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oven-baked-italian-meatballs

Oven-baked Italian meatballs. Tender and Juicy!

Ingredients

  • 12 oz/350 g ground beef 15-20% fat *(note 1)
  • 12 oz/350 g ground pork 15-20% fat *(note 1)
  • one large egg
  • 1/3 cup / 40 g breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml milk
  • 1/2 cup / 50 g Parmesan cheese
  • 3.5 oz / 100 g mushrooms grated on a fine grater
  • One medium onion finely chopped
  • Parsley finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons
  • Two or three cloves of garlic grated or pressed
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp salt you can add more
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

For the sauce:

  • 28 oz/800 g two cans of tomatoes preferably finely chopped
  • three garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil leaves you can add fresh leaves
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp tomato paste you can add more
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Grate the mushrooms. In a bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, crack in an egg, pour in milk, add breadcrumbs, garlic grated or pressed through a garlic press, finely chopped onion, grated Parmesan cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper, oregano, and the grated mushrooms.
  • Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands and form small balls from the mixture. I used an ice cream scoop to ensure I was getting consistent amounts for each meatball. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or baking paper). Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (about 200°C) for approximately 20-25 minutes.
    Check the meatballs after 20 minutes. They should be thoroughly cooked inside, and their internal temperature should be about 165°F (approximately 74°C). If you have a meat thermometer, you can use it to check the temperature. Remember, the exact baking time may vary depending on the size of the meatballs, the type of oven, and whether the meatballs were previously browned. It’s always a good idea to monitor the dish while baking and adjust the time if necessary.
    Note! If you don’t want to bake the meatballs, you can also pan-fry them.
  • In the meantime, prepare the sauce. First, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is warm (but not hot), add the garlic. I sliced it into thin pieces. Sauté the garlic briefly – for about half a minute up to a maximum of one minute. Then add the canned tomatoes. Once the tomatoes start boiling, reduce the heat significantly and season with salt, pepper, add dried oregano and basil (or substitute with other dried herbs if you prefer), sugar, and tomato paste. Mix well. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens noticeably.
  • Transfer the baked meatballs (or fried, if you fried them) to the pan with the sauce and simmer in the sauce for about 2-3 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides, like spaghetti. That’s it. Enjoy ♥.

Notes

Note 1 - It's important to remember that fat adds flavor and juiciness to meatballs, but too much can make them overly greasy.