Cheesy bake meatballs are simple enough for a weeknight meal of juicy beefy meatballs mixed in a tomato sauce then baked with creamy mozzarella cheese.
Recipe Highlights
- Simple meatball recipe that you can make in less than 30 minutes.
- A creamy, cheesy topping of mozzarella cheese is baked on top for a delicious pizzeria-style meatball bake.
Ingredients needed
- Ground beef
- Ground Italian sausage
- Grated parmesan
- Breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Fresh parsley
- Crushed tomatoes
- Granulated sugar
- Low-moisture mozzarella
- Seasonings (listed below)
Quick tips before starting
- If you’re pressed on time, you do not have to sear them before baking. You can roll up the meatballs and they’ll bake all the way through in the oven. The searing just adds extra flavor from the caramelization of the meat.
- You can use pre-shredded cheese but grating your own will give you the results you see in the photos.
- Using whole milk mozzarella will give the best flavor but others will work just fine. The key is low-moisture mozzarella, not if it’s whole milk or not for the best melting in the oven.
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Cheesy Bake Meatballs
Cheesy bake meatballs are simple enough for a weeknight meal of juicy beefy meatballs mixed in a tomato sauce then baked with creamy mozzarella cheese.
Equipment
- 9×9 baking dish
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 12 ounce ground beef
- 4 ounce ground Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup parsley (fresh & chopped finely)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (may need to add more to taste, variable)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Sauce
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
Topping
- 1.5 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Mix together the ingredients for the meatballs and allow to sit for minimum of 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Roll the meatballs then sear 1 or two sides of them in a pan with a little oil on medium high heat. Do not try to cook them all the way through, you're only searing them. Place the seared meatballs into the baking dish.
- In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and taste for salt. When finished, pour the sauce over the meatballs in the dish. Then, spread the shredded cheese across the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and browning.
- Once finished, remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 757mg | Potassium: 645mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 747IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 4mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
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