Oven Baked Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion
finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 24 oz / 800 g crushed tomato
2 x standard cans
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
chili
- 2 tsp dried Italian herb mix
parsley, basil, thyme, oregano
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper
- 1 lightly packed cup of sliced white sandwich bread
torn into small pieces, crusts removed, Note 1
- ½ onion
grated - including juices, yellow, brown or white
- 14 oz / 400 g ground beef
beef mince
- 3 oz / 100g ground pork or substitute with ground beef
mince
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
finely chopped, Note 3
- 2 garlic cloves
minced
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
freshly grated, or parmesan
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Olive oil spray
or other oil spray
- Fresh parsley
chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan
freshly grated
Directions
- 1
Sauce:
- 2
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- 3
Place onion, garlic and olive oil in a (approx) 30 x 25 cm / 12 x 10" pan (Note 4). Mix, spread out, then bake for 8 minutes. (Start the meatballs)
- 4
Remove from oven, add remaining Sauce ingredients. Mix.
- 5
Place rack on top of pan.
- 6
Meatballs:
- 7
Turn oven up to 200C/390F.
- 8
Place the bread and onion in a large bowl. Mix to combine so the onion juice soaks the bread, set aside for 3 minutes. Bread should disintegrate into mush - if not, add a splash of milk or water to help it along.
- 9
Add all the remaining Meatball ingredients except oil spray. Use you hands to mix well.
- 10
Measure out very generously heaped tablespoons and roll into firm balls. It should make around 20 - don't make them too small, they will cook too quickly.
- 11
Place meatballs on the rack, ensuring they are positioned over the pan so the juices will drip into the Sauce.
- 12
Spray generously with oil.
- 13
Bake for 20 minutes. Optional: flick to grill/broil on high for 2 minutes at the end, to get better browning.
- 14
Transfer meatballs from rack into the Sauce. Stir to coat meatballs in Sauce.
- 15
Serve with spaghetti or other pasta of choice, garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan.
Oven Baked Italian Meatballs
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About this Recipe
Dreaming of tender, flavorful Italian meatballs that practically make themselves? This Oven Baked Italian Meatballs recipe delivers that classic comfort with minimal effort, all thanks to your oven. You'll achieve restaurant-quality results with ingredients readily available at your local grocery store.
The genius of this recipe lies in its ingenious baking method: cooking the meatballs on a rack directly above the bubbling tomato sauce. As the meatballs bake, their savory juices drip down, enriching the sauce with incredible depth. This technique also partially "steams" the underside of the meatballs, ensuring they stay extra juicy, don't sit in a pool of oil, and maintain a perfectly round shape without constant turning.
Prepare for incredibly soft, juicy, and extra tasty Italian meatballs bathed in a rich, deeply flavored tomato sauce. The careful blend of ground beef and pork, along with fresh parsley, grated onion, and garlic, creates a wonderfully aromatic and tender bite. Each meatball is cooked through to perfection, while the sauce underneath simmers into a wonderfully savory foundation. It's a comforting, hearty dish that feels both authentic and refreshingly simple to achieve.
Customizing this dish is straightforward. You can easily swap the 3 oz / 100g of ground pork for additional ground beef if that's what you have on hand. The red pepper (chili) flakes are entirely optional, allowing you to tailor the spice level to your preference or omit them for a milder flavor. For the cheese, either Parmigiano-Reggiano or regular parmesan, freshly grated, will lend a delicious savory note to the meatballs and as a garnish.
Serve these delightful Oven Baked Italian Meatballs piping hot, perhaps nestled over a bed of al dente pasta or alongside some crusty bread for soaking up every last drop of that flavorful sauce. They're perfect for a cozy family dinner or a comforting meal any night of the week.