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Cheesy Oven-Baked Meatball Casserole in Marinara Sauce
Hello hello! I’m going to come right out and say that I LOVE Spaghetti & Meatballs.
I’ve never had spaghetti and meatballs till I came to Canada for obvious reasons. But it’s such a classic comfort food as we can see from the cute and romantic scene in Lady & The Tramp, I was so eager to try it the first time I had it at a restaurant! After that wonderful experience, I knew I just had to try my hand at this recipe myself! Not to toot my own horn, but my Spaghetti & Meatballs with Classic Marinara recipe is pretty darn delicious!
An important component of that recipe is of course the meatballs. The thing I love most about the meatballs is that lovely sear. It adds so much flavor to the meatballs that just seeps through the sauce. Yum! If meatballs don’t have that epic sear, it’s just not the same to me, and I don’t find the meatballs as flavorful. However, you want to make sure that the meatballs don’t get over-cooked and dry out! That’s no fun, either!
Fear not, fear not. I’m here to show you how to make the most scrumptious meatballs you’ve ever had! This is my tried and true way to make meatballs that are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. What’s even better is making this cheesy meatball marinara bake and you’ll have a true comforting dinner tonight! Now my mouth is watering thinking about this cheesy meatball bake, and I wish I were making them right now too!
5 Tips for the Best Meatballs Ever!
- Use the freshest meat to prepare the meatballs, if you use high quality ingredients you will taste the goodness.
- Soak the Panko breadcrumbs in milk until completely mushy and drain any excess milk. These breadcrumbs helps make the meatballs fluffy, light and helps to keep them juicy.
- Use fresh parsley, as much as I would like the convenience of substituting with dried parsley, it just does not work. Fresh parsley is one of the key flavors in these meatballs and irreplaceable.
- Be generous with Parmesan cheese, the creaminess helps round out and also helps with binding the flavors and add a wonderful nutty flavor.
- Make sure to sear the meatballs before finishing them off in the sauce. The browning improves and adds a lot of flavor.
What Meat Should I Use for This Meatball Casserole?▼
Meatballs are traditionally made with a combination of beef and pork. However, you can make these cheesy baked meatballs with meat of your preference, such as beef, pork, chicken or turkey.
Tools Needed
Ingredients for Juicy Italian Meatballs
Okay, let’s get onto the ingredients to make melt-in-your-mouth juicy meatballs for this meatball marinara casserole that are packed with exquisite flavors! Here’s what you’ll need for mind-blowing meatballs:
- Ground beef: I understand what it’s like to be on a budget, but I really recommend you use the best beef you can find. From my experience, the tenderness and taste of the meatballs really is dependent on the quality of the meat. A tip to save on money is to go to a butcher and ask them to cut the portion you need. That way there’s no food waste, and you’ll get the freshest meat! However, for the juiciest meatballs ever, I would suggest getting a pork and beef mix, or using equal parts beef and equal parts pork or veal.
- Egg yolk: These help to bind the meatballs.
- Breadcrumbs: I would recommend you use plain Panko breadcrumbs, as these hold the meatballs best.
- Milk: I can’t make meatballs without milk! You’ll want to soak the Panko breadcrumbs in milk before making your meatballs to get light, fluffy meatballs.
- Parsley: You can use fresh or dried parsley, but I recommend fresh parsley for a fresher flavor. This adds a fragrant flavor to the meatballs.
- Onion: This is optional, but some red onion really adds a nice strong flavor to your meatballs.
- Garlic cloves: Minced garlic is just mandatory for some tasty meatballs and to add flavors in general!
- Seasoning: All you need is salt and pepper here because the parsley does so much!
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese is an essential for me!
How to Make Meatball Casserole
Prepping the Meatballs
In a mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Pour in the milk and mix well. Allow the breadcrumbs to rest until they completely absorb the milk, about 10-15 minutes.
To prepare the meatballs, add the beef, pork, onion, egg yolk, garlic, parmesan, and fresh parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the soaked breadcrumbs into the mince, discarding any excess milk and combine well.
Divide the meatball mince into 6-8 equal portions. Using the palms of your hands, form the mince into round, even balls and place them on a plate or baking sheet.
Making the Baked Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
I remember growing up watching Hell’s Kitchen and one line that Gordon Ramsay said in one of the episodes has always stuck with me.
“If it’s brown it’s cooked, if it’s black it’s fudged”
If you know Ramsay as well, you know what that line really said. But it makes so much sense. There’s nothing worse that grey, boiled meatballs. Giving the meatballs a quick sear to brown them adds so much more flavor. Then, they can be finished off in the pan itself, or in the marinara.
To Cook the Meatballs
Heat a pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook the meatballs until evenly browned on the top and bottom. You don't need to cook the meatballs entirely, as they will finish cooking with the marinara sauce in the oven. Cook for about 10-12 minutes.
How Do I Know the Meatballs are Cooked?▼
The meat should no longer be pink once the meatballs have finished cooking. The meat should read a minimum internal temperature of 160 F in the thickest part by an instant read thermometer according to Health Canada.
You can also use a sacrificial meatball and cut it down the middle to check if it is completely cooked.
Assembling the Cheesy Baked Meatball Bake
To make the meatball casserole, create a bed of cheese with half the mozzarella cheese and gently place the meatballs over the cheese. Top with reserved marinara sauce, remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Garnish with basil, serve hot, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Cheesy Italian Meatballs?▼
Well, my first suggestion would be Spaghetti & Meatballs with Classic Marinara! But if you’re baking the meatball casserole as I’m doing here, then they’re absolutely fantastic on their own! I would recommend a nice slice of a warm baguette or ciabatta on the side. You could also eat these meatballs with a slice of Pizza or Focaccia Flatbread if you like! If you want a lighter side, you could certainly serve with a romaine salad.
Can You Freeze Meatballs?▼
These meatballs can easily be individually frozen for up to 6 months. However, my recommendation is to have it within the month. I like to avoid freezing meat as much as I can, the taste and quality of fresh meat is unbeatable. However, some circumstances do require these measures.
To freeze, place the meatballs on a baking sheet and seal it with 2-3 layers of plastic wraps. Once the meatballs have frozen, you can easily transfer them to a freezer safe Ziploc bag.
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