WHO KNEW MEATBALLS WERE THIS EASY?
Okay but seriously…I always thought meatballs took chef level experience (don’t laugh) but it doesn’t. I’ve learned over the last year that cooking isn’t as intimidating or as hard as you think. #1 you have to practice to get good and yeah you might mess up some…the last time I made these I burned the crap out of them. Oops…but also you learn to trust yourself and get pretty good. I basically was able to make these without a recipe because I’ve practiced with a recipe a few times and was able to tweak them to our liking…so, if you make these, I encourage you to do the same. If you want more cheese, add more cheese. I’ll give you the baseline and you can run with it.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 pounds of Ground Beef (we use Prime)
1/3 C Italian Breadcrumbs (I use Progresso)
1/3 C Parmesan Cheese (Grated…splurge on this…don’t get the cheap kind, it really does matter)
1 tbsp of Tomato Paste
2 tsp of Italian Seasoning (this is one where if you want it more herby, add another teaspoon!)
3 Cloves of Garlic (once again, feel free to reduce
2 tbsp of water
1 egg
HOW TO
FIrst, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
The next part is pretty simple. I use a scale to measure the meatballs because it takes the guesswork out and gives me a little less anxiety that they won’t all be different sizes. You don’t have to do this but if you do, mine weigh between 1.5 – 1.7 oz each.
Once they are rolled up I put marinara on simmer to go ahead and start heating it up. You can use any kind you like! I think marinara is pretty easy to make so I’ll make a big batch and freeze the rest for later. I also love HEB Organics Garlic Lover’s brand if I don’t have the homemade stuff on hand.
Take a piece of parchment paper to line a baking sheet. No need to spray with anything. Just line out your meatballs and pop them in the oven for 20-24 minutes.
When they’re finished, I put mine on a paper towel to soak up some of the grease. Then I transfer them to the simmering marinara while I make my pasta.
That’s it! Enjoy it with mozzarella or parmesan…or both!
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