Meatball Bake

Total time: 35 mins /  Servings: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 500 g regular beef mince/ground beef (see note 1)
  • 250 g pork mince/ground pork (see note 1 for substitutes)
  • 1 onion, grated (see note 2)
  • 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)
  • 1 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped (optional)

  • SAUCE:
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 700 g passata (1 jar)
  • 1.5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp white sugar (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup tasty cheese/cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

METHOD:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°F/400°F (all oven types).
  2. Place the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined. Measure out a tablespoon of mixture (using an ice cream scoop is helpful) and roll out the meatballs.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet on medium heat to make the sauce. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
  4. Add the passata, chicken stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Gently submerge the meatballs into the sauce, so they are evenly distributed in the pan.
  6. Using a spoon, ladle some of the sauce on top of each meatball (they may not be completely submerged under the sauce, which is fine, but spooning over the sauce will stop them from drying out).
  7. Sprinkle the top generously with cheese. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden and the meatballs are cooked through.
  8. Serve with your favourite sides (see note 3).

NOTES:

Note 1 – Regular, 20% fat beef mince is required for this recipe (not lean beef, as it will produce dry and tough meatballs). You can omit the pork mince completely and substitute it with more beef mince.

Note 2 – Grating the onions will ensure the meatballs are extra juicy and flavour-packed. Cut your onion in half and grate it on the cut side using a box grater. This ensures you are left with a fine onion “pulp” versus chunks of onions. 

Note 3 – Serve with fresh sourdough bread or garlic bread and a green salad. The sauce consistency is thin and perfect for dipping.

Recipe and photo by Simple Home Edit