This is how I make soft Oven Baked Italian Meatballs AND a tomato sauce entirely in the oven: place the meatballs on a rack placed over a baking dish with the sauce in it. The tasty meatball juices drips into the sauce and they brown beautifully all over. Oh – and they stay nice and round!
It’s Monday morning here in Sydney and I almost got sent to the naughty corner again. Because it’s the last Monday of April, and I almost forgot that it’s Monday Meatball Mania*. Gasp, shock horror! If Jo Cooks hadn’t prodded me, you would be reading a stir fry recipe instead of meatballs today! (And she would have gleefully declared herself to be the Meatball Queen while I sulked in the naughty corner).
* Monday Meatball Mania: On the last Monday of every month, my friend Jo from Jo Cooks and I each share a meatball recipe. Because we both love ball-shaped-food and think there can never be too many meatballs. Just making our contribution to make this world a better place!
So today I have something a little different for you – BAKED meatballs. This is the first meatball recipe I’ve shared that’s made entirely in the oven.
And I think this is a little different to most baked meatballs because not only are the meatballs made in the oven, the sauce is too. And the sauce is made entirely from scratch, using canned tomatoes. Not a store bought pasta sauce.
Here’s how I do it: I use my “oven sautéed onions” method that I also use for my Oven Baked Chicken and Rice recipe as the flavour base for the sauce before adding crushed tomatoes and seasonings. That little extra step really makes a difference to the flavour of the sauce, just like if you made it on the stove.
As for the meatballs – well, I know some people might think my rack method is mad, but it really works. The juices from the meatballs drips into the sauce (extra flavour!), the meatballs are elevated (rather than being on a tray) so they cook evenly all over and aren’t sitting in a pool of drippings and the underside is half “steamed” (from the sauce) which adds moisture into the meatballs (steaming always makes things more moist).
And the clincher for me is that the meatballs stay nice and round!!
To be honest, the main reason I started baking meatballs using this rack method is because I really hated losing the drippings which, when I make Italian Meatballs on the stove the traditional way, are used as the flavour base for the sauce. I used to scrape the drippings off the baking tray and tip it into the sauce. Then finally, I figured out this rack method. 🙂
So you might think me weird, but it really works, it’s healthier than the fried version (less oil), more hands off, and your meatballs come out nice and juicy.
And round.
I know I’ve said that before. But that’s an extra bonus for me because I think I’m a bit rough and tumble when I make meatballs – they get knocked around in the skillet a little too much and end up wonky! – Nagi xx
PS Forgot to mention – I make these meatballs using my fresh bread method soaked in grated onion. Hands down the best way to get max flavour and soft, juicy meatballs. Pinky swear. Reviews and logic can be scoured in my Classic Italian Meatballs recipe which uses the same meatball mixture!
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 24 oz / 800 g crushed tomato (2 x standard cans)
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp red pepper (chili) flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp dried Italian herb mix (parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper
- 1 lightly packed cup of sliced white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces, crusts removed (Note 1)
- ½ onion, grated - including juices (yellow, brown or white)
- 14 oz / 400 g ground beef (beef mince)
- 3 oz / 100g ground pork (mince) or substitute with ground beef (beef mince) (Note 2)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (Note 3)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan), freshly grated
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Olive oil spray (or other oil spray)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan, freshly grated
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Place onion, garlic and olive oil in a (approx) 30 x 25 cm / 12 x 10" pan (Note 4). Mix, spread out, then bake for 8 minutes. (Start the meatballs)
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Remove from oven, add remaining Sauce ingredients. Mix.
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Place rack on top of pan.
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Turn oven up to 200C/390F.
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Place the bread and onion in a large bowl. Mix to combine so the onion juice soaks the bread, set aside for 3 minutes. Bread should disintegrate into mush - if not, add a splash of milk or water to help it along.
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Add all the remaining Meatball ingredients except oil spray. Use you hands to mix well.
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Measure out very generously heaped tablespoons and roll into firm balls. It should make around 20 - don't make them too small, they will cook too quickly.
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Place meatballs on the rack, ensuring they are positioned over the pan so the juices will drip into the Sauce.
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Spray generously with oil.
