Cheesy Garlicky Meatballs With Marinara (Print Version)

Tender beef and pork meatballs with garlic, cheese, and rich marinara sauce. Italian comfort at its finest.

# What You Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef
02 - 0.55 lb ground pork
03 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
04 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 0.25 cup whole milk
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying

→ For the Marinara Sauce

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
17 - 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
18 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
19 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
20 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
21 - 1 teaspoon sugar
22 - Salt and pepper to taste
23 - Fresh basil for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, minced garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix until just combined without overworking the mixture.
02 - Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs, yielding approximately 24 pieces.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
06 - Gently nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil. Accompany with pasta or gluten-free pasta if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The mix of beef and pork creates a texture that's impossibly tender without ever feeling like it's been overworked.
  • There's enough garlic and cheese baked into each ball that you taste it before the sauce even gets involved.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners that taste like you've been simmering all day.
02 -
  • Don't let your meatball mixture sit in the fridge overnight—the salt in the cheese will cause the meat to bind too aggressively, and they'll turn out dense instead of tender.
  • If your sauce tastes too acidic when you first add the tomatoes, that's the signal that 1 teaspoon of sugar is exactly right; it rounds out the acidity without adding sweetness.
03 -
  • Keep a wooden spoon in the sauce while the meatballs cook and gently stir occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom without moving them around so much that they fall apart.
  • If your sauce tastes too thick after simmering, thin it with a splash of pasta water or beef broth rather than more oil—it'll come together more naturally that way.
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