Description
This hearty Meatball and Mozzarella Pan Bake features tender beef and pork meatballs simmered in a rich, homemade tomato sauce and topped with creamy mascarpone and melted mozzarella cheese. Baked to perfection until golden and bubbling, it’s an irresistible dish perfect for family dinners, served alongside crusty bread, pasta, or rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 small onions, grated
- 250g lean beef mince
- 250g lean pork mince
- 125g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 egg
- Olive oil, for frying
Sauce
- 1 onion (remaining half from grated onions), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 600ml passata
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Cheese Topping
- 250g mozzarella (a large block), grated
- 100g mascarpone
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine half of the grated onion, all of the beef and pork mince, fresh breadcrumbs, crushed fennel seeds, dried oregano, and egg. Season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly until well combined, then shape the mixture into 20 evenly sized meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, adding more oil if necessary. Brown them evenly on all sides until they are nearly cooked through, then remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Prepare the sauce: Add the remaining grated onion to the same pan with another tablespoon of olive oil and cook gently over medium heat until softened. Add the crushed garlic cloves and fry for another couple of minutes to release their aroma.
- Add tomatoes and simmer: Stir in the bay leaves, chopped tomatoes, passata, tomato purée, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it bubble gently for 20 minutes, allowing it to reduce and thicken. The sauce surface should appear glossy and richly flavored.
- Add meatballs to sauce: Return the browned meatballs back into the sauce, gently stirring to coat and allowing them to heat through.
- Prepare cheese topping: In a small bowl, mix 200g of the grated mozzarella with the mascarpone cheese and a pinch of salt until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble for baking: Dollop spoonfuls of the cheesy mascarpone mixture evenly over the meatballs and sauce in the pan, then scatter the remaining 50g of shredded mozzarella evenly on top.
- Bake the dish: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) or gas mark 5. Place the ovenproof pan in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the meatballs are piping hot, cooked through, and the cheese topping is golden and bubbling.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle with a little olive oil before serving. Enjoy this comforting bake straight from the dish, paired perfectly with crusty bread, pasta, or rice.
Notes
- This delicious one-pot meal is perfect for serving crowds and encourages casual dining, letting everyone dig in directly from the pan.
- You can adjust the seasoning to taste, adding more herbs or spice if preferred.
- Using an ovenproof frying pan makes the transition from stovetop to oven seamless.
- Letting the dish rest before serving helps to meld the flavors and makes it easier to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 698
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Sodium: 1300 mg
- Fat: 40.6 grams
- Saturated Fat: 20.2 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 18.4 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 34.1 grams
- Fiber: 4.7 grams
- Protein: 46.6 grams
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
