Description
Meatball Parmesan is a classic Italian-American comfort dish featuring juicy homemade meatballs baked in savory pasta sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Perfect served over pasta or as a hearty sub sandwich, this recipe blends ground beef and pork with Italian seasonings for rich flavors and satisfying textures.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound Italian ground pork
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce and Topping
- 1 ½ 24-oz jars pasta sauce
- 1 to 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Skillet: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large cast iron skillet with foil and set it aside to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, whole milk, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, dried parsley, shredded parmesan, salt, pepper, and lightly beaten eggs. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients just until combined, avoiding over mixing to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs: Using an ice cream scoop, portion the mixture into approximately 17 large meatballs (or 34 smaller ones if preferred). Place the formed meatballs onto the foil-lined cast iron skillet.
- Bake Meatballs: Place the skillet with meatballs into the preheated oven and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes (reduce to 20 minutes if using smaller meatballs). Once baked, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a hot pad.
- Prepare for Saucing and Topping: Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and remove the foil from the skillet. Pour half of the pasta sauce into the bottom of the skillet, then return the meatballs to the skillet, placing them on top of the sauce.
- Add Remaining Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and scatter ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning across the cheese.
- Bake Covered: Cover the skillet with foil and return it to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F to allow the sauce, cheese, and meatballs to meld together.
- Bake Uncovered for Browning: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is nicely browned and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a hot pad. Sprinkle the fresh chopped basil over the top of the meatballs. Serve hot over your favorite pasta or in a sub sandwich for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- Using a cast iron skillet helps in even heat distribution and beautiful browning of meatballs and cheese.
- For smaller meatballs, reduce initial baking time to 20 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Fresh basil can be substituted with dried basil if fresh is unavailable, but fresh offers better aroma and taste.
- You can prepare meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate, then assemble and bake when ready for convenience.
- Serve with spaghetti or your preferred pasta variety for a complete classic Italian meal.