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Bake for 20 minutes. Optional: flick to grill/broil on high for 2 minutes at the end, to get better browning.
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Transfer meatballs from rack into the Sauce. Stir to coat meatballs in Sauce.
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Serve with spaghetti or other pasta of choice, garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan.
1. Bread is hands down the best way to make soft meatballs. It's particular important for baked meatballs which are firmer than pan fried meatballs. So I really encourage you to use bread instead of breadcrumbs! But if you prefer, you can substitute with ½ cup breadcrumbs - preferably panko breadcrumbs.
Plain white sandwich bread is best for this, but you can substitute with other breads. Chop or tear them into small pieces with your hands, and do not include the crust. You can use slightly stale bread, but fresh disintegrates better.
Some recipes use milk to soften the bread. Milk doesn't add any flavour to the recipe, so I opt to use the onion juices instead i.e. the juices from the grated onion. It adds fabulous extra flavour, and by grating the onion instead of chopped them, you don't need to saute the onion before mixing in with the meat.
2. Pork is slightly fattier than beef so it helps make these extra juicy. I only use 3½ oz / 100g because pork has less flavour than beef and I don't want to dilute the flavour. This isn't hugely critical though and you should feel free to just use 1 lb / 500 g beef mince which is what I do on ordinary nights. ?
3. You can substitute with 1 tbsp dried parsley, or a mix of equal amounts of dried oregano, thyme, basil and parsley. I use a store bought Italian herb mix.
4. The pan size doesn't need to be an exact science, just has to be big enough so the meatballs fit on the rack above without being squished together. Just make sure a rack sits on top of it!
5. SAUCE: With the classic way of making sauce for meatballs, it is made in the skillet after pan frying the meatballs so you don't waste the flavour left in the skillet. And it starts with sautéing onion and garlic. I use my "oven sautéed onions" method for this meatballs sauce, which creates a great flavour base for the sauce without having to start it off on the stove. This is the same technique used in this popular Oven Baked Chicken and Rice. 🙂
6. This is the baked version of my Classic Italian Meatballs which are a massive reader favourite!
7. Nutrition is per serving, assuming 4 (generous) servings, excluding pasta.
8. SCALER (hover over servings): This recipe can be scaled up and down, just use a smaller/larger pan. When scaling up, make sure the meatballs are not squeezed in too snugly on the rack otherwise they won't brown, and ensure that they are set over the pan so the juices will drip into the Sauce.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Oven Baked Italian Meatballs recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
When Dozer got sent to the naughty corner for breaking a plate I brought back from Japan, he just fell asleep. No respect. There’s just NO RESPECT!!!!!
I’m having a new kitchen installed and don’t have my hob in yet so I searched for oven baked meatballs and found your recipe, so glad I did because OMG they are the best meatballs I’ve ever made, normally they are on the dry side but these were super juicy, thank u this will be how I make them from now on! 😁
I LOVE hearing that Mellie! Thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
The recipe looks great, I must have done something wrong.
I wanted to do this as meal prep for my wife and I for the week, so I doubled everything, and used Panko instead of bread. When I started roasting the meatballs in the oven, within minutes they broke apart and “melted” into the sauce.
What could have caused this?
I turned it into an impromptu Bolognese sauce, which came out relatively decent, all things considered.
Hi Shaq, that’s concerning! Did you double the egg too?? The egg is what holds it together 🙂 N x
I did :\
But looking again the your photos, I think either your meatballs were bigger, or the wires in your oven rack were closer together than mine. That might be what caused it. I will definitely try this again though!
These meatballs have become my go-to recipe. My husband, who is an Italian food snob, LOVES them! Thank you for this brilliant and easy recipe!
This looks delicious! My boyfriend isn’t a big fan of cheese. Is their an alternative I can use to not lose the flavor of the meatballs or increasing the amount of seasoning to compensate? Or would it be fine to omit and obtain the same flavor? Thanks!
Hi Breonna! Unfortunately you will lose SOME flavour by leaving it out, even if you add more salt to compensate 🙂 I would add 1/2 tsp extra salt. Hope that helps!
Yea I figured, but thanks for the tip 🙂
I dont eat beef or pork. What would be good alternatives?
