Parmesan Meatballs

Tender, juicy baked meatballs are simmered in marinara and smothered with cheese in this easy-to-make, family-pleasing skillet dinner of Parmesan Meatballs, delicious over pasta or piled on sub sandwiches!

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If you enjoy meatballs, you'll also love Porcupine Meatballs, Baked Turkey Meatballs, or Swedish Meatballs!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled string of stereotypical summer recipes for a hearty, family-friendly dinner that's guaranteed to become a regular request, year-round! Parmesan Meatballs are quick and simple to whip up and positively loaded with flavor.

Even better, this recipe is versatile! Enjoy your meatballs straight from the skillet, scattered over pasta, or piled onto sandwich rolls for the best meatball subs on this side (or any side) of the Mississippi.

I'm telling y'all...these meatballs are goooooood.

How to Make Them

I tweaked the ratios from my beloved Hawaiian Meatballs recipe to devise the mixture for these Parmesan Meatballs.

After baking up these cheese- and panko-loaded beauties in a hot oven, I transferred them to a waiting skillet of jazzed up marinara sauce. Then I topped 'em with mozzarella and extra Parm and allowed everything get nice and melty before garnishing with fresh basil and uncorking a bottle of chianti.

Because summer vacation...am I right? 😉

How to Enjoy Them

The first time I made this recipe we ate the meatballs straight-up in bowls, with a little marinara underneath to balance out the cheese and a big green salad on the side.

Then my eldest son requested the leftovers in sandwich form, and ever since, that has become my kids' preferred way to enjoy this recipe. And I don't blame them...these meatballs do make for one amazing meatball sub!

Tip for Serving Over Pasta

That being said, if you're in a pasta sort of mood, feel free to increase the amount of marinara to allow for more sauce. If you take this advice, however, I'd also recommend trading out your skillet for a larger pot or Dutch oven to hold the extra sauce without overflow.

So the next time you're short on time and stumped on what to make for dinner, I highly recommend giving these Parmesan Meatballs a try! Whether it's June or November, you won't believe that such a simple recipe can yield so much satisfying flavor.

And psst...for a similar-but-different variation, you'll love Chicken Parmesan Meatballs!

More Tasty Ground Beef Suppers

• Homemade Sloppy Joes
• Beefy Cheesy Tortellini Bake
• Cheeseburger Macaroni {Homemade Hamburger Helper}
• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Skillet Lasagna

Parmesan Meatballs

Tender, juicy baked meatballs are simmered in marinara and smothered with cheese in this easy-to-make, family-pleasing skillet dinner of Parmesan Meatballs, delicious over pasta or piled on sub sandwiches!

By Samantha Skaggs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 471kcal

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, DIVIDED
• 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, DIVIDED (or 3 cups homemade marinara)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, DIVIDED
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of sugar
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, ¾ cup Parmesan, ⅓ cup marinara, egg, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, Worcestershire, garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix ingredients until thoroughly combined but not packed down. Scoop meat into 3-tablespoon mounds (I use a 3 T. cookie scoop) and gently roll into balls (which should measure between 1 ½ and 2 inches across).
• Arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet, at least an inch apart. Bake meatballs for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through to the center (cut into a meatball to check for doneness). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any grease.
• While meatballs are baking, pour remaining marinara in a large, deep skillet (12- to 14-inch diameter). Season with remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and pinch of sugar. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Once meatballs are cooked and drained, carefully place them in the skillet of warm sauce, turning each meatball so that all sides are coated. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan. Cover skillet until cheese is melted. Serve hot as-is, over pasta, or on sandwich rolls for meatball subs.

Notes

If serving meatballs over pasta, feel free to increase the marinara sauce as desired. But due to the increased volume, keep in mind that it may be necessary to finish the recipe in a large pot or Dutch oven instead of a skillet.

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 1547mg | Potassium: 974mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 373mg | Iron: 6.3mg

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