• Cooking Tips
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy
  • Recipe Index

Sign Up for My Newsletter and free EBook ✉️
  • Home
  • About Me – Rosemary Molloy
    • Contact
    • Disclosure/Privacy
  • Recipes
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chocolate
    • Eggs
    • Fish & Seafood
    • fruit
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Vegetables
  • Course
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Pasta
    • Casseroles & Bakes
    • Pizza / Bread
    • Salads
    • Soups & Stews
  • Desserts
    • Cookies & Bars
    • Donuts & Pastries
    • Frostings & Glazes
    • Homemade Candy
    • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
    • Muffins & Sweet Breads
    • No-Bake Desserts
    • Tarts & Pies
  • Seasons
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fall/Winter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
  • American Favorites
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Drinks
    • Lunch
    • Main Dish
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes

Sign Up for My Newsletter and free EBook ✉️

An Italian in my Kitchen

Authentic Italian Recipes

  • Recipes
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chocolate
    • Eggs
    • Fish & Seafood
    • fruit
    • Nuts
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Vegetables
  • Course
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Pasta
    • Casseroles & Bakes
    • Pizza / Bread
    • Salads
    • Soups & Stews
    • Desserts
      • Cookies & Bars
      • Donuts & Pastries
      • Frostings & Glazes
      • Homemade Candy
      • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
      • Muffins & Sweet Breads
      • No-Bake Desserts
      • Tarts & Pies
  • Seasons
    • Cooking Tips for Making it Italian
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fall/Winter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Recipe Collections
  • American Favorites
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Main Dish
    • Desserts
Home » Popular » Casseroles & Bakes » Italian Baked Meatballs

Italian Baked Meatballs

By: Rosemary Published: May 1, 2019 Updated on: July 3, 2021

Share

Share
Pin
Email
Jump to Recipe

These delicious Baked Meatballs are tender and juicy, baked in a simple spiced tomato sauce. Makes the perfect Dinner Recipe. Serve over your favourite Pasta.

Meatballs are a popular Dinner Dish and these Meatballs in Red Pepper Tomato Sauce are one of our favourites!

baked meatballs in a black skillet

I have loved meatballs every since I first tasted my Mom’s Best Meatballs. And naturally I got my family hooked on them too. Adjusting to Italian life was interesting especially when I discovered that Italians do not eat Spaghetti and Meatballs together!

Pasta is considered a first plate and the Meatballs (or any meat or fish dish) is considered a second plate. Just be sure to serve them with some fresh Italian Crusty bread, what you need to wipe up all that delicious Sauce.

Table of Contents

  • How to Make them
  • Can Meatballs be frozen?
  • Ingredients
  • More Delicious Meatball Recipes:
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • Italian Baked Meatballs
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
      • FOR THE MEATBALLS
      • FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
      • TOPPINGS
    • Instructions 
      • FOR THE MEATBALLS
      • FOR THE SAUCE
    • Nutrition

How to Make them

baked meatballs how to make sauce and formed meatballs, in the pan ready to bake

  1. In a large bowl combine the ground beef and pork, spices, egg and bread crumbs and gently combine, then form into 7-8 meatballs.
  2. In a medium bowl add the peeled Roma or San Marzano tomatoes and chop, then add the olive oil, spices and a little water and mix.
  3. In a large skillet drizzle the bottom of the pan with a little oil, add the sauce and top with meatballs, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan Cheese. Bake for approximately 20 – 25 minutes, the meatballs can be turned halfway through the cooking process, but it isn’t necessary.
  4. Serve topped with grated Parmesan Cheese.

Can Meatballs be frozen?

Meatballs can either be frozen cooked or uncooked. Place meatballs (if cooked let them cool slightly) on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. They can remain for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.

Let the Meatballs defrost overnight in the fridge, then cook as per the recipe.

baked meatballs in a pan with one on a spoon

Ingredients

  • Be sure to use freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and not the cheese sold in plastic packages, cans or jars.
  • Ground beef with 15-20 % fat. A little fat content helps the meatballs stay juicy.
  • I like to use a little ground pork also or even an Italian sausage with the casing removed.
  • For the Tomato sauce be sure to use canned peeled Roma or San Marzano tomatoes, just the tomatoes with nothing added.
  • Use fresh parsley and thyme.

More Delicious Meatball Recipes:

  • Mom’s Easy Traditional Italian Meatballs
  • Classic Italian Meatballs
  • Polpettone
  • Double Cheese Meatballs Two Ways

I hope you give these Baked Meatballs a try and let me know how you like them. Buon Appetito!

