Cheesy Meatball Bake Delight
This flavorful Cheesy Meatball Bake combines deliciously seasoned meatballs with a rich marinara sauce and plenty of melted mozzarella. Perfect for feeding a crowd, it’s a guaranteed hit at any gathering!
Equipment
- oven
- mixing bowl
- casserole dish
- Pan
Ingredients
Meatball Mixture:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
For Assembly:
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
For Meatball Preparation:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, hot Italian sausage, minced garlic, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, eggs, and milk. Mix thoroughly until everything is well integrated.
- Shape the meat mixture into meatballs weighing about 4-5 ounces each. Using a medium ice cream scoop can help achieve uniform sizes.
For Cooking:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Lightly oil a pan with olive oil and heat over medium. Sear the meatballs for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, until they gain a lovely golden crust. They do not need to be cooked through at this point.
For Assembling and Baking:
- To prevent sticking, spread some marinara sauce on the base of a casserole dish. Arrange the browned meatballs in the dish and layer the remaining marinara sauce over the top. Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese abundantly over everything.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the meatballs are fully cooked.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.