This easy homemade meatballs recipe with tomato sauce is bursting to the seams with savoury flavour! The meatballs are gently sautéed in a cast iron skillet to get a little colour. Then, they’re finished in the oven with a super easy red sauce. These skillet meatballs are delicious on their own, in pasta or even on a sandwich!
Hi there! How was your weekend? Despite being January, we had abnormally warm temperatures. It rained and we lost all our snow. For one a moment, I was thinking we were into spring. A girl can dream! Then, it turned cold again, lol.
I’m always in the mood for good eats (especially during the winter months). We make a lot of stick to ya ribs comfort food, like hunter’s chicken, chicken, sausage and peppers, baked gnocchi and skillet meatballs.
What’s your favourite comfort food recipe to make?
How to Make this Homemade Meatballs Recipe
These meatballs from mince are made with simple items that you probably have on hand in your fridge and pantry. Garlic, onion powder, chili flakes and oregano give a good punch of flavour and the breadcrumbs soaked in milk lend some moisture.
To make meatballs from scratch –
- Mix breadcrumbs with milk and lay to one side (this is a binder and adds moisture).
- In a large bowl combine mince, seasoning, parsley, parmesan and bread/milk mixture.
- Use a small scoop to portion, then roll into balls with your hands. Don’t overwork!
- Place in a skillet to brown for a few minutes and get a nice little colour.
- Stir in tomato sauce and bake.
- Garnish and enjoy!
Can I Prepare Meatballs the Day Before?
Yes! You sure can! Mix up the meatballs, store in fridge (in a covered container) and then brown and oven bake the next day.
Can I Freeze Cooked Meatballs?
Yes, you can. Of course, like with most things these are best made and enjoyed fresh, but freezing totally works. Let meatballs cool completely. You can either –
- Place cooled meatballs on a sheet pan to freeze and then vacuum seal. Store in freezer (the pre-freezing helps prevent the meatballs from getting squished when sealing) or
- Store cooled meatballs in freezer safe containers or bags.
Enjoy within a couple months. I like to reheat in a little sauce (like when they were originally made).
Easy Tomato Sauce Recipe – a Little Secret
Like these scratch made meatballs, this is an easy tomato sauce.
Want to know a secret tip for a whole lotta flavour? Add parmesan rind in the tomato sauce as it cooks. Don’t throw that stuff away!!!
It seriously infuses flavour into the sauce and once you do it, there’s no going back. Plus, you’re getting more bang for your buck when you buy that parmesan. What’s not to love?
Of course, no meatball would be complete without some parm on top. Garnish these beauties with a generous amount and eat up!
Do I Have to Cook Meatballs in The Sauce?
No, of course you don’t have to cook meatballs in sauce. I prefer to, though. Why? Because as these meatballs gently finish cooking in the sauce they infuse flavour into the sauce and vice versa. Plus, you have sauce to serve with the meatballs or to stir into pasta and the like.
If you would rather oven bake the meatballs (without searing first), that’s ok too. Keep in mind, though, they won’t quite have the same colour as browning and finishing in the tomato sauce.
To oven bake meatballs, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (according to the Government of Canada) and they’re no longer pink and cooked through.
Look how packed with flavour they are! Plus, they are juicy and just plain delish! What’s your favourite way to enjoy meatballs?
More Recipe Tips
The key to making meatballs is don’t handle them too much. I mean, form them but don’t overly handle them.
Don’t skimp on the fresh parsley! This adds brightness to the dish.
Leftovers should be removed from the cast iron pan and stored in food storage tub or container. Enjoy within 3 days.
Size matters. These are not your average meatballs! I made ’em a little bit on the larger size (a small scoop, which is a little more generous than a tablespoon) because they do shrink down a little when cooked. What you are left with is one delicious meatball and I’m pretty confident that you’re going to make again and again! With all the game day festivities coming up, they’re bound to make it to your table more than once. Though, admittedly, I do not watch the sports. I will, however, happily sit with you (or more likely alongside the food) and munch away 😉
How to Serve
- Enjoy as is
- Serve with garlic bread and mop up that delicious sauce
- Toss the tomato sauce and meatballs into cooked pasta
- Pile onto some bread (with mozzarella cheese) for a meatball sandwich
- Don’t forget to garnish with parmesan cheese
- Basil with this Italian meatball recipe is always a winner!
- Meatballs are also great with a Caesar salad (from Natasha’s Kitchen)
More Italian Comfort Food Recipes You May Enjoy
Hope you enjoy this easy homemade meatballs recipe as much as we do!
If you make these skillet meatballs, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed! Thank you!
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Homemade Meatballs Recipe with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Skillet Meatballs
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1.5 pound lean ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley -roughly chopped
- ½ cup parmesan -grated on small hole on box grater
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Simple Tomato Sauce
- 28 ounce can whole peeled san marzano tomatoes (about a 828 millilitre can)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- small rind of parmesan cheese , about 2 to 3 inches, optional
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Garnish
- parmesan cheese (to taste)
- fresh basil (to taste)
Instructions
Skillet Meatballs
- In a small bowl combine bread crumbs and milk. Lay to one side.
