Jul 14 2026
RestaurantsO'Brien's Oyster Bar & Seafood TavernFranco's Italian Meatballs Recipe

Franco's Italian Meatballs Recipe

Time1h
Serves4

Beef and pork, marinara, feta, toasted baguette.

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

Toasted Baguette

Method

Meatballs

  1. 1

    Prepare Meatball Mixture

    In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, crumbled feta cheese, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.

  2. 2

    Form Meatballs

    Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet.

  3. 3

    Bake Meatballs

    Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

Marinara Sauce

  1. 4

    Cook Onion and Garlic

    In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute.

  2. 5

    Add Tomatoes and Seasoning

    Stir in the canned crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. 6

    Add Fresh Basil

    Once the sauce has thickened slightly, stir in the chopped fresh basil and remove from heat.

Toasted Baguette

  1. 7

    Prepare Baguette Slices

    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. 8

    Toast Baguette

    Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Arrange them on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Assembly

  1. 9

    Combine Meatballs and Sauce

    Once the meatballs are cooked, add them to the marinara sauce, gently stirring to coat.

  2. 10

    Serve

    Serve the meatballs with marinara sauce on a platter alongside toasted baguette slices for dipping.

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