Cheesy Garlicky Meatballs With Marinara (Printable Version)

Tender meatballs enriched with garlic and cheese, simmered in classic marinara sauce. Gluten-free option available.

# What You Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef or half beef and half pork
02 - 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs, use gluten-free if needed
03 - 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons milk, dairy or plant-based

→ For the Marinara Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 small onion, finely diced
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ To Serve

20 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
21 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, optional
22 - Cooked spaghetti or gluten-free pasta, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix gently until just combined without overworking the mixture.
03 - Shape mixture into 16 to 18 golf ball-sized meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
06 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs to the marinara sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
08 - Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan. Serve hot over pasta or as desired.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The mozzarella melts inside each meatball, creating little pockets of gooey cheese that surprise you with every bite.
  • Baking them first keeps your stovetop clean and gives the meatballs a beautifully browned crust before they even hit the sauce.
  • You can freeze a whole batch and pull out exactly as many as you need on busy nights.
02 -
  • Do not skip lining the baking sheet, because meatballs will stick and tear apart when you try to move them, leaving you with a mess and sad, broken meatballs.
  • Let the meatballs rest on the counter for five minutes after shaping so they hold together better in the oven.
  • If your marinara tastes too acidic, add another pinch of sugar instead of more salt, which I learned after ruining a whole batch once.
03 -
  • Use a small ice cream scoop to portion the meatballs evenly, which keeps them cooking at the same rate and looking uniform.
  • Add a splash of red wine to the marinara after the garlic goes in for a deeper, more complex flavor that tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • Grate your own mozzarella from a block instead of buying pre-shredded, because the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese keep it from melting into those gooey pockets you want.
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