Meatballs Marinara
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Serve these cozy Meatballs Marinara for a delicious Italian-inspired family dinner everyone can enjoy. They’re tender, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make from scratch in about 30 minutes. Pair with pasta, fresh herbs, and plenty of Parmesan!
Classic homemade Italian-style meatballs.
Is anything cozier than a pot of homemade meatballs simmering in a from-scratch sauce? When you walk into a house and smell this percolating, the love and anticipation just wraps around you.
This recipe is based on our long-time favorite homemade marinara sauce and made completely from scratch, but still achievable in 30-35 minutes. It’s got a ton of flavor, and the meatballs truly melt in your mouth, thanks to plenty of Parmesan and a smidge of creamy ricotta mixed right in. Whether you serve these meatballs marinara over pasta for a cozy classic, serve them in hoagies for meatballs subs, or surround them with veggies for a protein-packed bowl, I hope you love them every bit as much as we do.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
The ingredient list for this recipe might look longer than some of my others, but try not to be intimidated. A lot of the items are pantry staples, and many are used in both the meatballs and the sauce, which simplifies things.
- One pound lean ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork or ground Italian sausage. The crux of the meatballs. You certainly can make them with just ground beef — in which case you’d want 1 and 1/2 pounds of it — if needed, but the mix of meats adds both flavor and tenderness.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs, plain or Italian-seasoned, work well instead if needed. I just prefer the light, flaky texture of Panko as a general rule.
- Ricotta cheese. I got the tip to try ricotta in meatballs from a friend via her Italian grandmother, and absolutely love it. Whole milk or 2% also works but I swear they have a more melt-in-your-mouth texture with the ricotta.
- Crushed tomatoes. Use a high-quality brand if at all possible. If you prefer to use whole peeled tomatoes, just crush them lightly yourself, either by hand or with a large spoon against the sides of the skillet as they simmer to make the sauce.
- Fresh minced garlic. You will use this in both the sauce and the meatballs, so for efficiency’s sake, mince all of it at once.
- Sprigs of fresh basil. This adds a subtle fresh flavor to the sauce, and is the loveliest garnish for the finished bowls.
- Grated Parmesan cheese. This will go directly into the meatball mixture, and a little extra for topping the meatballs is a must, if you ask me.
- Spices and staples: dried oregano, onion powder, parsley, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, olive oil, one egg.
What to Serve with Meatballs Marinara
For classic bowls, serve these meatballs and sauce over freshly-cooked pasta. You can use spaghetti, of course, for a classic spaghetti and meatballs feel, or bowties, penne, or rotini, as pictured here. Anything with a few ridges to hold the sauce really works.
For a quick and easy meal, you can also grab some crusty rolls or hoagies. Toast them lightly, then pile the meatballs and sauce generously inside to make meatball marinara subs. Slices of mozzarella or Provolone cheese complete the effect.
In the sides department, my favorite meal with these meatballs would include a green salad with Italian salad dressing and one-hour homemade breadsticks. Of course, garlic knots or some heat-and-eat garlic bread always hits the spot, too.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Be gentle when mixing the meatballs. Overworked meatballs get tough, so a light touch here is really the key to keeping them very tender on the inside. Just as in this recipe for sweet and sticky Asian meatballs, we’ll use a fork to mix together everything but the meat, then hold the same fork upside down and use it to just gently pull the egg-breadcrumb mixture through the ground meat. Try not to beat or whip the mixture aggressively. Just continue that “pull-through” motion several times until the mixture is relatively even.
- When shaping meatballs, it helps tremendously to have damp hands. This prevents the meatball mixture from sticking excessively to your fingers.
- For easy clean-up, be sure to line your pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Let the sauce simmer on low. More time to simmer=more flavor, so just let this bubble until those meatballs are ready to go and enjoy the process.
Pro Tip
The USDA recommends cooking all types of ground meat to an internal temperature of 160°F. The easiest way to guarantee you hit this mark is to grab an inexpensive instant read thermometer. Insert it into the center of a meatball in the middle of your baking sheet, and you’ll be confident when it’s time to remove the meatballs and transfer to the sauce.
