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–+ servings
a bowl filled with pearl couscous and topped with meatballs, tomato sauce and basil.
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5 from 5 votes

Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Soft, juicy Italian-style meatballs baked in a herb-infused, rich tomato sauce and topped with golden melty cheese. Ultra-cosy and comforting, serve them with balls of al dente pearl couscous or fresh pasta for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 794kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Equipment

  • French pan or a stove and oven-safe pan with a lid. If you don't have a French oven, everything can be prepared in a frying pan and transferred to a casserole dish with a lid (or use foil if you don't have a lid).

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 2 slices white bread soft white or sourdough bread
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 400 grams pork mince
  • 350 grams beef mince
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cloves garlic very finely crushed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tablespoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

To brown the meatballs

  • 1-2 tablespoon olive oil for frying

For the tomato sauce

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 brown onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely crushed
  • 700 grams passata 2 ½ cups
  • 400 grams canned tomatoes 1 ½ cups
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup basil leaves fresh, torn
  • salt and pepper

For the pearl cous cous

  • 300 grams pearl cous cous
  • 3 ½ cups chicken stock liquid stock
  • 2-3 teaspoons butter
  • salt

To serve

  • fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup mozzarella grated, or just use an additional ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese fresh, finely grated
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 160C°.

For the meatballs

  • Tear the bread into smaller pieces and place it into a food processor. Blend until the bread breaks down into breadcrumbs. If you don't have a food processor, very finely chop or break the bread into very small pieces, similar to breadcrumbs.
  • Place the breadcrumbs into a large mixing bowl and add the milk. Allow to sit for 1 minute.
  • Add the remaining meatball ingredients to the mixing bowl with the bread and use your hands to mix until everything is completely combined.
  • Roll the mixture into 20 medium-sized balls.
  • Heat the oil in a large French pan/French oven (or see notes for alternatives) over high heat.
  • Quickly and lightly brown the meatballs in the pan, turning them but ensuring they don't cook all the way through. 1-2 minutes should be enough to create a crust on the outside.
  • Remove the meatballs from the pan and rest on a plate while you prepare the tomato sauce.

For the tomato sauce

  • Heat the oil, onion and garlic in the same pan over medium heat, until soft and fragrant.
  • Add the passata, canned tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  • Turn off the heat and add the torn basil. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To bake

  • Return the meatballs to the pan with the tomato sauce and gently cover them with sauce. Place the lid on the pan and bake for around 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are completely cooked through.
  • Remove the lid from the pan and sprinkle the mozzarella and/or parmesan over the top of the baked meatballs.
  • Place under a hot grill for around 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
  • Remove from the oven.

For the couscous

  • Prepare your couscous (or pasta) while the meatballs are baking in the oven.
  • Place the couscous, chicken stock and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over the stovetop.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for around 7 minutes, or until the couscous has soaked in all of the liquid and become tender (but still al dente).
  • Taste the couscous and season with salt, if needed.

To serve

  • Spoon the couscous into bowls and top with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Top with basil or chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. If you don’t have a French pan or Dutch oven with a lid, the meatballs and sauce can be prepared in a frying pan instead. Follow the steps below and then transfer the sauce and browned (but not cooked) meatballs to a casserole or oven-safe dish and cover with a lid or foil before baking.
  2. For extra indulgence, add a ball of baby bocconcini cheese to the middle of each meatball when rolling them. The cheese will melt but stay inside the meatballs, oozing out when cut. So good!
  3. It is important to use a non-stick pan to brown the meatballs. If they stick to the pan, they will break apart and won’t hold their shape. If in doubt, brown them in a frying pan and transfer them to the oven-safe pan later.
  4. Don’t overcook the meatballs. While the fresh bread and milk help to keep them soft and they are forgiving if left in the oven a little long, overcooking the meatballs will make them tough. Check them at 20 minutes and only cook until they are completely cooked through.
  5. The mixture makes 20 medium-sized meatballs. However, they can be made larger or smaller, depending on preference. Cooking times will vary if the size/quantity is changed.
  6. While I recommend browning the outside of the meatballs first for extra flavour, if you don’t want to do this, they can be placed into the sauce raw. They will need to be baked for longer; 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
  7. Freezing; Baked meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, allow the meatballs to cool completely in the sauce they are cooked in. Then, divide the meatballs into freezer-safe containers and spoon the sauce over the top. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 2-3 hours before reheating. Then, reheat and serve over freshly cooked pasta or pearl couscous.
  8. Storage; They will keep, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Perfect for leftovers!
  9. Reheating; Leftover meatballs can be reheated in the microwave in individual serves, until steaming hot all the way through. Or, reheat in a pan on the stove until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are steaming hot all the way through.
  10. This dish (including 20 meatballs, tomato sauce and couscous) makes between 5-6 serves, depending on how large you like your serves and how hungry you are!
  11. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the mixture making 20 meatballs, with the meatballs being divided into 6 bowls with the tomato sauce and ⅙ of the pearl couscous (one bowl being one serve). The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the meatballs. 
  12. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 794kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 684mg | Potassium: 1497mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1376IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 396mg | Iron: 7mg