Description
Delicious Oven Baked Italian Meatballs simmered in a rich homemade tomato sauce, perfect for serving with spaghetti or your favorite pasta. This recipe offers a simple, flavorful way to enjoy classic Italian meatballs baked to perfection rather than fried, ensuring juicy and tender results with a crispy exterior.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 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 (chili) flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp dried Italian herb mix (parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Meatballs
- 1 lightly packed cup sliced white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces, crusts removed
- ½ onion, grated, including juices (yellow, brown or white)
- 14 oz / 400 g ground beef
- 3 oz / 100 g ground pork (or substitute with ground beef)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan), freshly grated
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Olive oil spray (or other oil spray)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan, freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Sauce Base: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a 30 x 25 cm (12 x 10″) roasting pan, combine the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and olive oil. Spread mixture evenly and bake for 8 minutes to soften and release flavors.
- Add Remaining Sauce Ingredients: Remove the pan from the oven and add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, red pepper flakes (if using), dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine the sauce components.
- Prepare for Meatballs: Place a roasting rack on top of the pan containing the sauce. This rack will hold the meatballs above the sauce so juices can drip down during baking.
- Increase Oven Temperature: Turn the oven temperature up to 200°C (390°F) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Soften Bread: In a large bowl, combine the torn bread pieces with the grated onion, including its juices. Let it sit for 3 minutes to allow the bread to absorb moisture and disintegrate into a mushy mixture. Add a splash of milk or water if the bread does not soften sufficiently.
- Make Meatball Mixture: Add ground beef, ground pork (or beef substitute), egg, chopped fresh parsley, minced garlic, grated parmesan, salt, and black pepper to the bread and onion mixture. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- Form Meatballs: Using very generously heaped tablespoons, shape the mixture into firm meatballs, about 20 in total. Avoid making them too small to ensure they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Arrange Meatballs for Baking: Place the meatballs on the prepared rack over the pan with sauce, ensuring they are spaced so juices can drip into the sauce below.
- Oil and Bake: Spray the meatballs generously with olive oil spray to help them brown. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. For extra browning, you may broil on high for 2 minutes at the end if desired.
- Combine Meatballs with Sauce: Carefully transfer the baked meatballs from the rack into the sauce. Stir gently to coat the meatballs with the rich tomato sauce.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs and sauce hot over cooked spaghetti or your pasta of choice. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and additional grated parmesan cheese for a classic Italian finish.
Notes
- Note 1: Using white sandwich bread without crust ensures softer meatballs by absorbing moisture well.
- Note 2: Ground pork adds extra flavor and fat; can be substituted with additional ground beef if preferred.
- Note 3: Fresh parsley brightens and adds freshness to the meatballs.
- Note 4: Using a roasting pan helps to hold the sauce beneath the rack to catch drippings and infuse flavor.
- Optional: Sprinkling red pepper flakes adds a gentle heat to the sauce.
- Optional: Broiling at the end crisps up the meatball exterior for a more textured finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian meatballs, baked meatballs, oven baked meatballs, homemade meatballs, pasta meatballs, easy Italian recipe
