Italian Baked Meatballs
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!
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.
How to Make Baked Meatballs
- In a large bowl combine the ground beef and pork, spices, egg and bread crumbs and gently combine, then form into 7-8 meatballs.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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!
Italian Baked Meatballs
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
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Taste is great but had a loooong wait. I doubled the recipe and didn’t see notes or anything about adjusting time or temp for a larger batch. So if anyone does double it, prepare for an hour at 350°…. I bumped it to 400° the first time after nothing was looking even close to cooked at 25 minutes. Other than that, great recipe and will continue to make!
I find it most interesting each time I read a recipe for making Italian Meatballs…how very different they are prepared….and to say the least; they’re independent with the ingredients. I learned from my Italian grandmother (nanna) Sicilian by birth..~ but even with that, I’m certain not the same as another near-by Nanna, either!
She prepared hers with beef/pork, as well. Two slices of course bread soaked in warm water…wine, eggs, garlic and seasonings, as well…and lastly ~ grated Italian cheese. Of course, Italian spices, fresh parsley was included. She fried hers in olive oil and drained well before the blend with her sauce! It would have been nice to have asked when I could have……I helped her; but was a bit too young to think about the ‘what ifs, and the why’s in life~!!!
Hi Carole, yes it is always different, depends on the different parts of Italy different families, what was available. Anything and everything! 🙂 I guess that’s what makes it all so delicious and interesting. Take care.
Your pan is very pretty with the Butterfly on it, but should you cook tomato sauce in cast iron? I thought that was a “nono”.
Hi Dorothy, thanks, I use it photos and I cook in another pan. Take care!
I made these meatballs last night. They were fantastic! I will be making them again for sure. I love cooking Italian 😀
Hi Kathleen, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them and love cooking Italian! Take care and Happy New Year!
My grandmother’s meatball recipe is similar, except Italian bread is soaked in water ( crusts removed) the meatballs were always fried for the nice crust before they went in the sauce. I changed it to bake the meatballs instead, but fresh parm always. I will try yours. Love your biscotti recipes.
Hi Elaine, yes my Mom used water although most Italians use milk and I like that idea also. Thanks so much, glad you enjoy the biscotti recipes. Take care and Happy New Year.
Elaine, seems our grandmothers thought a bit alike~!!!
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!
Hi Lydia, thanks so much, glad you and your family enjoyed it. I love and miss Toronto. Take care.
Elaine, seems our grandmothers thought a bit alike~!!!
I’m looking forward though to making this recipe for the family when they visit.
Hi Carole, I hope they enjoy it! Take care!
Can I use bread crumbs instead of bread ?
I do in meatloaf and it’s never dry
Hi Karen, yes you can use crumbs instead. I hope you enjoy them.
Delicious and easy! So nice to not have to tend to meatballs cooking on the stove. Will definitely be having this again, soon.
Hi Kerry, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them.