Baked Meatballs Parmesan

missravenskitchen

Baked Meatballs Parmesan is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring juicy and tender meatballs smothered in marinara sauce, ricotta cheese dolloped throughout the dish, and melted mozzarella cheese, then baked to perfection. This dish is easy to prepare and makes a hearty meal when served over pasta, on a sub roll, or alongside a crisp salad. It's perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8

Calories 683 kcal

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 lb ground beef 80% lean
1 lb ground sausage hot or sweet
1 small yellow onion very finely diced (almost minced)
3 garlic cloves minced
1 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
⅓ cup milk
2 eggs
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

For the Sauce

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp oregano
10 fresh basil leaves chopped
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese

For Assembly

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
16 oz shredded mozzarella

Instructions

For the Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Combine onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for 3 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to soak in the milk.
Mix in the ground beef and sausage until just combined, being careful not to overmix. It could result in tough meatballs.
Roll the mixture into meatballs, about 2 heaping tbsp sized, and set aside on a plate. This should get you about 18 meatballs. Make the sauce.

For the Sauce

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a sauce pot. Saute garlic for 30 seconds with the crushed red pepper flakes, if using, until aromatic, stirring constantly.
Add in the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, and salt. Give it a stir, then add in the tomato paste. Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, covered.
Stir in the parmesan cheese and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

For Assembly

Spray a 9x13 baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Put the greased baking dish on top of a large baking sheet to catch any sauce overflow. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange the meatballs in the dish.
Mix ricotta, garlic powder, salt, pepper, parmesan, and basil in a bowl. Dollop the ricotta cheese throughout the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce on top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, temp one of the meatballs (should be just about done), and top with the shredded mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted, meatballs temp to 165F or higher, and the dish is bubbly. Serve with extra parsley on top.

Notes

Storage: Allow the dish to cool completely, then cover the baking dish with saran wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Allow the dish to cool completely, then cover with foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to reheat it, thaw the dish completely in the fridge overnight. Take it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes. This will prevent the baking dish from shattering (if you are using glass). Always bake with a sheet pan underneath it so it catches any overflow. Bake as directed.
Make ahead:
From Freezer: Make the recipe as directed up to covering the meatballs in the marinara sauce, but allow the marinara sauce to cool down a bit before covering the meatballs. Do not dollop the ricotta mixture. Cover it with saran wrap, then aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to bake it, let it thaw in the fridge until completely thawed. Remove the saran wrap but keep the foil. Continue with the recipe as directed, adding about 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
From Fridge: Make the recipe as directed by dolloping the ricotta mixture throughout the dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temp for 30 minutes, place a sheet pan underneath the baking dish, and bake as directed, but add 10 more minutes to the time.

Can I use shortcuts? Of course, you can! But you would be missing out on all of the flavors you would have if it were homemade. You can use frozen meatballs and your favorite 28 oz jarred tomato sauce.

Can I make this in the slow cooker? This can easily be made in the slow cooker, but my recommendation would be to use my Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce and dollop the ricotta mixture throughout the pot. Cook as directed, but during the last hour, top with the mozzarella cheese. For the ricotta mixture, add 1/2 cup more of the ricotta cheese, 1 tbsp more of the basil, and 1 tbsp more of the Parmesan cheese.

What to Serve With This: Pasta is my main choice. I like serving this with rigatoni or linguine, but any pasta choice works. You can also serve this with sub rolls to make a meatball sub, with garlic bread, or eat this by itself with a side salad with an oil & red wine vinegar-based dressing, or any light vinaigrette. Roasted veggies or steamed broccoli go well, along with sautéed spinach and kale with garlic.

Wine Pairings: Any medium- or full-bodied red wine will pair beautifully. Chianti is my top choice. It's a classic Italian wine with bright acidity to cut through the richness of the dish and enhance the flavors. Other good choices would be a Zinfandel, which is bold and jammy, or a Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a bit bolder than Zinfandel with notes of dark fruits. Its tannins work well with meaty dishes such as this one. It's best to stray away from white or rosé wines for this dish. It wouldn't pair quite as well.

Keyword Baked Ziti, Meatball Parmesan, Meatballs