Chicken or turkey!
We dont eat meat either.I have to buy meat crumbles .its soy .I make tacos,meat sauce for spaghetti.I also make enchilada casserole out of it.I put it in a pan,put the ingredients. It tookme a while to get use to it but it is good.my daughter,and 2 of my grandkids dont eat meatand 2 of them do.you can buy thisatkroger.they have the meat patties also.try it and see for yourself.if you have any questions let me know.
My hubby who has refused to eat any tomato pasta dish actually loved this recipe, I was so surprised and my kids loved it!! So yummy! Will definitely cook again!
WHOOT! So happy to hear that! N xx
Just made these to eat some/freeze some. Very nice flavour and easy to make. Got other jobs going in between.
Thanks Nagi. I recommend your blog to everyone I know.
I’m so happy to hear that Edilia, thanks so much for letting me know – and thanks for the referrals! N xx
These were amazing!
I used to make meatballs in the crock pot but it made the meatballs to soft, and soggy to me. These have the right texture, and were incredibly easy to make. We made meatball sandwiches though, but they were still pretty dang amazing.
My family devoured them.
I’m so pleased to hear that Cleopatra! thank you for letting me know! N xx
I love everything about this recipe, from the oven-sauteed onion base, using the juice from the grated onions to soften the bread, to the fact they are baked over the sauce to catch the drippings. Brilliant. The meatballs held together and browned really nicely, and were moist and delicious (and round!). My only change-up was to add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar to the sauce, just a personal preference to off-set the acidity of the tomatoes. I will keep this in our regular rotation for sure. Thank you so much!
WHOOT! I’m so pleased to hear that Becky, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
Made these last night. To me, making meatballs is a pain. I grew up and still live in a neighborhood settled by Italian immigrants, so if I want meatballs it is much easier to go to the local neighborhood market, and I can’t do any better than their authentic home made food. I feel the $10 for 3 large meatballs and a jar of home made sauce isn’t a bad deal. I saw this recipe and I decided to try it. Baking the meatballs in the oven is GENIUS!!! There was a good sale at the grocery store on the meat, I spent only $3.00 , but everything else I already had at home! They were so easy, (NO FRYING, NO TURNING!!!) and delicious-mine were not as round as yours though. The sauce was wonderful also. My husband loved it and said “Yeah, you can make this again.” I think the folks at the Italian Market are going to miss me!!!
I hear you I hear you! I didn’t make meatballs until well into my late twenties because I’m not a fan of rolling lots of balls!! 😉 But now I just love them so much, I do it just to get my meatball fix. Love that you enjoyed these Cheryl! Don’t neglect the Italian Market, they will miss you!
Can I follow the same recipe for chicken mince? Ingredients + oven temperature and baking time
You sure can! 🙂
I made this the other night. It was awesome. Followed recipe every step of the way. It is a keeper. Delicious Thanks Nagi.
So pleased to hear you enjoyed it Linda! 🙌🏻 Thanks for letting me know. 🙂 N xx
Today I made the meatballs for dinner. Instead of the sauce, I was in easy mode and used a jar of my favourite marinara sauce (and added grated carrot and zucchini). The meatballs turned out great. I baked half of them and froze the other half for another meal for us.
Next time I will try the sauce, since I will already have the meatballs made and waiting for me in the freezer.
🙂
Whoot! 🙌🏻 So happy to hear that Sandra, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Hello Nagi, I used this method last night to make Turkish meatball casserole (Izmir Kofte) which is part of winter recipe repertoire – I know it’s only May but we’ve already had weeks of wintry weather in parts of Southern Australia.
Both the meatballs and sauce were more flavorful than the traditional method and the meatballs were a much nicer texture.
I cooked both meatballs and potatoes on a rack about the baking pan with the sauce.
When cooked the traditional way my partner and I normally fight over the meatballs and potatoes from my Turkish meatball casserole that are at the top of the pan and have gone crispy – with your method we can both have crispy juicy meatballs!!
Heidi
Ohhhh! I love hearing that you used this method for your recipe! I bet it is cold down there, even colder than it is up here!! N xx
Absolutely brilliant!!!
WHOOT!!!!🙌🏻