Baked Italian Meatballs
A cozy and comforting recipe for Baked Italian Meatballs, perfect for autumn evenings, featuring tender meatballs baked in marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Meatball Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef (or a beef-lamb blend), 85% lean
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs or finely crushed crackers
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
For Drizzling
- 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a shallow baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk and let sit for 5 minutes until the crumbs are softened.
- In a large bowl, add ground beef, soaked crumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mixture and roll into uniform balls (roughly 1¼ inches). Place them on the prepared pan about 1 inch apart.
Baking
- Drizzle meatballs lightly with olive oil and bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove and spoon marinara over them. Return to the oven and bake another 8–10 minutes until cooked through and sauce is bubbling.
Finishing Touch
- For a golden top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully. Garnish with extra parsley and serve over pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
Notes
Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs. Soaking breadcrumbs traps moisture and prevents dryness. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C) for beef blends. You can form the meatballs, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake straight from frozen —add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 500mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
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