Oven-Baked Meatballs
Get ready to savor the ultimate comfort food with these irresistible oven-baked meatballs! Juicy ground beef mingles with zesty garlic and fresh herbs, all smothered in a rich, homemade marinara sauce that takes flavor to the next level. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy gathering, these meatballs are sure to steal the show!
Prep
15
min
Cook
75
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- half a bell pepper
- carrot
- 3 garlic cloves
- garlic salt
- a piece of jalapeño
- chopped mint
- a piece of onion
- onion salt
- potato
- 5 tomatoes
- zucchini
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- chicken bouillonbeef bouillon can be used
- 2 pounds of ground beef (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/3 cup of rice (79.2 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- black pepper
- salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ingredients by chopping the tomatoes, half a bell pepper, a piece of onion, and 3 garlic cloves.
- 2
Sauté these ingredients in a pan with oil for about 8 minutes.
- 3
Let it cool and then blend it with chicken bouillon.
- 4
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, 1/3 cup of rice, a piece of onion, chopped mint, and season with chicken bouillon, salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and black pepper.
- 5
Add 1 egg to the mixture and mix well.
- 6
Shape the mixture into meatballs.
- 7
Sear the meatballs in a hot pan without adding fat.
- 8
In another pan, sear the zucchini, carrot, potato, and jalapeño with oil, seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- 9
Transfer the vegetables and meatballs to a baking dish, cover with the sauce, and cover with aluminum foil.
- 10
Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear meatballs at 400-450°F surface temperature for 90 seconds per side to create a Maillard reaction crust that locks in 15-20% more moisture during baking.technique400-450°F, 90 seconds
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of meat to rice and ensure rice is parboiled for exactly 7 minutes before mixing, as undercooked rice will absorb meat juices and create dense, dry meatballs.ingredient3:1 ratio, 7 minutes parboil
- ✓Mix meatball ingredients for no more than 30 seconds once egg is added, as overmixing develops gluten proteins that create tough, rubbery texture.technique30 seconds maximum
- ✓Bake meatballs at 375°F for 18-22 minutes to reach internal temperature of 160°F, as higher temps cause proteins to contract too rapidly and expel moisture.timing375°F, 18-22 minutes, 160°F internal
- ✓Let sautéed aromatics cool to below 80°F before blending to prevent steam from creating a watery sauce that won't properly coat the meatballs.timingBelow 80°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
75
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Oven-Baked Meatballs
Get ready to savor the ultimate comfort food with these irresistible oven-baked meatballs! Juicy ground beef mingles with zesty garlic and fresh herbs, all smothered in a rich, homemade marinara sauce that takes flavor to the next level. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy gathering, these meatballs are sure to steal the show!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- half a bell pepper
- carrot
- 3 garlic cloves
- garlic salt
- a piece of jalapeño
- chopped mint
- a piece of onion
- onion salt
- potato
- 5 tomatoes
- zucchini
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- chicken bouillonbeef bouillon can be used
- 2 pounds of ground beef (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/3 cup of rice (79.2 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- black pepper
- salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ingredients by chopping the tomatoes, half a bell pepper, a piece of onion, and 3 garlic cloves.
- 2
Sauté these ingredients in a pan with oil for about 8 minutes.
- 3
Let it cool and then blend it with chicken bouillon.
- 4
In a bowl, combine the ground beef, 1/3 cup of rice, a piece of onion, chopped mint, and season with chicken bouillon, salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and black pepper.
- 5
Add 1 egg to the mixture and mix well.
- 6
Shape the mixture into meatballs.
- 7
Sear the meatballs in a hot pan without adding fat.
- 8
In another pan, sear the zucchini, carrot, potato, and jalapeño with oil, seasoning with salt and black pepper.
- 9
Transfer the vegetables and meatballs to a baking dish, cover with the sauce, and cover with aluminum foil.
- 10
Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear meatballs at 400-450°F surface temperature for 90 seconds per side to create a Maillard reaction crust that locks in 15-20% more moisture during baking.technique400-450°F, 90 seconds
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of meat to rice and ensure rice is parboiled for exactly 7 minutes before mixing, as undercooked rice will absorb meat juices and create dense, dry meatballs.ingredient3:1 ratio, 7 minutes parboil
- ✓Mix meatball ingredients for no more than 30 seconds once egg is added, as overmixing develops gluten proteins that create tough, rubbery texture.technique30 seconds maximum
- ✓Bake meatballs at 375°F for 18-22 minutes to reach internal temperature of 160°F, as higher temps cause proteins to contract too rapidly and expel moisture.timing375°F, 18-22 minutes, 160°F internal
- ✓Let sautéed aromatics cool to below 80°F before blending to prevent steam from creating a watery sauce that won't properly coat the meatballs.timingBelow 80°F