 

upclose baked meatball

baked meatballs in a pan with one on a spoon
Subscribe Today

Never Miss a Recipe!

Subscribe today and receive my free e-book of recipes!

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Italian Baked Meatballs

    Rosemary Molloy
    These delicious Baked Meatballs are tender and juicy, baked in a simple spiced tomato sauce. Makes the perfect Dinner Recipe, serve over your favourite Pasta.
    5 from 3 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 417 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    FOR THE MEATBALLS

    • 1 1/2 slices bread (60 grams)
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • .66 pound ground beef (15-20% fat) (300 grams)
    • 1 large Italian sausage (casing removed and chopped) (100 grams)
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (50 grams)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 egg
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1-2 dashes black pepper
    • 1 clove garlic (minced)

    FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

    • 14 ounces Peeled Tomatoes (Roma / San Marzano-1 can) (400 grams)
    • 1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon basil
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1-2 dashes hot pepper flakes if desired
    • 1 tablespoon water

    TOPPINGS

    • 1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil on a oven save skillet or pan (10 inches / 25 cm).

    FOR THE MEATBALLS

    • In a small bowl add the milk and bread (crust removed) let soak, then squeeze out excess moisture and crumble.
    • In a large bowl add the ground beef, sausage, crumbled bread, parmesan, parsley, egg, salt, pepper and garlic, gently combine. (do not over mix). Form into 7-8 meatballs.

    FOR THE SAUCE

    • In a medium bowl add the tomatoes (chop coarsely) then add the garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, salt, hot pepper flakes and water, combine with a fork.
    • Pour the sauce on the bottom of the pan, place meatballs on top. Sprinkle with half the parmesan cheese and fresh thyme. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 26gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 956mgPotassium: 559mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 475IUVitamin C: 13.3mgCalcium: 230mgIron: 3.7mg
    Keyword baked meatballs, meatball casserole
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Subscribe Today

    Never Miss a Recipe!

    Subscribe today and receive my free e-book of recipes!

      We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.


      Beef, Casseroles & Bakes, Main Dish, Most Posts

      Related

      Comments

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Recipe Rating




        This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      1. Lydia says

        March 4, 2022 at 3:27 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Rosemary and fellow-Torontonian!
        For a change, I tried your baked meatball recipe and let me tell you that it was a huge hit with the family!! It was delicious, the meatballs were so tender and flavorful, your recipe is definitely a keeper!
        Grazie mille!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          March 5, 2022 at 3:35 pm

          Hi Lydia, thanks so much, glad you and your family enjoyed it. I love and miss Toronto. Take care.

          Reply
      2. Karen says

        January 25, 2022 at 12:47 am

        Can I use bread crumbs instead of bread ?
        I do in meatloaf and it’s never dry

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          January 27, 2022 at 12:04 am

          Hi Karen, yes you can use crumbs instead. I hope you enjoy them.

          Reply
      3. Kerry Monteleone says

        June 25, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious and easy! So nice to not have to tend to meatballs cooking on the stove. Will definitely be having this again, soon.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          June 25, 2020 at 4:18 pm

          Hi Kerry, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them.

          Reply

      Hi, I'm Rosemary.

      Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

      Most Popular

      pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paper

      Best Pizza Dough

      puff pastry cut in half stacked.

      Quick & Easy Homemade Puff Pastry

      Homemade Potato Gnocchi

      Pieces of fudge on parchment paper.

      Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

      Sauce and pasta in a bowl with some on a fork.

      Authentic Bolognese Sauce

      5 stacked lemon cookies.

      Italian Lemon Cookies

      Filter By Date

      Readers Favorite Trending Recipes

      pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paper

      Best Pizza Dough

      Homemade Potato Gnocchi

      puff pastry cut in half stacked.

      Quick & Easy Homemade Puff Pastry

      Sauce and pasta in a bowl with some on a fork.

      Authentic Bolognese Sauce

      Ingredients.

      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Eggs
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Pasta
      • Pork

      Course.

      • Appetizers & Snacks
      • Breakfast / Brunch
      • Drinks
      • Lunch
      • Main Dish

      Browse.

      • About Me – Rosemary Molloy
      • Contact
      • Disclosure/Privacy
      • Recipe Index
      Copyright ©2023, An Italian in my Kitchen. All Rights Reserved.
      Design by Pixel Me Designs