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, salt, black pepper, chili flakes, oregano, garlic, onion powder, parsley, parmesan and reserved bread crumb/milk mixture. Stir with hands to combine. Form into balls (I used a small scoop) and used 2 scoops per ball (about 1 generous tbsp. of meat). Place on wax paper lined baking sheet.
- In a 10-inch cast iron skillet on medium high heat add 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Working in two batches (6 balls per batch) gently brown meatballs about 2 minutes per side (4 minutes total). Note: They are not cooked at this point, just browned a little on the outside. Remove batch from cast iron pan and continue with second batch.
- Drain any excess grease. Add all meatballs to pan and top with tomato sauce mixture. Bake in 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and basil. Enjoy as is, with pasta or on a sandwich!
Simple Tomato Sauce
- In a bowl combine san marzano tomatoes with tomato paste, sugar, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. Pour over meatballs. Place parmesan rind (if using) in tomato sauce.
- After 30 minutes, remove parmesan rind and stir in balsamic vinegar.
Notes
- The key to making meatballs is don’t handle them too much. I mean, form them but don’t overly handle them.
- Don’t skimp on the fresh parsley! This adds brightness to the dish.
- Leftovers should be removed from the cast iron pan and stored in food storage tub or container. Enjoy within 3 days.
- Size matters. These are not your average meatballs! I made ’em a little bit on the larger size (a small scoop, which is a little more generous than a tablespoon).
Nutrition (estimate only)
You can never go wrong with meatballs, especially when they’re hand-made and swimming in a delectable tomato sauce. I think I need this in my life right right!!
Totally 🙂 !!! You really do 😉 Thanks Nicole.
These look so scrumptious and saucy! Though my diet is 95% pescetarian, I do have a bite or two of homemade meatballs when I make them for my husband, or when my Dad visits. Quality control 😉 Haha.
Hehehe….gotta have quality control 😉 Thanks Dana!
This just looks like the ultimate comfort food and thank you for the tip to add parmesan rind to the tomato sauce, I did not know about that! We have watched so much on Netflix over the holidays, The Punisher sounds great – we have not seen that yet! Have a nice weekend, Dawn!
It really is 🙂 The parm adds such a lovely flavour. Thanks Miriam! Have a wonderful weekend too!
Hi Dawn, being Italian means not being a stranger to anything in tomato sauce including meatballs. The way you have done them here has my mouth watering. I love the way a hot skillit just browns the outside releasing all those wonderful juices, then when you think you have skyrocketed to flavor town in comes a rich tomato sauce to coat those babies and now we have reached Nirvana. I would get a nice ciabata bun cut it in half and load it with these meatballs and a healthy amount of sauce. Maybe some arugula and fresh mozzarella and we are set to board the crazy food train. Great job on this recipe dawn. Have a wonderful week!
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Hi Loreto! Reading your kind comment certainly put a big smile on my face! Thank you so much – that means a lot!! And a sandwich with these sounds perfect right about now 🙂 Have a wonderful week too!!
I love skillet meatballs. I have always used egg instead of milk. I have to try your recipe next time and compare. They sure look delicious!
Thank you so much, Scarlet! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Oh I love meatballs with pasta during winters. And this one here looks delicious. Also amazing pictures!
Oh I love meatballs with pasta during winters. And this one here looks delicious. Also amazing pictures! I adore cast iron utensils just as much as you do. 🙂
I love these meatballs, Dawn! They look incredibly delicious! It is fantastic that you can make them in a skillet!
Thank you so much, Katie 🙂 I love my cast iron skillet!
This is the ultimate lunch recipe which my family will love, Dawn! What kind of milk do you use for this recipe?
I typically use 2% milk, but whole or a lighter version would be a-ok too! Thanks so much Agness 🙂
My husband loves meatballs, so I’m always looking for different recipes to try! And I really love the sound of parmesan rind in the tomato sauce. I’ve never heard of that, but it sounds great! Pinning for later (which will probably be this weekend!)
The parm is awesome in there, Leanne! Hope you guys enjoy 🙂 Thank you!
Yasss! I’m excited you posted this recipe because meatball sandwiches are one of my husband’s favorites! He always orders meatball sandwiches when we dine out for lunch, but I don’t think I’ve ever made him this type of sandwich at home! I’m going to surprise him with this recipe, I can’t wait to see his reaction!
YAY! Hope you guys like it, Christina 🙂
Yumeeee…this looks so good Dawn I have to try this recipe out this weekend…and thank you for the tip about using the parmesan rind, that is a really great idea ?
Thank you Ashika!! The parm rind really does add a lovely flavour 🙂
Oh, how I wish it were Spring! The rain melted out snow as well but now it’s back again 🙁 I’d like to drown my sorrows into a huge bowl of these meatballs. There is just something to be said about homemade meatballs. These look like perfection!
I know, I know!! I totally agree 🙂 Thanks Megan!
YES to the Parmesan rind in the tomato sauce! I put them in my tomato soup too. SO GOOD! This looks awesome!!
