Meatball Marinara
This Meatball Marinara is quick to prepare, full of flavor and a breeze on the budget. Serve it with spaghetti for an easy weeknight meal.
Servings: 2 people
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 Large Saute Pan
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lb ground beef/pork combo (1:1 ratio)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 slices white bread, cubed and soaked in milk or water (may substitute with ¾ cup breadcrumbs)
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt & pepper
- 1 24 oz jar of marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Cube and soak 3 slices of white bread (minus the crust) in milk or water and set it aside for 10 minutes. Mince the garlic, chop the parsley, and measure out all the other ingredients.
- Mix together the ground beef/ground pork, garlic powder, onion powder, smoke paprika, italian seasoning, chopped fresh parsley, grated parmigiano-reggiano, minced garlic, 1 egg, and soaked bread/breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while you assemble the meatballs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll up the meatballs (by hand) on the sheet one by one. You may use an ice cream scooper for this step to get similar-sized meatballs.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes (flipping them halfway). See NOTES if frying them in a pan. Cook meatballs to internal temp 145-155, as we will be finishing it in the sauce. Meanwhile, heat up some olive oil in a large sauté pan on med-high heat. Add in the marinara sauce and heat up for 2-3 minutes until simmering. Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce and let it simmer. Add in cooked pasta at this point (if serving with pasta) and cook for an additional 2 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and pasta is al dente. Add a splash of pasta water if sauce is too thick.
- Plate it up, garnish with parsley, parmesan, lemon zest and enjoy. Yummmy!
Video
Notes
- If you're frying the meatballs in a pan, simply coat the meatballs with a little flour and heat up some oil in a large nonstick pan or dutch oven. Fry the meatballs for about 2 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through (internal temp 145-155 with sauce, 160 without sauce)
- Try to shape and roll out the meatballs into the same sizes as much as possible to ensure an even cook in the oven.