Meatballs Recipe
tomatoes, mozzarella, basil
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Ingredients
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Meatball components
Tomato sauce
Dairy and finish
Method
Prep and bake
- 1
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
- 3
Shape meatballs
Shape mixture into evenly sized meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameter, yielding roughly 20-24 meatballs.
- 4
Bake meatballs
Place meatballs on the prepared sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until browned on the outside and cooked through.
Tomato sauce
- 5
Sauté and simmer sauce
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar; simmer 10-12 minutes to meld flavors.
- 6
Season
Season the sauce with salt to taste and stir in fresh basil leaves; simmer another 1-2 minutes to wilt the basil.
Finish and meld
- 7
Combine meatballs with sauce
Carefully add the baked meatballs to the sauce. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and have absorbed the sauce.
- 8
Add mozzarella
Sprinkle or scatter shredded mozzarella over the meatballs and sauce. Let it melt into the sauce, 2-4 minutes. If you like a bubbly top, you can broil briefly until melted and lightly golden.
Serve
- 9
Garnish and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve the meatballs with sauce hot, sprinkled with extra chopped parsley or torn basil if desired.