Baked Meatballs Recipe
Three house-made meatballs baked in pizza sauce with five-cheese blend and fresh basil. Served with toasted baguettes.
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Ingredients
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Meatballs
Sauce & Cheese
Toasts & Garnish
Method
Meatballs
- 1
Make meatball mixture
In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk; let sit 2 minutes until absorbed. Add ground beef, ground pork, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Using your hands or a spoon, mix gently until just combined—avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- 2
Shape meatballs
Portion the mixture into three even meatballs (about 3.5–4 oz / roughly golf-ball to slightly larger). Roll each portion between your palms to form a smooth round shape and place on a plate or tray.
- 3
Sear meatballs
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add meatballs and brown on all sides, rotating carefully so each side gets about 1–2 minutes of color (they will finish cooking in the oven). Transfer browned meatballs to a small baking dish large enough to hold three with a little space between them.
Sauce & Cheese
- 4
Assemble in dish
Spoon 1 cup of pizza sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Nestle the three seared meatballs into the sauce so the bottoms are covered and a little sauce is around each.
- 5
Top with cheese
Evenly sprinkle the cup of five-cheese blend over the meatballs and sauce so the cheese covers the tops and fills gaps. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes over the cheese if you want a touch of heat.
- 6
Bake
Bake uncovered in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 14–16 minutes, until cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Remove from oven and let rest 2 minutes.
- 7
Finish
Scatter the chiffonade basil (6 leaves) over the hot cheese and meatballs. Optionally drizzle a few drops of extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Toasts & Garnish
- 8
- 9
Toast
Arrange slices on a baking sheet and toast in the same 400°F (200°C) oven for 6–8 minutes, or until edges are golden and crisp. If they brown before the meatballs finish, remove and hold at room temperature.
- 10
Serve
Place the baking dish with the baked meatballs on a small plate or board. Serve with toasted baguette slices on the side and garnish with remaining basil leaves. Allow diners to spoon sauce and cheese onto toasts or to cut meatballs and top toasts as desired.