Amazing Meatball Parmesan
Amazing Meatball Parmesan is my new favorite way to get an Italian meal on the table in no time! Everything is simplified in this recipe…use a meatloaf mix for the ground meat and use your favorite jarred marinara sauce.
And why not? I typically take the long path…make my own sauce, combine the various ground meats in the just-so-perfect ratios, yada yada. As I’ve gotten older (wiser, maybe?), I have less time for all of that (golf and canasta are calling me). So, why not accept a little help where you can get it? I’m all about that!
Begin this recipe by combining the meat, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs and salt and form meatballs into 2″ diameter balls.
Heat oil in a medium skillet and pan fry the meatballs until browned. They don’t need to be cooked all the way through as you’ll finish them in the oven.
Pour a jar of sauce in the bottom of your baking dish (you can also use a cast iron skillet, which is what I prefer). Lay the meatballs on top. Cover with the second jar of sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over. Spread grated Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella and cover with foil.
Bake the meatball parm for 20 minutes and then remove the foil. Bake an additional 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
If you like the cheese to be more browned, turn on the broiler and move the meatballs closer to the heat. Watch them closely so they don’t burn. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or two.
Sprinkle with some herbs, if you prefer. Enjoy!
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Amazing Meatball Parmesan
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (or 3/4 lb beef, 1/2 pound pork, 1/4 pound veal)
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped not minced
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup bread crumbs or Panko
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 (24-ounce jars) marinara sauce of your choice
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- chopped herbs, for sprinkling if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside an oven-proof baking dish or skillet (I used a large cast-iron skillet).
Mix the meat, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs, Parmesan, eggs and salt and form your meatballs (about 2” diameter). I made 32 meatballs. Heat the oil over medium heat and pan fry the meatballs until nicely browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Don’t worry about cooking them through; they will finish cooking in the oven.
Pour one jar of sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay meatballs on top of the sauce. Cover with more sauce and sprinkle mozzarella on top. Spread grated Parmesan over. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 mins or until meatballs are cooked through. If you prefer the cheese to brown a little more, turn the oven to broil, move the meatballs closer to the heat but watch these very closely…they can burn easily! Sprinkle with chopped herbs, if desired.
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