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!
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Oven Baked Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 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
Meatballs:
- 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)
Serving:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan, freshly grated
Instructions
Sauce:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- 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)
- Remove from oven, add remaining Sauce ingredients. Mix.
- Place rack on top of pan.
Meatballs:
- Turn oven up to 200C/390F.
- 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.
- Add all the remaining Meatball ingredients except oil spray. Use you hands to mix well.
- 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.
- Place meatballs on the rack, ensuring they are positioned over the pan so the juices will drip into the Sauce.
- Spray generously with oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Optional: flick to grill/broil on high for 2 minutes at the end, to get better browning.
- Transfer meatballs from rack into the Sauce. Stir to coat meatballs in Sauce.
- Serve with spaghetti or other pasta of choice, garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan.
Recipe Notes:
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.
Nutrition Information:
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!!!!!
Hello Nagi,
I’m convinced you need to tag this as a #pasta sauce I was sick of paying extra for a ‘Fresh’ pasta sauce to go with ravioli. Mr 8 year old only likes the tomato based, so I made this up (once again, my trusty recipe), and he ate SO much of it… absolutely LOVED it. He also loves any meatballs I serve with this sauce.
Thank you Nagi 🤗
Delicious and easy! Whole family had seconds and my son wanted to take the very little that was left over to school for lunch,
Nagi, you are amazing. This recipe is a keeper. We had a 500gm pack of minced beef…last night we had smashed burgers for two and with the other half of the pack the Italian meatballs. Hope you feel better soon. XX
Wow…this meatball method is genius and I’m going to try it this week. Thank You!
I LOVE meatballs, but never used to cook them because they’re so fiddly. But not anymore! Thanks to your oven + ice cream scoop methods. This recipe is a winner. Nagi your standing as most popular Australian food blogger is well deserved!
Nagi, these are absolute perfection. I’ve made them about a dozen times now and they are always amazing.
My comments are only about the sauce and method- my onions were still pretty pale after 8min and after cooking with the rest of the sauce they still had the raw crunchy taste. So next time id roast them for longer til they actually caramelise. Cannot rate the meatballs coz I already made some but I love this way of cooking – I think they did stay pretty juicy and it was satisfying swirling the drippings into the sauce!
I’ve made these meatballs so many times and they are amazing. We play around with combinations of veal, pork, lamb and beef minces. So much fresher and nicer than store-bought meatballs with a 10 day shelf life! Perfect for a perpetually starving 14yo son!
One more question: is the serving size really one meatball? Not sure that can give 45+grams of protein. Did I read that incorrectly?
Hi kgc, this recipe serves 4 – the recipe makes about 20 meatballs as mentioned so that equates to about 5 per serve. N x
Clever scaler for increased or decreased portions but I noticed that the number of cans of sauce didn’t change. I almost used 2 cans for just 2 servings.
Also, I used to go to a place that served garlic bread and meatballs baked in sauce with mozzerella and parm as an appetiser. How would you change the cooking time for that since cheese would have to be baked and melted too?
I made half the meatballs in a skillet and the other half in the oven. I found it much easier (and healthier) to do them in the oven. I also honestly liked the taste better. It also frees you up to make a salad or get other things done. The meatballs were very good, but I only used beef, and I think I would like them better with a veal/beef/pork mix. Thank you Nagi for sharing this recipe!
Wow! I love this recipe. It was easy and delicious. Will keep this is my rotation. I’ve never been disappointed with a recipe from Nagi!
Hi Nagi
What is your oven mode when you are cooking the meatball at 200 degree?
I have dairy allergy, is it possible to omit parmesan? Or is there any sub for this?
just made this and we all loved it, the only thing that i would change would be to use fresh herbs instead of dry in the sauce. Meatballs were as you said Nagi! thank you once again.
Hi Sophie, you can definitely sub with fresh herbs if you prefer! – N x
Amazing recipe turned out perfect we had a lazy meal and put them in crusty bread rolls to make a sub. Delicious and will be a regular, thank you!
That’s great Jac! I am glad that you liked them!! N x
Another recipe knocked out the park! Husband and sons would have licked the bowl if i’d let them, unfortunately for them I’m way faster haha 😉 seriously another simple but super tasty recipe, thanks Nagi. I also find your portion sizes spot on, always enough for seconds but nothing thrown away ☺️
ive Made this twice now and love the flavor & the fact I can set and forget it( for a time). My only question is- how do I stop the meatballs from sticking to the rack? I sprayed it with oil but they still stuck. Perhaps my beef was too lean?? Love your recipes Nagi.
Hi Helen, I usually just spray my rack with plenty of oil ☺️
Oven Baked Italian Meatballs, Instruction #7.
flick to broil
Is that change the knob from bake to broil, or turn over the meatball:
Hi Ginger, yes sorry – turn your oven to broil ☺️
These are absolutely sensational Nagi!
I double up and then freeze some for my 3 littlies to enjoy later. 👍
Awesome!!!
I really enjoyed this method of cooking meatballs as I am hopeless at keeping them round in a frying pan.
However my meatballs stuck to the rack when trying to take them off to put in the sauce.
Was I supposed to spray the rack or the meatballs in the last step?
Hi Marjorie, I love cooking them this way too, saves so much time not having to turn each one in a pan!! If they stick to the rack, spray the rack with a little oil before putting the meatballs on ☺️