Juicy Italian Meatballs Parmesan – Easy Dinner!

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone

Provolone can be a more affordable cheese option.

Start by removing the crust from organic white sliced bread and dice it into small pieces.

Place the diced bread into a large mixing bowl.

Pour milk over the breadcrumbs and stir with a fork, then let it rest for five minutes to soak up the milk.

Mash the soaked breadcrumbs together with a fork.

Add one pound of ground pork and one pound of lean ground beef to the bowl.

Crack in one large egg and add a quarter cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Mince three garlic cloves and add them to the mixture.

Finely chop about two tablespoons of fresh parsley and add to the meat mixture.

Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Mix everything together using your hands to ensure it's well combined without overmixing.

Use a trigger release cookie scoop to portion out the meat mixture quickly and evenly.

Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and roll the meat mixture into large meatballs.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and generously coat the bottom with oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer, cooking in batches if necessary.

Turn the meatballs every two minutes to ensure they are browned on all sides, which should take about eight minutes per batch.

Prepare a casserole dish by adding one cup of marinara sauce to the bottom.

Transfer the first batch of seared meatballs to the casserole dish in a single layer.

Cook the second batch of meatballs, adding more oil as needed, and then add them to the casserole dish.

Pour the remaining two cups of marinara sauce over the meatballs, trying to cover them as best as possible.

Sprinkle on the remaining quarter cup of Parmesan cheese and a generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 30 minutes.

Check that the sauce is bubbly, the cheese is melted, and the center of the meatball registers at 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.

Garnish with extra parsley before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens