Baked Meatballs with Pasta Recipe
This Baked Meatballs with Pasta recipe combines juicy, flavorful meatballs baked to perfection and tossed in a warm homemade-style pasta sauce, served over perfectly cooked pasta. It’s an easy, comforting meal perfect for weeknights or casual dinners that brings classic Italian flavors straight to your table.
- Author: Emma
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2.5 tablespoons milk
Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 24 ounces pasta sauce of choice
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the meatballs evenly and quickly.
- Cook Pasta: Boil water and cook 1 pound of pasta following the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Mix Panko and Milk: In a small bowl, combine the milk and panko bread crumbs, stirring well until fully mixed to add moisture to the meatballs.
- Make Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, parmesan cheese, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Then add the panko and milk mixture and mix everything thoroughly to form the meatball mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per meatball, form approximately 22-25 meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring they are fully cooked and juicy.
- Heat Sauce: While the meatballs bake, pour your chosen pasta sauce into a large deep skillet and warm it over medium heat until simmering gently.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Once baked, carefully add the hot meatballs into the skillet with the sauce and toss gently to coat them thoroughly.
- Toss Pasta: Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the meatballs and sauce, tossing everything together until well combined and heated through.
- Serve: Serve the pasta with meatballs and sauce immediately while hot for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F for safe consumption.
- For extra flavor, consider adding fresh herbs like basil or parsley to the sauce before serving.
- If you want softer meatballs, soak the panko breadcrumbs in the milk for a few minutes before mixing.
- This recipe can be doubled easily for larger gatherings.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Keywords: baked meatballs, pasta recipe, Italian meatballs, easy dinner, baked meatball pasta, homemade pasta sauce, comfort food