Growing up vegetarian, I rarely ate this dish until I dated an Italian and experienced his mother’s cooking. Meatball Parmesan continues to be a family favorite. For the vegetarians in my family, I use a meat substitute.
Meatball Parmesan
From the kitchen of Priya Hutner
1 lb. ground beef or meat substitute
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 C breadcrumbs or panko
2 T fresh basil chopped
1½ t kosher salt
1 t pepper
1 large jar marinara sauce or 2-3 C homemade marinara sauce
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ C parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mats. Lightly grease a 9-inch-by-9-inch glass baking dish. (I use olive oil spray.)
Mix the first eight ingredients in a bowl, add a dash of marinara sauce and mix well. Roll into balls and place on baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes and roll onto other side, cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a glass baking dish, add a layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of meatballs. Cover with sauce, sprinkle parmesan cheese and a layer of mozzarella. End by topping with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with pasta of choice and garlic bread.
