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Home » Dinner » Cheesy Meatball Bake

Published: June 12, 2017 Last Modified: May 17, 2019 By Sara 19 Comments

Cheesy Meatball Bake

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Cheesy Meatball Bake Recipe | Meatball Skillet | Italian Meatballs | Baked Meatball Recipe

This meatball bake recipe is homemade meatballs, broiled to perfection and smothered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. A quick and easy dinner option that’s sure to please the whole family!

Baked meatballs are comfort food at its finest. Serve your meatballs with a side of garlic knots and an antipasto salad for a complete meal.

Cheesy Meatball Bake Recipe | Meatball Skillet | Italian Meatballs | Baked Meatball Recipe #meatballs #beef #cheese #dinner #dinneratthezoo

A serving spoon in a pan of cheesy meatball bake.

Meatballs are one of my all time favorite things to eat, and lucky for me, my kids love them too! This meatball bake is the ultimate meal for all the meatball lovers in your like, how could anyone resist that blanket of melted cheese?

A skillet of baked meatballs with tomato sauce and melted cheese.

How do you make cheesy meatball bake?

This recipe starts with the meatballs. I use 90% lean ground beef here, and combine it with breadcrumbs, herbs, seasonings and parmesan cheese. The meatballs go into a skillet and get broiled to golden brown perfection. After the meatballs are cooked through, they are covered in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and take another trip under the broiler until everything is melted. Serve this meatball bake over pasta or as is with a crusty loaf of bread on the side and you’ve got an amazing dinner without a lot of effort!

Baked meatballs in a skillet with tomato sauce and melted cheese.

After the meatballs cook under the broiler, there may be some excess fat or liquid in the pan. That is normal, simply drain it out before you move to the next step of adding the sauce. I use a high quality store bought marinara sauce for this meatball bake, feel free to use whatever variety of sauce your family prefers. After the completed dish comes out of the oven, I like to add a sprinkling of fresh parsley, although fresh basil or oregano would also be a good choice.

A serving spoon in a skillet of meatball bake, topped with chopped parsley.

This meatball bake also makes a fun party appetizer, simply set out the skillet with some toothpicks or cocktail forks and let your guests indulge in all the cheesy goodness. Whether you serve this dish as an appetizer or for dinner, it’s bound to go on your permanent dinner rotation!

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Meatball Bake Video


This meatball bake recipe is homemade meatballs, broiled to perfection and smothered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. A quick and easy dinner option that's sure to please the whole family!
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4.77 from 17 votes

Cheesy Meatball Bake

This meatball bake recipe is homemade tender meatballs smothered in tomato sauce and covered in cheese.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 537kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef 90 percent lean
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • cooking spray
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and milk. Mix together until thoroughly blended.
  • Preheat the broiler. Coat the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch skillet with cooking spray.
  • Form meatballs that are approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place the meatballs in a single layer in the pan.
  • Broil for 8-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and browned on top. Drain off any fat or liquid in the pan.
  • Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle the cheese over the sauce. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 1722mg | Potassium: 802mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 995IU | Vitamin C: 8.6mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 4.2mg
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    Comments

    1. Leigh Ann says

      February 16, 2022 at 6:34 am

      These look delicious! I’m adding ingredients to grocery list today! With a side of your garlic knots. And a green simple salad…sounds yummmmyyy!!!! Thanks for sharing! I’m almost 58 and have never made meatballs…can’t believe it!! This is definitely a gonna try! One question….can I add 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey??? What alernations if any would I need to make. I’ve been off meat for 2 yrs. and I’m having to introduce my body back to meat. The turkey may make these less dense or so meaty….I guess that’s what I’m trying to say. If I eat something meaty it shocks my system, but I need the protein and I want my MEAT BACK!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        February 17, 2022 at 8:13 am

        Yes it’s fine to use both meats and you don’t need to make any changes!

        Reply
    2. Billy says

      February 28, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      As has had already been stated. This a delicious recipe requiring minimal prep.

      Reply
      • Wendy Ruffert says

        May 10, 2021 at 11:12 am

        5 stars
        I wish I would have found this year’s ago very good and easy

        Reply
    3. Arlene M. Puliafico says

      February 4, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these, and they look yummy. The only thing I changed was to add the fresh parsley in with the meatballs before I cooked them. I think this recipe will be a keeper for something fast and delicious. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Bea says

      July 29, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      OMG! This was so amazing all the cheesy goodness! I served it with a crusty french bread!

      Reply
    5. Thewellnessevolution says

      July 26, 2019 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      Quick and easy! $10 to make. Love!

      Reply
    6. Chris Collins says

      May 23, 2019 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      I just drooled the whole way through this! That cheesy meatball goodness is almost too much to bare 😍

      Reply
    7. Shinta says

      May 23, 2019 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      I like that this is such an effortless meal! It sounds like a treat, my family would love to have this very soon!

      Reply
    8. Emily says

      May 23, 2019 at 12:34 pm

      This is the ultimate comfort food! My kids love this cheesy meatball bake!

      Reply
    9. Luci says

      May 23, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy, this would be so tasty on some bread or pasta.

      Reply
    10. Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says

      May 23, 2019 at 12:23 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my, I’m swooning over the cheese! This and some freshly baked bread will be really good for dinner tonight.

      Reply
    11. Deb says

      February 9, 2019 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      Cheesy goodness! My family cleaned their plates!

      Reply
      • Carole says

        August 12, 2019 at 5:21 am

        The broiler element in my oven is broken. Can I just cook them in the oven? If so, what temperature and for how long?

        Reply
        • Sara says

          August 12, 2019 at 8:20 pm

          That’s fine!! 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes.

          Reply
        • Heather says

          November 30, 2020 at 5:56 pm

          Bake 350 in oven for 20 to 30 min

          Reply
    12. Michelle says

      August 19, 2018 at 5:33 pm

      I just made a double batch of these for a Sunday get-together. My only modification was to stuff each meatball with a mozzarella pearl. They were delicious!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        August 19, 2018 at 8:55 pm

        So glad to hear it was a hit, thanks for reporting back!

        Reply
    13. Elaine says

      September 22, 2017 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      Every time I see that cheese I lose my last doubt as to what my favorite ingredient is. I really like everything cheese and your recipe is a great example of something I would cook to make myself happy! 😉

      Reply

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