Meatball Mozzarella Skillet Bake

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Meatball Mozzarella Skillet Bake is a wonderful combination of tender meatballs, bold marinara sauce, and gooey cheese that’s on the table in about 30 minutes. Make your own meatballs for this one-pot recipe that is easy enough for a weeknight family dinner

I never learned to cook until I was in my early 20s, and moving into an apartment. I started by learning a few of my mom’s staple recipes, like Baked Homemade Mac and Cheese and Curry Chicken and Chickpeas. As I expanded my collection, I kept it very simple and relied on recipes with a lot of premade ingredients. One of the main reasons I began the blog was to get out of my rut of constantly making the same recipes.

Over time I jumped out of my comfort zone. I learned to make a few sauces, several soup recipes and even learned to love venison. I do still have a few premade sauces in my pantry, but I’m on a mission to learn as many of them as I can. Most are easy to make, and use ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

My newest obsession is my Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce. Last week I shared my first sauce recipe, Sausage Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Shells. This week is Meatball Mozzarella Skillet Bake

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• It’s very easy to make, using all fresh ingredients
• You can easily customize the size of the recipe to your needs
• It’s on the table in about 30 minutes, even when you make the meatballs

Oh, this Meatball Mozzarella Skillet Bake is fabulous. The meatballs are so flavorful, the marinara takes it over the top, and the gooey mozzarella cheese is to die for.

INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALL MOZZARELLA SKILLET BAKE

• Meatballs 
• Marinara sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

MAKE YOUR OWN MEATBALLS!

I used to always buy frozen meatballs, but the quality between brands is significant. So I recently learned to make my own.

If you use meatballs regularly, make a big batch and freeze them. Or, make them as needed, because they only take about 10 minutes to prep. Of course, you could also use store-bought meatballs if you prefer.

Meatballs come together with just a few easy steps

Use a combination of 85/15 ground beef plus ground pork. The pork adds great flavor and helps retain moisture. 

Use a 1 5/8″ Cookie Scoop to form the meatballs. This creates a generous-sized meatball that holds up well in the oven. If you make smaller meatballs, reduce the cooking time by 4-5 minutes or the meatballs will be overcooked.

I love onion so I use both raw onion and onion powder. I do a small dice on the onion, so you can see the chunks throughout. If you have picky eaters you can mince or even grate the onion so it almost melts into the mixture.

Italian Bread Crumbs and egg are the binders to keep the meatballs together. Worchestershire Sauce is another key ingredient, as it adds a wonderful depth of flavor. 

I do not pre-cook the meatballs, and you get a more tender and juicy meatball at the end. 

FRESH OR PRE-SHREDDED MOZZARELLA?

I originally pushed using fresh mozzarella, because I’m a huge fan of the freshest cheese possible. But I could never get the cheese to melt as consistently as I wanted, so I will sometimes use the pre-shredded mozzarella and parmesan.

If you use fresh mozzarella, use a food processor to shred the cheese. I’ve tried it with a box grater, but always end up with too many big clumps. Instead, I use my Mini Food Processor and get an even consistency.

I use 4 ounces of cheese for 12 meatballs but if you’re feeling it, add more. The amount is up to you. 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

I use a Cast-Iron Skillet but you could also use a baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make meatballs.

Layer the skillet with half of the marinara sauce, and place the meatballs on top.

Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the meatballs and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, and top with shredded mozzarella. Spread mozzarella evenly to avoid clumps.

Return to oven for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

SERVING OPTIONS FOR MEATBALL MOZZARELLA SKILLET BAKE

The serving size depends on how hungry you are! The first time I made Meatball Mozzarella Skillet Bake I ate 6 of them…because I couldn’t help myself! Normally I’ll eat 3-4 along with a side salad. If serving over pasta or as a sub, I’ll do 2-3.

MORE DELICIOUS ONE PAN MEALS

• Dirty Rice Chicken Skillet
• One Pot Taco Spaghetti
• Spicy Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry
• Maple Mustard Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken

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