Ciao, friends! Meatballs in marinara is a magnificent Italian dish that is simply irresistible!

To create the most delicious Italian meatballs, this recipe uses a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage, mixed with bread crumbs, buttermilk, cheese, onion, garlic, and a copious amount of Italian seasoning.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ alittleandalot.com

Once the meatballs are formed, you have two options - fry them on the stovetop or broil them to perfection. Either way will give the meatballs a gorgeous crispy exterior. Then simply nestle the meatballs in a rich, homemade marinara sauce and let them bake until they are tender, juicy, and mouthwateringly delicious.

Honestly, if my tastebuds were fully in charge of my life, I would eat baked meatballs in marinara every single week for the rest of my life. I love them that much. I love them on homemade spaghetti noodles, on meatball sandwiches, and on Meatball Pizza. I especially love them all by themselves, covered in a thick layer of melted mozzarella cheese.

This recipe is pure comfort food and the result of years of tweaking and testing, until the meatballs were tender, juicy, and packed with Italian flavor.

"These meatballs are the best we ever tasted - all your testing really paid off!! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!! - Ana

"The best meatball marinara recipe I've ever made or tasted." - Kelli

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ alittleandalot.com

Recipe: Homemade Meatballs in Marinara

For step-by-step photos showing how to make these meatballs, please see the original recipe: Homemade Meatballs in Marinara.

• One recipe marinara sauce
• ¼ cup (1.34 ounces/ 50 grams) extra virgin olive oil (Omit if broiling the meatballs instead of frying them.)
• 1 ½ cups (178 grams) of bread cubes cut or torn into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup (8 ounces/ 227 grams) of buttermilk (*If you don't have buttermilk, here are 7 ways to make it)
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound (16 ounces/ 450 grams) ground beef, 85 - 90% lean
• 1 pound (16 ounces/ 450 grams) of ground Italian sausage, spicy or sweet
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten with a fork
• ½ cup (45 grams ) grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese
• ¾ cup (75 grams) grated mozzarella cheese
• ¾ cup (15 grams) minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4-6 large cloves)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1. Get the Marinara Sauce started first. While the marinara sauce simmers on the stovetop, make the meatballs.
2. If broiling the meatballs: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Spray a broiler pan with non-stick spray. Or, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, top it with a wire baking rack, and spray the baking rack with non-stick spray. Or, line the inside of a roasting pan with foil, set the pan's flat rack inside the pan, and spray the rack with nonstick spray. (*See links to all of these pans below.)
3. If frying the meatballs: Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Add ¼ cup olive oil to a large, heavy bottom skillet or saucepan and set aside.
4. Add the bread cubes and buttermilk to a large bowl and let sit, mashing with a fork occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the bread is breaking down and the mixture resembles a paste.
5. Add all remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl with the bread cubes and buttermilk. Mix with your hands until all the ingredients are well combined.
6. Test the meatball seasoning: Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Make one small meatball - about the size of a ping pong or golf ball. Fry the meatball in the skillet for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until deeply browned and crispy. Use a spatula to flatten the meatball into a fat patty so the inside cooks as quickly as the outside. Remove the meatball from the skillet, taste it for seasoning, and adjust your meatball mixture if necessary.
7. Form the mixture balls that are about the size of a ping-pong or golf ball and place them on the prepared broiler pan or baking rack, or sheet pan.
8. To broil the meatballs: Broil meatballs for about 30 minutes, until they are well browned.
9. To fry the meatballs: Set the skillet with olive oil in it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add about 8 - 10 meatballs to the pan. Let cook, turning every so often, until the meatballs are browned on all sides. Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
10. Cook the meatballs in the marinara sauce: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Nestle the meatballs in the marinara sauce. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ alittleandalot.com

Recipe Notes

• If broiling the meatballs, it's important to place them on something that will allow the excess grease to drip out as they bake. Good options include a broiler pan, a roasting pan with a rack, or a wire cooling rack set inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. (See links below.)
• It’s important to use a heavy-bottom, oven-proof pot in which to cook the meatballs in the marinara sauce. Good options include a Dutch oven, a stoneware casserole dish, or a large heavy-bottom saucepan.
• A delicious way to serve meatballs in marinara sauce is covered in melted mozzarella cheese. After baking, simply cover the meatballs with shredded or thinly sliced mozzarella and place the pan under the broiler until the cheese is melted and starting to brown in places.
• My favorite way to eat meatball marinara is over homemade spaghetti noodles.
• If you don't end up using the leftover meatballs in other meals, here's how to freeze them: Set the meatballs on a foil-lined plate or baking sheet that's been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Place in the freezer for about an hour, until the meatballs are getting hard but are not frozen through. Remove them to a zip-top bag or other container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

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