Sep 07 2026
Restaurants›Meat On Ocean›Meatballs Recipe

Meatballs Recipe

Inspired by Meat On Ocean
Time1h 15m
Serves4

CHATEAU with tomato sauce, melted cheese, garlic bread

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

Tomato sauce

Assembly & Cheese

Garlic bread

Method

Meatballs

  1. 1

    Make meatball mixture

    In a large bowl combine ground beef and ground pork. Add egg, breadcrumbs, milk, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, black pepper and dried oregano. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

  2. 2

    Form meatballs

    Portion mixture into 1 1/4-inch (about 1.5 oz) meatballs — you should get roughly 20–24 meatballs. Roll gently between your palms to form smooth balls and place on a baking sheet or platter.

  3. 3

    Sear meatballs

    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Brown on all sides, turning carefully, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through; browning builds flavor. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate.

Tomato sauce

  1. 4

    Start sauce

    In a large saucepan or the same skillet wiped clean, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

  2. 5

    Build sauce

    Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper and 1/4 cup water or red wine. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

  3. 6

    Simmer with meatballs

    Carefully add the seared meatballs into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assembly & Cheese

  1. 7

    Assemble and melt cheese

    Preheat oven broiler to high (or oven to 425°F / 220°C if you prefer). Transfer meatballs and sauce to an oven-safe baking dish, spacing meatballs evenly. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, then dust with grated Parmesan. Place under the broiler for 2–4 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese is melted, bubbly and lightly golden. Alternatively, bake at 425°F for 8–10 minutes until cheese melts.

  2. 8

    Garnish

    Remove from oven and garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley. Let rest 3–5 minutes before serving so sauce settles.

Garlic bread

  1. 9

    Prepare garlic butter

    Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not using broiler. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Mix until smooth.

  2. 10

    Assemble and bake

    Slice the baguette lengthwise or into diagonal slices. Spread garlic butter evenly over cut sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes until butter is melted and edges are crisp. For a crispier, golden top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes—watch closely to prevent burning.

  3. 11

    Serve

    Remove garlic bread from oven and slice if needed. Serve hot alongside the meatballs and tomato sauce to mop up sauces and melted cheese.

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