Description

This hearty Chili Cheese Meatball Bake features juicy meatballs made from a blend of lean ground beef and pork, seasoned with taco spices, and smothered in a flavorful chili-spiced tomato sauce topped with melted cheddar cheese. It’s an easy oven-baked dish perfect for a comforting family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (finely diced or grated)
1 pound lean ground beef (93% lean or leaner)
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon taco seasoning

Chili Sauce

2 cans tomato sauce (15 ounces each, or one 29 ounce can)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin

Topping

6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
Mix meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, milk, olive oil, finely diced or grated onion, ground beef, ground pork, eggs, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Mix gently until all ingredients are just combined, avoiding overmixing to keep the meatballs tender.
Form meatballs: Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them evenly spaced in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Prepare chili sauce: In a separate bowl, mix the tomato sauce with chili powder, salt, oregano, black pepper, and cumin until well combined. Pour this chili sauce evenly over the meatballs in the baking dish.
Add cheese topping: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the sauced meatballs.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Notes

Use lean meats to reduce fat content and keep meatballs tender.
Make sure not to overmix the meat mixture to avoid dense meatballs.
Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure the meatballs are fully cooked.
This dish pairs well with rice, pasta, or a fresh green salad.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: meatball bake, chili cheese meatballs, baked meatballs, taco seasoned meatballs, comfort food, easy dinner recipe, ground beef and pork meatballs