_name
         varname = self.subproject_varname
         func_kwargs.setdefault('version', [])
-        self.interpreter.do_subproject(subp_name, func_kwargs, forced_options=forced_options)
+        self.interpreter.do_subproject(subp_name, func_kwargs, forced_options=forced_options, force_method=self.fallback_method)
         return self._get_subproject_dep(subp_name, varname, kwargs)
 
     def _get_subproject(self, subp_name: str) -> T.Optional[SubprojectHolder]:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
index 9bfc9be23831..f215b7cd9ef3 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
     STATIC_LIB_KWS,
     VARIABLES_KW,
     TEST_KWS,
+    FALLBACK_METHOD_KW,
     NoneType,
     in_set_validator,
     env_convertor_with_method
@@ -245,6 +246,7 @@ class InterpreterRuleRelaxation(Enum):
     'components',
     'default_options',
     'fallback',
+    'fallback_method',
     'include_type',
     'language',
     'main',
@@ -867,6 +869,7 @@ def func_option(self, nodes, args, kwargs):
         REQUIRED_KW,
         DEFAULT_OPTIONS.evolve(since='0.38.0'),
         KwargInfo('version', ContainerTypeInfo(list, str), default=[], listify=True),
+        FALLBACK_METHOD_KW.evolve(name='method'),
     )
     def func_subproject(self, nodes: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.Tuple[str], kwargs: kwtypes.Subproject) -> SubprojectHolder:
         kw: kwtypes.DoSubproject = {
@@ -876,7 +879,7 @@ def func_subproject(self, nodes: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.Tuple[str], kwargs: k
             'options': None,
             'cmake_options': [],
         }
-        return self.do_subproject(args[0], kw)
+        return self.do_subproject(args[0], kw, force_method=kwargs['method'])
 
     def disabled_subproject(self, subp_name: str, disabled_feature: T.Optional[str] = None,
                             exception: T.Optional[Exception] = None) -> SubprojectHolder:
@@ -1809,7 +1812,8 @@ def func_dependency(self, node: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.Tuple[T.List[str]], kw
             raise InvalidArguments('"allow_fallback" argument must be boolean')
         fallback = kwargs.get('fallback')
         default_options = kwargs.get('default_options')
-        df = DependencyFallbacksHolder(self, names, allow_fallback, default_options)
+        fallback_method = kwargs.get('fallback_method')
+        df = DependencyFallbacksHolder(self, names, allow_fallback, default_options, fallback_method)
         df.set_fallback(fallback)
         not_found_message = kwargs.get('not_found_message', '')
         if not isinstance(not_found_message, str):
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
index e95d4734133e..bd5f1d25f16a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from ..options import OptionKey
 from ..modules.cmake import CMakeSubprojectOptions
 from ..programs import ExternalProgram
+from ..wrap.wrap import Method as WrapMethod
 from .type_checking import PkgConfigDefineType, SourcesVarargsType
 
 TestArgs = T.Union[str, File, build.Target, ExternalProgram]
@@ -315,6 +316,7 @@ class Subproject(ExtractRequired):
 
     default_options: T.Dict[OptionKey, options.ElementaryOptionValues]
     version: T.List[str]
+    method: T.Optional[WrapMethod]
 
 
 class DoSubproject(ExtractRequired):
@@ -491,3 +493,4 @@ class FuncDeclareDependency(TypedDict):
 class FuncDependency(TypedDict):
 
     default_options: T.Dict[OptionKey, options.ElementaryOptionValues]
+    fallback_method: T.Optional[WrapMethod]
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
index 4f961bb608ff..c718ec480895 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from ..mesonlib import (File, FileMode, MachineChoice, has_path_sep, listify, stringlistify,
                         EnvironmentVariables)
 from ..programs import ExternalProgram
+from ..wrap.wrap import METHODS
 
 # Helper definition for type checks that are `Optional[T]`
 NoneType: T.Type[None] = type(None)
@@ -892,7 +893,15 @@ def _pkgconfig_define_convertor(x: T.List[str]) -> PkgConfigDefineType:
     convertor=_pkgconfig_define_convertor,
 )
 
+FALLBACK_METHOD_KW: KwargInfo = KwargInfo(
+    'fallback_method',
+    (str, NoneType),
+    default=None,
+    validator=in_set_validator(METHODS),
+    since='1.10.0')
+
 
 DEPENDENCY_KWS: T.List[KwargInfo] = [
     DEFAULT_OPTIONS.evolve(since='0.38.0'),
+    FALLBACK_METHOD_KW,
 ]
diff --git a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
index 8851b30a1f18..8bf3fd8fcbf6 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 WHITELIST_SUBDOMAIN = 'wrapdb.mesonbuild.com'
 
 ALL_TYPES = ['file', 'git', 'hg', 'svn', 'redirect']
+METHODS = {'meson', 'cmake', 'cargo'}
 
 if mesonlib.is_windows():
     from ..programs import ExternalProgram
diff --git a/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/meson.build b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4ad7a5ead38e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+project('cargo fallback method')
+
+subproject('rust', method : 'cargo')
+dependency('foo-0-rs', fallback_method : 'cargo')
diff --git a/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust/Cargo.toml b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5c001b707899
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust/Cargo.toml	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[package]
+name = "empty"
diff --git a/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2.wrap b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2.wrap
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..56be4eaaa606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2.wrap	
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[wrap-file]
+
+[provide]
+dependency_names = foo-0-rs
diff --git a/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/Cargo.toml b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c764b68e49fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/Cargo.toml	
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+[package]
+name = "foo"
+
+[lib]
+path = "lib.rs"
diff --git a/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/lib.rs b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1573adfa4f44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/rust/31 cargo fallback method/subprojects/rust2/lib.rs	
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+pub fn foo() -> i32 {
+  0
+}