Baked Meatballs

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These easy oven baked meatballs in sauce are a perfect weeknight dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword baked meatball recipe, baked meatballs, how to bake meatballs, oven baked meatballs in sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Chilling Time (optional) 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings people

Calories 385kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 lb. ground “meatloaf mix” (a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal) (see my note below for substitutions)
¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or sub with ½ teaspoon dried basil)
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (reduce to 1 tablespoon for a less-sweet sauce)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional, for serving: cooked pasta, bread, additional fresh herbs, additional Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the Meatballs

In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine all of the meatball ingredients, being careful not to over-mix. If time allows, cover the bowl and chill for about 1 hour (this is optional, but will make the meatballs easier to shape).

Bake the Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a scoop to shape the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. Tip: rub your hands with a little bit of oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Make the Sauce

While the meatballs bake in the oven, prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, parsley, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or sugar, if necessary.
Add the baked meatballs to the sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 more minutes so that the meatballs can absorb the flavors from the sauce.

Video

Notes

I prefer the "meatloaf mix" because the blend of three different types of meat yields meatballs with so much flavor! That said, you can substitute with a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground pork, use all ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. Just make sure that the meat totals 1 lb. and is about 85% lean. If using chicken or turkey, cook the meatballs to an internal temperature of 165°F instead of 160°F.

Instead of preparing the marinara sauce shown here, take a shortcut and toss the meatballs in a jar of your favorite store-bought sauce.

Nutrition