on Apr 17, 2023, Updated May 11, 2023 To make things even more seamless, you can prep the meatballs the night before and assemble the dish the following day. Our recipe is not traditional by any means, as my mom uses her Bulgarian recipe for the meatballs and we use our Italian sugo for the tomato sauce, but feel free to make this any way you like with the ingredients you have on hand. If you would like to see a more traditional take on this delicious dish, click here: Izmir köfte – Baked Turkish meatballs with vegetables.
Why You’ll Love Oven Baked Meatballs
I love recipes that give me more bang for my buck and these Oven Baked Meatballs with Potatoes do just that. It is a pretty simple 🍲 one-pan dish that looks so impressive on the table. The 🌀 spiral design is stunning, the colors beautiful and the flavors are out of this world. This method for meatballs will become your new go-to because it’s foolproof. By adding grated potato and onion, the meatballs are super tender, but they hold their shape and lock in that moisture. Make a big batch for the 🧊 freezer so you can add them to a ton of other meals.
How to Prepare
🌡️ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
🧅 Peel an onion and potato, and then grate them using a box grater. Squeeze the grated potato in a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
🥩 In a big bowl, add the ground meat, egg, grated onion, grated potato, salt, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Using clean hands, mix really well until all the ingredients are incorporated.
🥄 Using a large ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, create 14 equal-sized meatballs from the meat mixture. Roll each one and then, using your palm, flatten it slightly. Set aside.
🔪 Use a sharp knife to slice a peeled potato into 1/4-inch-thick circles and then sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
🍅 Pour 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a baking dish and distribute the sauce evenly.
🌀 Arrange the meatballs and potatoes into the baking dish, creating a spiral pattern of meatball, potato, meatball, etc. The meatballs and potatoes should be placed upright, so the food is stacked and balanced on its thinnest side.
🫑 Once the potatoes and meatballs have been arranged, add the mini bell peppers anywhere you like.
🫒 Pour the remaining 1/4 cup sauce onto the top of the meatballs, potatoes, and peppers, and drizzle on a touch of olive oil on top.
👩🍳 Cover the top of the dish with wet parchment paper or foil.
⏲️ Bake for about 45 minutes, and then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
🔥 Broil for the last 5 minutes for extra color, let cool for 15 minutes, and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions for Oven Baked Meatballs
What Makes This Recipe Special
My mom’s homemade meatballs really take this recipe to the next level. They are flavorful, tender, delicious, and, once you get into the groove of making them, really simple to make! I like to put on some 🎶 music, park myself at the counter, and make a huge batch for different meals as well as to keep in the 🧊 freezer. These are made with 🥩 ground beef, but you could use the same technique using ground chicken, pork, turkey, lamb or a mixture. The shredded potatoes and onion are my mom’s way to guarantee a tender, never-dry meatball that still holds its shape perfectly.
Best Served With
This dish pairs perfectly with my Easiest Most Delicious Tzatziki recipe. Serve this Baked Meatball with Potatoes recipe with any fresh 🥗 salad, such as my Bulgarian Salad, Simple Green Salad, or Lemon Parmesan Salad. This dish is lovely along side my Cold Cucumber Soup as well!
