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!
I Get A Round: More Meatball Recipes
Thai Meatballs – Pork meatballs with lemongrass, garlic and a zesty hint of kaffir lime
Mexican Meatballs – Beef and pork meatballs supercharged with fiesty Mexican spices
Vietnamese Meatballs (Bun Cha!) – Char-grilled pork meatballs with dipping sauce from the streets of Hanoi
Italian Meatballs – An Italian-American classic, these meatballs are pillowy soft
Swedish Meatballs – With a savoury and creamy sauce, these are one of the world’s most iconic meatballs!
Browse all Meatball recipes
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!!!!!
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!!!!🙌🏻
Hi Nagi, I tried this last night and it was absolutley delicious!!! And the best part was it was so easy and convienient baking in the oven with only one pot.
Cheers to devising this method of making meatballs. Although I will miss mopping the juices from the sheet pan with a piece of bread (been doing it since I was a child:) I am sold on the meatballs becoming crispy all around:)
Mop up the sauce instead!!! 😉 N xx
I made these last night and cooked them over the pan & they were just great! Made meatball pitas and will maybe make some fresh pasta tonight for the rest of the sauce & meatballs. I didn’t have any pork, so used a pound of beef. I always grate garlic, but I’ve never did that to onions before – this worked out so well with the bread! Went together quickly and easy to do for a weeknight dinner. There’s just the 2 of us (well, the cat had half a meatball) so more than enough for tonight!
WHOOOOOOT!!! I am so pleased you enjoyed it Sharon, thank you for letting me know! And thank you for reminding me I have leftovers in the freezer 🙂 Dinner tonight!
I made these last night, they were delicious and an easy clean up too! The OH doesn’t eat cheese (grr) so I substituted a spoon of pesto (OH didn’t notice) and a few extra bread crumbs. Was a great recipe for using up the ends of the fresh pots of herbs. Thank you Nagi and Dozer x
YESSSSS!!! I AM SO HAPPY to hear you enjoyed this Victoria, thanks so much for letting me know! PS Pesto is a fab sub, I hate to tell you think though but you know pesto has parmesan in it….???
I just made this. This recipe is absolutely fantastic. The meatballs came out so well. I also added mushrooms to the sauce, some cayenne pepper and put more Italian seasoning in. Sooooo good….. my husband felt like it was his birthday today! Thanks very much!
HIGH PRAISE!! So fantastic to hear you enjoyed it Cherie, thanks for trying it 🙂 Thought people might think I’m just WEIRD for the way I bake meatballs!! N xx
I just tried this today and it worked beautifully! The meatballs shrank a little after cooking but are perfectly cooked, browned, and juicy. The sauce didn’t get too greasy from the beef drippings and is nicely flavored. I love how you come up with new and creative methods of cooking – and you don’t even call them “hacks” lol
Fantastic to hear Jinx! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this. I don’t call it a hack because I don’t think it’s a hack!!! It’s truly the way I bake meatballs!!! N xx
This is a great idea! However, I would think you would want to use chopped meat with a low fat content – no? I don’t think I’d want all that beef grease in my sauce.
Hi Lisa! Try using lean beef if you are concerned 🙂 I use a fairy lean beef – still some fat, but not too much. Not as much fat comes out as when frying, alot of the juices are contained in the meatballs.
Nagi, thanks you so much for all your beautiful and delicious recipies. I always thought I was not a great cook and I wasn’ t able to follow the directions in a cooking book. Not even Jamie’s LOL.
My taste is horrible, so I can’t depend on that, thats why I really need tight directions. After decades of struggling in the kitchen (I am 59 years now) I came along your internet page. I really like Doozer, you have such a lovely face and the pictures of your food looked really amazing. After reading the recipies, I thought…..why not, Just give it a try……..and it worked out great for me and my family. Since I started cooking your recipies, my family really enjoys eating my food, and most important, I really like being in the kitchen and COOK. Your recipies are easy to follow and the measurments are right in 99,99% of the cases. It’s also really great that we, people who live outside Aus, US and Britain, but still live in Europe, can use your recipies, without searching a whole day trying to recalculate the measurments or temperatures. Thank you Nagi for changing my kitchenlife. Thank you, thank you, thank you
Awww what a beautiful message to receive! Thank you Peggy! 🙂 N xx
Dozer likely didn’t mean to break the plate, he was just excited about those wonderful meatballs.
I’ve always soaked my bread with milk. Your onion method sounds interesting. Also, making the sauce under the meatballs, brilliant! Thanks Nagi…
You got it – he was going mental over a possum outside the window and knocked over a whole table with precious ceramics on it!! 🙂 I do hope you try the onion soaking method one day Ron, it really does work 🙂 Amazing extra flavour, no chunky bits of onion, no need to saute the onion!
I now have a new meatball cooking method. I love this idea.
It always makes me smile when I see your face Maureen! 🙂 N xx
Now why haven’t I thought of that? Makes complete sense and the ‘h’ word is valid!! Perhaps panko crumbs for me but otherwise here come some very tasty, ROUND meatballs soonest . . . . hmm, how does one explain the meaning of a ‘naughty corner’ to any dog: Dozer just felt comfortable where he was ‘sent’ 🙂 !!
There is no such thing as a naughty corner in Dozer’s world!!!
Brilliant idea. Dozer looks real guilty….NOT!!!
Will panko work instead of white bread?
Hi Lyn! Yep it works fine, just a touch less soft 🙂 The directions are in the notes 🙂
I knew you were Italian!! I hate to break this to you but your mamma got you from some roaming gypsies that stole you from a nice Italian couple. Your meatballs look squisito! I can tell how upset Dozer is. He knows he’s got you wrapped around his big paw! xoxo
You KNOW I’m obsessed with Italian food Marisa! And I love that there are so many Italian greats to learn from 🙂 As for D? NO CONSCIENCE!
Hi Nagi. Baked meatballs are so much better and less messy. And, of course, the grated onion and soft bread are the way to go. I see this in my near future with a nice crisp salad. 🙂
It definitely is easier Dorothy, isn’t it? More hands off time! 🙂
Love the rack idea, Nagi! Noo, you sent Dozer is in a naughty corner? 🙂
He deserved it!!! He broke a precious plate!
ah, dozer! you just don’t care, do you!? about anything that matters to us. i know you dogs. sigh.
He has NO CONSCIENCE!!!!!
Nagi, you’re killing me with these oven recipes. I know it’s winter ‘down under’ but up north in Florida I’m going to have to wait months to make these. But I will, because I think this is genius. It’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of this?” recipes. Thanks!
BA HA HA!!!! Look, you are SO LUCKY to have such warm weather year round!!! 😉 The Friday recipe is going to kill you too, it’s a heat heavy one 🙂 BUT don’t worry!! I have some lovely salads coming up soon!!