Baked Parmesan Meatballs

Make sure to not pack the meat so tight when rolling them into balls. The meat will be too dense and heavy. Roll them gently into balls. Cast iron pans are our favorite for cooking these meatballs. The are always a great addition to any kitchen. Makes about twenty 1 1/2" Meatballs

Total Time45 mins

Servings: servings

Calories: 349kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 pound (455g) ground Beef, Pork, Chicken or Turkey
2 large Eggs
1/2 cup (120ml) shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup (120ml) Bread Crumbs (or Panko Bread Crumbs)
2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small Onion , minced
1-2 cloves Garlic , minced or crushed
1/2 teaspoon (3ml) smoked Paprika
2 Tablespoons (30ml) Minced Parsley, extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt , or to taste
Fresh cracked Black Pepper

For the Sauce & Topping

2 tablespoons (30ml) Olive Oil
about 2 cups (480ml) Tomato Sauce (or more if you like)
1/4 cup (60ml) Parmesan Cheese, for topping
chopped Italian Parsley , for topping
serve on top of pasta , rice or with grilled bread

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 450° F.
In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients (meat, eggs, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, paprika, parsley, salt & and pepper). Mix it all together well. Add some oil to your hands to prevent sticking and roll meatballs into about 1 1/2” balls. Try to keep the meatballs all the same size for even cooking.
Heat large oven-safe skillet on medium high heat. Add oil then add meatballs to pan. Sear the outside of the meatballs until a crust forms, gently rolling the meatballs around the pan occasionally so that all the sides are seared evenly. Remove pan from heat.
Transfer the pan of meatballs to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. If you rolled the meatballs larger, cooking time will be longer.
When meatballs are finished cooking, add the tomato sauce and bake for another 3 minutes or until the sauce is heated (the meatballs with the sauce can also be heated on the stovetop for about 3 minutes or until heated through).
Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve warm with desired accompaniments (pasta, rice, bread, etc...).

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Nutrition