So good, right?! Thanks a bunch, Sarah 🙂
This weekend, we are treating my parents to a homemade spaghetti. My dad loves meat sauces. I will have to try my hand at making these homemade meatballs for him! Happy Birthday Daddy! Thanks for the tip on not handling them too much. I probably would have made a mush out of them otherwise and then wonder what went wrong.
How nice!! Hope you guys like them and happy birthday to your dad 🙂
This looks like such a hearty, comforting, weeknight friendly meal!
I am watching the return of the Victoria series on PBS. I’m a sucker for a period piece!
It sure is 🙂 Oh – I’ll have to check that one out! Thanks for the recommendation, Jeni!
Your meatballs look delicious! You did a good job of keeping them round. Mine always look cone-shaped when I cook them on the stove first. Lol!
Thank you Andrea!! I bet they still taste delicious 😉
We had a super warm, rainy weekend here, too, Dawn…of course, then it got cold and turned all of that rainwater into a sheet of ice. Gotta love the winter, right? But, hey, on the bright side, winter means amazing comfort food, and these meatballs just sound like something that need to happen around here! You’re talking my kinda food language here! 🙂
Haha…nice language, isn’t it 😉 ?? Yay for comfort food and I’ll take all I can this time of year 🙂 Thanks David!
Dawn, we had unusually warm weather this past Friday, but Saturday it blew away and we were back into operation 2-jackets-required-when-venturing-outside! It’s been a crazy winter here in my neck of the woods!
But – stick-to-your-ribs and delicious meatballs like these would get my mind of that nasty weather outside. Love how flavor packed these are and finishing these off in the oven must make that sauce all sorts of concentrated delicious!
I need to check out The Punisher on Netflix, I usually love most Marvel shows but hadn’t seen this yet – I’m currently in the first season of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown – ever watched that?
Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday and are staying warm! xoxo
Haha! I got so exciting for the warm day, but then I remembered that it’s only just the start of winter. Oh well! The sauce is pretty amazing, I must say, and just what I want when it’s cold out (or any other day for that matter, lol). Parts Unknown? Freakin’ LOVE it!!! So good!! Stay warm too, my friend! XOXO
So delicious! I make lots of meatballs, everybody just loves them, so it is great to find new ideas, in this case the use of parmesan. Thank you for the Netflix tip, we got Netflix recently and haven’t watched regular TV at all ever since. So much nicer without the advertising and not having to watch the same movies on repeat… We’ve already found some good series, but it is very hard to choose, isn’t it, there are so many… 🙂
Thanks Adina! The parm really adds lots of flavour 🙂 Yay for no commercials, right?? Have a great week!
My husband will be very happy if I make this for him! He complains about the lack of meatballs in his life, haha! These look delic and you know I’m a fan of anything in a cast iron!! I haven’t seen the Punisher yet but have you watched Luke Cage? You might like that series if you’re a Marvel fan! PS – send me your spring weather!! XO
I’m sure he would be 😉 They are pretty delish!! I haven’t seen Luke Cage, but heard it was good – will have to add to my list 🙂 Haha – I’d love to, but it’s freezing rain here today….ugh! Thanks Katherine! XO
My boy would flip out over these:) He loves meatballs and tomato sauce is his favorite:) I usually make meatballs with yogurt+baking soda or beer soaked bread crumbs and have never tried soaking the breadcrumbs in milk. Pretty excited to try next time I make some. Chris salutes you for using San Marzanos:). Have a wonderful week, Dawn!
Yay!! Yogurt sounds really good in them! Haha – I LOVE San Marzanos! My fave!! Have a wonderful week too, my friend 🙂
Yes please to skillet meatballs Dawn! We LOVE meatballs here! We’d be fighting over the last one. They look delicious! Happy Monday.
Same here, Mary Ann! Haha! Thanks so much and happy Monday to you too 🙂
LOVE meatballs, (actually doing a series on them) and these would be gone in no time!
I do too, Kevin! Can’t wait to see what you have in store 🙂 I’m sure it’ll be awesome! Thank you!
I get all my show recommendations from you so I don’t have any to share, haha! But I’m still watching ER reruns lately and loving every episode :). These meatballs look DIVINE! And I want to cover everything in that sauce. Have a great week, Dawn!
Hahaha!! I’ve never watched ER, but somehow feel like I’m the only one!! Thank you Kelsie! It is pretty delicious 😉 Have a great week too!
Now this is some delicious comfort food! My husband is the master of making meatballs in our house and it’s always such a deliciously cozy dish! Your version looks so warm and hearty. Would love a big plate of this for lunch today! Pinned! Hope your Monday is off to a great start!
Thank you Gayle!! I bet they are amazing! Have a wonderful week 🙂
What’s it been? 24….28 hours since I knew these gorgeous orbs would be revealed? Not good for my heart! I love love love your recipe, my friend! And the note to add the rind to the sauce is a brilliant one! I want Sunday dinner at your house! Cheers! XOXO
Haha! You’re too too kind, Annie!! You’re always welcome!! XOXO
I love meatballs! And I love skillets. So I’m doubly loving this one 🙂 Looks perfect!
Happy to hear that, Jennifer! Me too 🙂