The first thing I typed up to open this post was: ‘I have a thing for balls’ After careful consideration I deleted it. Then I typed it up again, this time for the sake of the joke. Bear with me, please.
Crappy ball jokes aside I really have a thing for meatballs. Aaah here I am, successfully adulting. Don’t get used to it. It’s a scarcity.
There is no back story for this recipe I just like meatballs. So after sharing my Spicy Cheese Stuffed Meatballs recipe with you a couple of weeks ago I had the unbearable urge to make Italian spiced meatballs in marinara sauce. It was almost haunting me. So this week I got out my wonderful cast-iron skillet and my arsenal of Italian spices and whipped up a batch of these wonderful Parmesan Marinara Meatballs.
First thing first: THEY ARE THE BOMB! I just have to share them with you guys. I feel like this might me something like my catch phrase but that doesn’t make it less true in the end of the day: I am totally gaga about this recipe!
The Parmesan Marinara Meatballs have a crispy fried outside yet are juicy and tender inside. The Italian spices and Parmesan provide aromatic yet mellow flavor and the marinara sauce adds a nice rich touch thanks to the flavorful onions.
The melted cheese on top takes it to the next level. Comfort food at its finest.
Make this Parmesan Marinara Meatballs and eat them over a bowl of pasta. Use them for topping your sandwich – hello Marinara Meatball Sub – or just pile them up on your salad. The marinara sauce is like the best salad dressing ever!
This recipe is perfect for everyone without a dishwasher (like me), for everyone who wants a really nice dinner but doesn’t want to spend copious amounts of time in the kitchen (so me) or everyone who is just lazy (so me again). All you need is one bowl and one skillet and 20 minutes plus oven time. Now that’s right down my alley!
Parmesan Marinara Meatballs
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Meatballs
- 600 g ground beef
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 T tomato sauce from the sauce recipe
Ingredients for the Marinara Sauce
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Additional
- cheese to gratinate
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C)
- Give all the ingredients for the meatballs but the beef and parmesan into a bowl and mix well. Add the beef and parmesan and knead until everything is well incorporated
- Form into 12 meatballs
- In an ironcast skillet heat the oilve oil and fry the onions until soft
- Give the onion in the mixing bowl and put your meatballs in the skillet. Let them brown on every side on low heat
- Add all the ingredients for the marinara sauce to the bowl and stir well
- Once the meatballs have some color give the sauce to the skillet and cover with cheese
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping the meatballs once after 10 minutes
I should really have learned my lesson by now. It’s no good when I type up my recipe posts once the food I post is already gone. I think I need to hit the shops again. Maybe I need another batch of Parmesan Marinara Meatballs for dinner tonight!
Have a great Wednesday! Three days to go. Feels like eternity…
You are the only person who can make me want meat. These look amazing, and back in the day, I used to make homemade meatballs all the time or at least a couple times of year. I still make them for the Hubby on occasion so I’ll have to try your version next because they look off the chain.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am tickled pink 😀
I love making meatballs. You can use them to pimp so many things. Or eat them straight from the pan. We do that a lot. I would love to have your hubby’s verdict. He seems to have awesome taste buds 🙂
Mmmm look at this cheesy yumminess! Sign me UP! I actually had plans on making meatballs tonight, so I guess I’ll just have to make these ones instead!
Ooooh if you do please let me know how you liked them 🙂
Ahhhhh Juli!!! It’s 11am, my breakfast has apparently done nothing for my post crossfit appetite and now I want your meat soooo bad! My tummy literally rumbled at the end of this post. No.joke.
I wonder if I could experiment with these a bit and make them in the slow cooker? Do you think that might work… Maybe 6 hours on low?? That way I could make a huge batch for the week!
Love it! Picture me grinning from ear to ear!
I though a little about making them in the slow cooker and I think it should work. They should be firm enough when you give them a good knead and roast them beforehand. 6 h on low seem enough to me. Please let me know how it worked out. Such a great idea for a giant meal prep 🙂