Easy Baked Meatballs with Two Sauce Options

Elevate your dinner game with these *Easy Baked Meatballs with Two Sauce Options*, a versatile and flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings. These tender, oven-baked meatballs are a mouthwatering blend of ground beef, ground pork, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, making them irresistibly savory and juicy. The recipe lets you customize the experience with two delicious sauce options: a classic marinara for a comforting, tomato-rich touch, or a creamy garlic parmesan sauce for a velvety, indulgent twist. Ready in just 40 minutes, this crowd-pleaser pairs beautifully with pasta, crusty bread, or can even shine solo. Whether you’re craving hearty nostalgia or creamy decadence, this recipe delivers every time!

Nutriscore Rating: 58/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground beef
• 0.5 pound Ground pork
• 0.5 cup Breadcrumbs
• 0.25 cup Milk
• 1 large Egg
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Olive oil (for greasing)
• 2 cups Marinara sauce (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Butter (unsalted, for parmesan sauce)
• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour (for parmesan sauce)
• 1.5 cups Whole milk (for parmesan sauce)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, for parmesan sauce)
• 0.5 teaspoon Garlic powder (for parmesan sauce)
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt (for parmesan sauce)
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper (for parmesan sauce)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

Step 3

Mix the ingredients gently with your hands or a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the meatballs tender.

Step 4

Using your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs (about the size of a golf ball) and place them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 5

Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 160°F/71°C).

Step 6

While the meatballs are baking, prepare your choice of sauce.

Step 7

For the marinara sauce: Warm 2 cups of marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Serve the baked meatballs over the warm sauce.

Step 8

For the garlic parmesan sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute until it forms a smooth paste.

Step 9

Gradually whisk in 1.5 cups of milk, ensuring no lumps form. Cook and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 10

Remove from heat and stir in 0.5 cup of grated Parmesan, 0.5 teaspoon of garlic powder, 0.25 teaspoon of salt, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper. Serve the meatballs drizzled with the cream sauce.

Step 11

Serve your baked meatballs hot, with pasta, crusty bread, or simply as a stand-alone dish with your chosen sauce!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1708.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2908.6

Total Fat 191.3g	0%
Saturated Fat 92.6g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0g
Cholesterol 796.5mg	0%
Sodium 8892.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 130.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 10.9g	0%
Total Sugars 56.6g
Protein 182.4g	0%

Vitamin D 304.4IU	0%
Calcium 2830.0mg	0%
Iron 18.0mg	0%
Potassium 3499.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 57.9%

Protein: 24.5%

Carbs: 17.6%