Easy oven-baked meatballs made with both ground pork and beef and then left to simmer in homemade Italian tomato sauce. Everyone loves a good saucy meatballs dish for Potlucks!
If you love beef recipes you should definitely try these readers' favorite recipes: Beef Enchilada Casserole, Hamburger Casserole, Slow Cooker Massaman Curry and Ground Beef And Cabbage.
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl mix together garlic powder, onion powder, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until combined.
Add pork and beef, mix to combine (for better results, try mixing with your hands).
Prepare a small bowl with warm water to dip your hands in. Roll the mixture between your hands into medium-sized balls, dipping your hands in water after each meatball. You should end up with 24 or if rolled into smaller balls, about 28 meatballs.
Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the marinara sauce by combining all the ingredients in a large pan over low-medium heat. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
When meatballs are done, add them to the marinara sauce and let simmer over low-medium heat for 1 hour. Serve over pasta or rice and your favorite side salads.
Serving
The best option is to stick with the classic sides like pasta/spaghetti, baked potato, mashed potatoes or plain rice and a bowl of simple fresh salad.
If you like pork and beef recipes be sure to check out my other delicious and budget-friendly meals such as Ground Beef and Cabbage, Easy Pork Tenderloin, Beef Enchilada Casserole or simply type the words ''pork'', ''beef'' into the search bar.
Readers Feedback
What The Yummy Bowl fans are saying across different platforms:
Husband and I both devoured them on spaghetti. Estelle, Pinterest
Tips
- Onion and garlic powder - for more texture sub with half medium white/brown onion (small dice), and 1 medium-large garlic clove (crushed).
- Beef and pork meatballs substitute - use ground chicken or turkey instead (bake for 5-10 minutes less and then let simmer in the pan along with the sauce as instructed). Or you can simply make the meatballs only with ground pork as well.
- Don’t overcook - A good rule of thumb here is to undercook the meatballs and let them simmer in tomato sauce for longer than 1 hour. If overcooked, meatballs will lose their texture and tenderness.
- Use your hands for shaping – in my opinion, the easiest way and gives far the best results when it comes to perfectly formed round meatballs.
- Store - Best consumed immediately but you can also let the meatballs cool and then place in an airtight glass container along with some sauce and pop into the fridge (up to a week) or freezer (2-3 months).
Serving suggestions
If you like asparagus as much as I do, prepare this roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese to pair with the meatballs. Or try one of these:
FAQs
If you don't want to bake them first that's fine, I think it is even easier to cook them in a pan. Roll the meatballs (you'll need to cook them in batches), cook on medium-high heat over the stovetop until golden brown, and then add to the sauce to simmer.
Baking/roasting food is usually a slightly healthier way of cooking than frying. However, if you fry the meatballs in a pan on medium heat (just until they get a nice golden brown color) and simmer after in sauce for at least 1 hour will still be a healthier option and will result in soft and flavorful meatballs. Be sure to use high-quality vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil instead of olive or other oils as it has a higher smoke point).
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Recipe
Pork and Beef Meatballs With Tomato Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese + more for serving (grated )
- ¼ heaping cup of gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups Beef or vegetable broth
- 2 15 oz can high quality tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten free)
- 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl mix garlic powder, onion powder, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Add pork and beef, mix to combine (for better results, try mixing with your hands).
- Prepare a small bowl with warm water to dip your hands in. Roll the mixture between your hands into medium-sized balls, dipping your hand in water after each meatball. You should end up with 24 or if rolled into smaller balls, about 28 meatballs.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinara sauce by combining all the ingredients in a large pan over low-medium heat. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- When meatballs are done, add them to the marinara sauce and let simmer over low-medium heat for 1 hour. Serve over pasta or rice and your favorite side salads.
Video
NOTES
- Nutrition - 95 kcal per meatballÂ
- Onion and garlic powder - for more texture sub with half medium white/brown onion (small dice), and 1 medium-large garlic clove (crushed).
- Substitute beef and pork with ground chicken or turkey (bake for 5-10 minutes less and then let simmer in the pan along with the sauce as instructed). Or you can simply make the meatballs only with ground pork.
- Use your hands for shaping – in my opinion, the easiest way and gives far the best results when it comes to perfectly formed round meatballs.Â
PRIVATE NOTES
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Julia
Perfect meatballs in marinara sauce!
LD
I only made the meatballs and they were so tasty!!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Thank you so much LD! They will be even more tastier once simmered and softened in the sauce 🙂
Jill
Couldn’t see where it suggests how many it’s for?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Jill, it makes 24 meatballs, written above the ingredients in the recipe card. You can easily adjust the quantity to less if you wish.
Blackfinga
I didn't see any mention of when to put the parmesan in, so I rolled the meatballs in it before cooking. Came out great!!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Thats delicious too, we usually mix it in the filling.
Rory O'Toole
Hi, just double checking before I start this, puree not passata
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
You can actually use both here. Puree will have more richer flavor though.