Name: Meatball Parmesan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 pound Italian ground pork; ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs; ¼ cup whole milk; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 tablespoon dried parsley; 1 cup parmesan cheese, (shredded); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 2 eggs, (lightly beaten); 1 ½ 24-oz jars pasta sauce; 1 to 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, (shredded); ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 tablespoon fresh basil, (finely chopped)

Square close-up of a cheesy meatball being pulled from a skillet with a fork, showcasing melted mozzarella and vibrant marinara sauce.

Meatball parmesan is a flavorful, Italian dish that goes great over noodles or served as a sub sandwich.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 25

Servings

Our Meatball Parmesan bake recipe is easy and delicious. This Italian dish is loaded with sauce and cheese, then baked in the oven. Whether you put them in a sandwich, or serve over noodles, parmesan meatballs make a hearty meal that are sure to get a thumbs up.

Complete this meal by adding some greens or vegetables as a side dish. I love to serve my Simple Homemade Caesar Salad with Meatball Parmesan. These Simple Sauteéd Vegetables are another easy and delicious veggie option to go with!

Close-up of melted mozzarella and marinara-covered meatball being lifted from skillet with fork, labeled 'Meatball Parmesan.'

Ingredients for Meatball Parmesan

Flat lay of labeled meatball parmesan ingredients including ground beef, pork, cheese, breadcrumbs, herbs, and sauce.

You will need:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian ground pork
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup whole milk
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ 24-oz jars pasta sauce
1-1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

Substitutions and Additions

Pasta: Parmesan meatballs go great with any type of pasta. Fettuccine noodles are our favorite, but you could use rotini, penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti. Whichever you prefer!

Sauce: Just as with the noodles, any type of pasta sauce will do. If you have a favorite brand, stick with that. Since you will need 1 ½ jars, you could get two types of sauce and combine them. You could also make a homemade sauce if you prefer.

Sandwich: Meatball parmesan makes a delicious meatball sub sandwich. I recommend using hoagie buns if you plan to serve your meatball parmesan as a sandwich.

How To Make This Meatball Parmesan Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large cast iron skillet with foil and set aside.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, whole milk, minced garlic, Italian seasonings, onion powder, dried parsley, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and lightly beaten eggs. Using your hands mix all the ingredients in the bowl until just combined, being careful not to over mix the meat.

STEP THREE: Use an ice cream scoop to form meatballs. You should be able to make 17 large meatballs from the meat mixture (or 34 smaller ones).

Raw meatballs formed in a foil-lined skillet with overlay text: 'Use an ice cream scoop to form meatballs.'

STEP FOUR: Place the meatballs on the foil lined cast iron skillet and place in the oven. Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes (20 minutes if smaller meatballs). Remove from the oven and set the cast iron skillet on a hot pad.

Baked meatballs in foil-lined skillet after 25 minutes of cooking, with overlay text: 'Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.'

STEP FIVE: Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place meatballs on a plate and remove foil from the cast iron skillet.

STEP SIX: Pour ½ of the pasta sauce on the bottom of the skillet. Add meatballs back to the skillet on top of the pasta sauce.

Skillet of marinara sauce topped with cooked meatballs, with overlay text: 'Return meatballs to the skillet on top of the pasta sauce.'

STEP SEVEN: Pour remaining sauce over the top of the meatballs. Add 1-1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of the meatballs. Sprinkle on Italian seasonings.

Meatballs in skillet covered with sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese, with overlay text: 'Pour sauce over the top. Add mozzarella cheese to the top of the meatballs. Sprinkle on Italian seasonings.'

STEP EIGHT: Cover the cast iron skillet with foil. Place back in the oven and allow to cook for 20 additional minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until browned on the top.

STEP NINE: Carefully remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and set on a hot pad. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil over the top of the meatballs and serve over your favorite pasta.

Fully baked meatball parmesan in a skillet garnished with fresh basil, pasta and bread in background, with overlay text: 'Sprinkle fresh chopped basil over the top of the meatballs and serve over your favorite pasta.'

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Your meatball parmesan recipe can last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. Be sure to store in an airtight container. It makes it super easy to pull out leftovers and put them over noodles or make a quick meatball sub!

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze your cooked meatballs. To do so, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer after cooking. Then, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc bag or an airtight container. They will keep this way for about 3 months. Be sure to thaw them completely before using them in a casserole or putting them over spaghetti!

Fork twirling pasta topped with a single baked meatball in front of a blurred skillet background.

Meatball parmesan is a hearty, Italian dish that goes great over noodles or served as a sub sandwich. The homemade meatballs are full of flavor, smothered in sauce and coated with melted cheese, then baked in the oven. This is an easy meal that’s sure to satisfy a hungry stomach!

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