Description
This comforting recipe features juicy beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato and basil sauce, layered with garlicky bread and creamy buffalo mozzarella, then baked to golden perfection. Served alongside a crisp green salad, it’s a hearty, satisfying meal perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Small handful basil leaves, finely chopped (reserve some whole to serve, if you like)
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Meatballs
- 50g dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 500g beef mince
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- ½ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to season
Additional
- 1 garlic baguette (around 210g), sliced
- 125g ball buffalo mozzarella, drained and torn into pieces
- Green salad, to serve
Instructions
- Make the tomato sauce: Heat half of the olive oil in a flameproof oven dish or ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in oregano, caster sugar, chopped basil, and the chopped tomatoes. Rinse out the tomato cans with a splash of water and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces. Season to taste.
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the dried breadcrumbs and milk and let them soak for 5 minutes. Add the beef mince, finely chopped onion, crushed garlic, egg, mixed herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Shape and brown the meatballs: Form the mixture into 20 golf ball-sized meatballs. Heat the remaining olive oil in a second frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them evenly on all sides. Once browned, remove from the pan and set aside (they will finish cooking in the oven).
- Assemble the bake: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Pour half of the tomato sauce into a baking dish. Layer slices of garlic baguette and meatballs on top. Drizzle the remaining tomato sauce over the layered ingredients. Scatter torn pieces of buffalo mozzarella on top. Drizzle a little extra olive oil and season with black pepper.
- Bake and serve: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden, bubbly, and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and scatter over whole basil leaves if desired. Serve hot with a large green salad dressed sharply to balance the richness.
Notes
- You can substitute beef mince with a mix of pork and beef for more flavor.
- Make sure to brown the meatballs thoroughly to build a rich flavor before baking.
- Use fresh basil for the best aromatic flavor in the tomato sauce and as a garnish.
- If buffalo mozzarella is unavailable, fresh mozzarella is a good alternative.
- The garlic baguette adds a delicious crunch but can be replaced with any crusty bread sliced thickly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: meatballs, garlic bread, buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, baked meatballs, Italian dinner, comfort food
