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When I first tried one of these Cheesy Saucy Meatballs when I was testing the recipe I felt I’d died and gone to meatball heaven. They were everything I was craving: deliciously juicy pork meatballs languishing in a spicy tomato and basil sauce, blanketed in fresh mozzarella & Parmigiano Reggiano. Good on their own with a simple green salad, these meatballs are wonderful served with orzo, linguine or fettuccine. I wouldn’t say no to a nice piece or two of garlic bread on the side. And maybe wine.

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What is it about meatballs that are so good? Is it their comfort-food status? Or that you can pack so much flavor into something so small them immerse it in whatever sauce takes your fancy – Swedish Meatballs are bathing in a creamy mustard gravy (be still my beating heart); Tarragon Butter Pork and Apple Meatballs are in a butter sauce (yes to all of that); Hoisin Water Chestnut Meatballs get dipped into sriracha sauce and Beef Pine Nut and Raisin Meatballs need little more than some yogurt sauce and mint they’re so good. I will be sharing more meatball recipes in the future because I love them and they’re quick-cooking and easy AF to make. And really you could take them anywhere. I thinking maybe I’ll take them to Thailand next and maybe this time they’ll be seafood. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, Cheesy Saucy Meatballs might seem mainstream – they’re anything but believe me – this recipe was adapted from one of my favorite people in the food blogosphere Nagi, creator of RecipeTin Eats & author of her first cookbook, RecipeTin Eats Dinner. For those of you who don’t know, every two months I send my sister a cookbook and from it she needs to make at least four things; May and June RecipeTin Eats Dinner is my selected cookbook and it doesn’t disappoint. So thank you to Nagi, fellow Aussie, in such a scrumptious selection of recipes.

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CHEESY SAUCY MEATBALLS

Juicy pork meatballs languishing in a spicy tomato and basil sauce, blanketed in fresh mozzarella & Parmigiano Reggiano. Good on their own with a simple green salad, these meatballs are wonderful served with orzo, linguine or fettuccine. I wouldn’t say not to a nice piece or two of garlic bread on the side. And maybe wine. This makes about 24 meatballs. If you're serving it with sides perhaps four meatballs per person – six for hungry people.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Meatballs

Servings:

Calories: 605kcal

Author: Lovoni

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

MEATBALLS

1 1/2 lbs ground pork
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning or any similar seasoning you have lying about
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
basil leaves, for garnish, optional

SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper chili flakes
A generous pinch of each sugar, sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch round baking dish.

To make the meatballs:

Place pork, breadcrumbs, egg, green onion and the seasonings into a bowl of a food processor and blitz until all the ingredients are well combine. Or mix by hand ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Shape into rounded 1 tablespoon balls and arrange in the drawer/drawers of an air-fryer in a single layer. Spray with a little olive oil spray. Cook on 400°F (200°C) for 13 to 14 minutes, turning once during cooking, until browned and cooked. Or cook in a 400°F (200°C) on a baking sheet with a wire rack on it to allow the air to circulate for 22 to 25 minutes until cooked and browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°).

To make the sauce:

While the meatballs are cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with the onion mixture. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute to mellow the tomato paste a little. Add the wine and stir. Cook, uncovered, until the wine is reduced by almost half.
Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, crushed red pepper and seasonings. Cook on medium -low, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the basil.
Pour the sauce into the baking dish. Add the meatballs in a single layer. Arrange the mozzarella cheese over the meatballs and with parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbling around the edge. If you like to the cheese to brown a little, turn on the broiler (grill) for 2 minutes to brown the cheese, keeping the baking dish about 12 inches from the broiler.
Add basil leaves to garnish.

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