These Italian Meatballs are baked in marinara sauce and topped with melted Mozzarella cheese. These are perfect to serve with spaghetti, in subs, or as a side dish for a potluck or holiday! This is an easy dish to make ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for later.
Be sure to serve this with a side of my garlic bread with cheese.
Baked Meatballs
I am so excited to share this recipe with you. These meatballs are SO juicy and tender, and it’s all due to the miracle of using a panade. It makes these meatballs melt in your mouth.
I am more than proud to bring this dish to a Potluck or special gathering, either as an Italian side dish or to enjoy with spaghetti or sub rolls. (BONUS: It’s make-ahead and Crock Pot friendly!)
If you want to get super fancy, you can make my homemade marinara sauce or Italian breadcrumb recipe to go with it! But first, let’s talk about what makes this the BEST baked meatball recipe:
What is a Panade?
A panade is a mixture of starch and liquid that is combined to form a paste. It’s mixed in with meat for meatballs, meatloaf, or burgers to preserve the tender texture of the meat.
When meat cooks, the proteins expand and contract and in doing so, moisture escapes. The starch in the panade turns to a gel when cooked and lubricates the fibers in the meat as it cooks.
How to Make It
The bottom of this post also contains recipe card with ingredients and full instructions.
- Soften the onions and garlic in a pan and set aside to cool.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings in a small bowl.
- Combine the eggs and milk in another small bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine until a paste forms. (This is the panade.) Add the onions/garlic.
- Add the panade to the meat and use your hands to mix until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.
- Add 3/4 of the marinara sauce to a 9×13 casserole dish. Roll meat into 24 balls 1+1/2 inches thick.
- Add the meatballs to the dish and spoon remaining marinara sauce on top. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 15 more minutes.
- Broil at 450° for 1-2 minutes at the end if desired. Use a paper towel to carefully dab off any excess grease on the top. Top with parsley and serve.
Baking Sheet Method
To bake these on a baking sheet without sauce: 1.5 inch meatballs take approximately 30-35 minutes to bake at 350°, the internal temperature needs to reach 160°.
I use this instant read thermometer (Amazon Affiliate link), it is a life saver in the kitchen.
Make Ahead Method
These meatballs can be rolled and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to baking.
You can also flash freeze the raw meatballs on a baking sheet for 1.5 hours, then store them in a gallon freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight prior to baking.
PRO TIP: I like to bake this entire dish of meatballs, let them cool, and freeze them in portions of 4+ to serve with spaghetti during a busy week. I just drop the frozen meatballs right into a pot of marinara sauce and let them defrost over low heat.
Crock Pot Method
Roll the meatballs and place them in a lightly greased Slow Cooker. Top with marinara sauce and cheese. Heat on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools for This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 9 x 13 Baking Dish– This is the one that I use and that’s pictured in this post.
- Large Glass Mixing Bowl
- Silicone Spatulas– I can’t live without these!
- Cookie Scoop– Easy for making similarly-sized meatballs
- Instant Read Thermometer– To make sure the meatballs are done in the middle.
Try These Next
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- Chicken Spaghetti
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- Pasta Bake Recipe
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- Chicken Piccata
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- Salisbury Steak
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- Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
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- Chicken Scampi
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Prefer to use ground turkey?! Try my Turkey Meatball recipe!
Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated from a block
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 lbs. ground beef
- ½ lb. ground pork
Sauce + Cheese
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside and let cool.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- Crack an egg in a small bowl and whisk it. Add the milk and whisk to combine.
- Combine the dry mixture with the wet mixture to form a smooth paste. Mix in the onions and garlic. (This is called a panade and keeps the juiciness and flavor intact while the meatballs cook.)
- Add the meat to a large bowl and top with the panade. Use your hands and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.
- Roll into 1 ½ inch meatballs.
- Pour ¾ of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Add the meatballs. Spoon remaining sauce over the top.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and top with cheese. Bake 15 more minutes. Broil for additional 1-2 minutes at the end if desired. Use a paper towel to carefully dab off any excess grease on the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
Ground sausage and/or ground veal may also be used.
The internal temperature of meatballs should be 160 degrees before serving.
Very tasty
Happy to hear you enjoyed them Deb! Thank you!❤️
Made these for meatball subs. They were a hit! Great texture and taste.
I love making meatball subs with these!😋 Glad to hear you enjoyed them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Best meatball recipe ever! Have made these twice now and both times they turned about fantastic. My daughter took the leftovers for lunch yesterday and sent me a picture while eating saying how obsessed she is with the meatballs (this comment came from a girl who never liked the old meatball recipe I used to make). Love all the Cozy Cooks recipes. You are always my go to when looking to try something new.
Hey Gail! I am soooooo thrilled to hear that, you honestly made my day! We actually had these for dinner last night! My daughter had them spaghetti and we had them with a side salad. I am thrilled to hear that these are a new addition to your rotation. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review!! -Stephanie
Hi Stephanie 🙂 Can I brown the meatballs before baking or will that dry them out?
Hi Isabel! You can definitely brown them first to develop a nice crust on the outside! That’s perfectly fine!