Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
Baked Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Baked Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce

By Courtney HillOctober 16, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Active time plus cooling
    20 minutes active
  • Rating

A go-to pantry flavor solution does double duty when we add it to both meatballs and sauce. Depending on your mood and what you have on hand, give the dish a Mexican flair with smoky-spicy chipotle chilies in adobo, or use the spice paste harissa for a taste of North Africa. We roast cherry tomatoes until they burst—their juices mingle with the seasonings to form a luscious sauce. Then we nestle in the meatballs and roast everything in the same pan. Serve with crusty bread for dipping in the sauce. Refrigerate the meatballs before cooking; this firms them up so they’ll hold their shape as they roast.

Ingredients
  • 2

    pints cherry OR grape tomatoes

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, 4 cloves smashed and peeled, 2 cloves finely grated, reserved separately

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2

    medium chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, divided OR 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons harissa paste, divided

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ⅓

    cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 1

    pound 90 percent lean ground beef OR ground lamb

  • Chopped fresh cilantro OR flat-leaf parsley, to serve

  • Optional Garnish:

  • Crumbled cotija OR feta cheese

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss together the tomatoes, smashed garlic, oil, chipotle chilies OR 1 tablespoon harissa, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and ¼ cup water. Bake, uncovered, until the tomatoes have broken down, 30 to 35 minutes; stir once about halfway through.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the panko and ½ cup water. Let stand until the panko softens, about 5 minutes, then use your hands to mash to a smooth paste. Add the beef, grated garlic, adobo sauce OR 2 teaspoons harissa and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper; mix thoroughly with your hands. Divide into 12 portions, rolling them into smooth balls. Place on a large plate and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3

Remove the baking dish from the oven and nestle the meatballs in the tomato sauce. Bake, uncovered, until the meatballs are browned and the centers reach 160°F, about 15 minutes. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Featured in