Storage & Freezing
- Storing leftovers: Extra meatballs and sauce will keep well tightly-covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If possible I like to store the pasta separately, or even more ideally just cook the pasta as needed.
- Warming: Reheat portions in the microwave for 90-120 seconds, with a paper towel over the plate to prevent splatter.
- Freezing: Meatballs marinara are very freezer-friendly and are a terrific meal to make and stash in advance of a new baby, surgery, etc. You have two options to do this:
- Fully cook the meatballs and sauce, then let them cool and store together in freezer-safe containers. It’s easiest to package them up in the portions you think you’ll want to use later, whether that be individual portions or a full family meal. Transfer the container to defrost in the fridge overnight, then pour into a pot and slowly warm over medium-low heat. Serve with freshly-boiled pasta, rolls, etc.
- Freeze the shaped but raw meatballs, then add them directly to the simmering sauce when ready to enjoy. They will take longer to cook this way, clearly, but are super hands-off and stay very tender.
Related Recipes
You might also enjoy these shrimp marinara, chicken Parmesan meatballs, pesto cavatappi, or a very classic pasta marinara.
Craving all these Italian flavors in a meatless dish with more veggies built-in? This garden veggie marinara pasta or a luscious penne rosa may hit the spot.
If you try these Meatballs Marinara, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Meatballs Marinara
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 2-3 sprigs fresh basil plus more for serving
For the Meatballs:
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese whole milk preferred
- 1 large egg
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 8 ounces ground pork or ground Italian sausage
For Serving:
- 12-16 ounces pasta or rolls for meatball sandwiches, etc.
- fresh Parmesan and basil
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cook pasta. If serving with pasta, bring a large pot of water to boil, then add a generous pinch of kosher salt. Stir in pasta and cook just to al dente according to package directions.
- Start sauce. While waiting for pasta water to boil, start the sauce. Place olive oil and garlic in a large, cold skillet, then place the skillet over medium heat.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
- As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle and smell fragrant, stir in the tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Nestle in the sprigs of fresh basil.1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, pinch red pepper flakes, 2-3 sprigs fresh basil
- Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer very gently while you prepare and bake the meatballs.
- Form meatballs. Combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, ricotta, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and onion powder in a large bowl. Use a fork to mix these together well.2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Add the ground beef and ground pork or sausage. Continue using the fork to very gently pull the Parmesan mixture through the meat, until it is pretty even. Try not to overwork.1 pound lean ground beef, 8 ounces ground pork or ground Italian sausage
- Scoop the mixture into meatballs of about 2 Tablespoons each and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. You can roll them gently between your hands to smooth them out, or skip this step if you don’t mind a “rustic” shape.
- Bake meatballs. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through to an interior temperature of 160°F.
- Put it together. When the meatballs are finished baking, remove the basil sprigs from the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently transfer the meatballs into the sauce, turning to coat them all well. Keep warm over low heat as you finish preparing your pasta and any sides.
- Serve. Plate pasta and meatballs with plenty of fresh Parmesan and more basil, as desired. Enjoy!12-16 ounces pasta, fresh Parmesan and basil
Notes
- Extra meatballs and sauce will keep well tightly-covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave for 90-120 seconds, with a paper towel over the plate to prevent splatter.
- Meatballs freeze well. You have two options here:
- Fully cook the meatballs and sauce, then let them cool and store together in freezer-safe containers. It’s easiest to package them up in the portions you think you’ll want to use later, whether that be individual portions or a full family meal. Transfer the container to defrost in the fridge overnight, then pour into a pot and slowly warm over medium-low heat. Serve with freshly-boiled pasta, rolls, etc.
- Freeze the shaped but raw meatballs, then add them directly to the simmering sauce when ready to enjoy. They will take longer to cook this way, clearly, but are super hands-off and stay very tender.
