Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Tender beef and pork meatballs baked in a rich tomato sauce until bubbling, savoury and deeply comforting. A generous family dinner served straight from the oven with pasta, crusty bread, creamy mash or a simple salad.

A tray of meatballs in tomato sauce has that wonderful way of feeling generous before it has even reached the table. The sauce bubbles around the edges, the meatballs settle into the tomato, and everything begins to smell like dinner is properly taken care of. This version is baked rather than fried, and that choice matters in a busy household. No standing over the stove frying batch after batch. No oil splatter. Just the oven doing the work while you get on with everything else. Over time it has become the only way I make them, because a big family batch comes together without the fuss, and the result is just as good. The meatballs are made with beef and pork mince, fresh breadcrumbs softened in milk, parmesan, garlic and herbs. They are baked first to give them shape and colour, then finished in the sauce so they stay tender and soak up all that tomato flavour. Serve them with spaghetti, spoon them into bowls with crusty bread, tuck them into rolls, or bring the whole dish to the table and let everyone help themselves.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 45 min · Serves: 10 · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 1 kg beef mince
• 1 kg pork mince
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for drizzling

For the tomato sauce

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 brown onions, finely diced
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt, then adjust to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water

To finish

• Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
• Extra parmesan, finely grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the breadcrumbs and milk in a very large mixing bowl. Stir together and leave for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs soften.
3. Add the beef mince, pork mince, eggs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Mix gently with clean hands until just combined. Try not to overwork the mixture as this can make the meatballs firm.
5. Roll the mixture into meatballs roughly golf ball size. You should get about 45 to 50 meatballs depending on size.
6. Arrange the meatballs across two large baking dishes, or one very large roasting dish. They can sit close together but avoid packing them too tightly.
7. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the meatballs have started to colour on top.
9. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
10. Add the diced onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
11. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells rich.
12. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and water. Stir well.
13. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
14. Remove the meatballs from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C.
15. Pour the tomato sauce over and around the meatballs. Gently nudge the sauce between them so they are nestled in, leaving some of the tops visible.
16. Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are cooked through.
17. Finish with fresh parsley or basil and a light sprinkle of parmesan before serving.

Notes

Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk keeps the meatballs soft and tender. It is a small step but it makes a real difference to the finished texture.

A mix of beef and pork gives the best flavour and tenderness. All beef works if needed, but the pork adds something the beef alone cannot.

For a smaller household, halve the recipe using 500g of each mince.

The sauce can be left looser for pasta or baked a little longer to reduce if you are serving with bread or rolls.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully on the stovetop or in the oven. The meatballs also freeze well in the sauce for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with spaghetti, fettuccine or rigatoni for a classic dinner. Spoon into bowls with crusty bread or our Portuguese Bread Rolls (Papo Secos) for something a little more rustic. Serve over creamy mashed potato or Creamy Polenta, Our Family Milho Method, for a deeply comforting meal. Tuck into rolls with extra parmesan for meatball subs. Add our Greek Style Salad with Feta, Olives and Garlic on the side to keep things fresh and balanced.

The Grace Table Tip

Bake the meatballs first, then finish them in the tomato sauce. You get all the flavour and structure of browned meatballs without standing over the stove frying batch after batch. For a big family batch, it is the only way to go.