Dutch Oven Meatballs
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Tender meatballs simmered in a homemade Italian tomato sauce – all done in under an hour. These Dutch Oven Meatballs & Sauce are so delicious – your family will think you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for hours!
What You Will ❤️ About Dutch Oven Meatballs
- Tender & Delicious – I’ve been trying to create a great meatball recipe and I finally did it! These are fall open when you cut them with your fork and are simply perfection!
- Versatile – I enjoyed these meatballs and sauce over pasta on night 1 but then I made a meatball wrap on day 2 and on salad for day 3!
- Depth of Flavor – These meatballs are loaded with seasonings and flavor but then the sauce – oh the sauce! San Marzano tomatoes are the start to a delicious sauce in no-time!
Dutch Oven Meatballs & Sauce Ingredients
The best Italian food has simple ingredients and this recipe is no different. Fresh herbs really add a punch of freshness and flavor!
- Meatball Ingredients
- Ground Beef – you can also use a combo of ground meat such as ground pork, ground veal, ground lamb or ground turkey
- Onion – yellow onion is my favorite for this as it has a sweetness
- Spices – Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley, Salt & Pepper
- Optional: Oregano would be another great addition
- I love using fresh basil from my Aerogarden – but you can use dried if you need to.
- Egg – if you have someone with an egg allergy, just leave out the egg and add 2 more slices of bread & milk as a binder.
- Parmesan Cheese
- White Bread & Milk – this is a great binder and is the secret to many a meatball! Chef Michael Psilakis recommends Wonder Bread and any milk.
- Flour & Olive Oil
- Sauce Ingredients
- San Marzano Tomatoes – don’t skimp – be sure to get these Italian tomatoes – so much better!
- Olive Oil
- Seasonings – Garlic, Fresh Basil, Sugar, Salt & Pepper
- I have Fresh Basil all year round with my Aerogarden – I’m absolutely in love with it! I even bought a second one for lettuce! They’re very affordable and grow like crazy!
How to Make Meatballs in the Dutch Oven
Get your hands in the mixture and mix those meatballs – no need for being dainty!
- Coat Dutch oven with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Add touch of salt and cook until soft. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, basil, parsley, egg, Parmesan, salt & pepper. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add cooled onion to the mixture.
- In a medium bowl, tear bread into 5-6 small pieces and soak in milk until saturated and soft. Remove bread from milk, squeezing to drain off extra milk, tear apart drained pieces and add to meat mixture. Mix well with hands just until combined.
- Form 2-2.5” meatballs using large cookie scoop. Wet hands and delicately roll meatballs into more round shape. Don’t overwork the meatballs – it makes them tougher.
- Dredge meatballs lightly in with flour and set aside on a baking sheet.
- Place Dutch oven back on stove over medium high heat and add 2-3 tbsp olive oil. Add meatballs 5-6 at a time (3 batches) to the pot in a single layer and brown on all sides. Transfer cooked meatballs to a paper towel. You’re not cooking them through – just searing the outside so they hold together.
How to make homemade tomato sauce in your Dutch Oven
The meatballs on their own are great but then simmered in this authentic Italian sauce – wowza! So rich and delicious!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the San Marzano tomatoes & their juices in a food processor or blender. (2 cans FILLED my blender) Pulse to chop the tomatoes but don’t liquify. I used lowest setting for just 5-10 seconds.
- Scrape browned bits off bottom of Dutch oven and add the olive oil & garlic over medium-low heat. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often until the garlic is golden but not brown.
- Add tomatoes from blender to the pan, along with the fresh basil leaves, sugar, salt & ground black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Add meatballs back to Dutch oven in sauce and place covered in oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove Dutch oven from oven and serve over pasta. Sprinkle with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Tips, Tricks & FAQs
You can get the iron or the enamel coated – anything will work. I have 2-3 of them but my favorite is the one I spent $3 on at an estate sale! If you’re looking for one – I like this Lodge Dutch Oven.
Sure you can – I just prefer the white bread/milk combo. I met Celebrity Chef Michael Psilakis years ago and he said that Wonder Bread & milk are THE secret to his meatballs! It’s referred to as a panade and adds a moist binder to the meatballs but keeps them tender. But breadcrumbs will work as well – you might need to add a little milk or a 2nd egg for the moisture.
If the meat warms up, the fat melts. So you want to keep the meat cold and handle it very little. This will keep the meatballs loose and tender. If your meat has been out a while – put it in fridge for 10 min before forming the meatballs.
Meatballs are delicate little creatures. So the searing is what helps them hold together and you have to be careful when turning. Make sure you have enough oil in the pan so they release. If 1-2 break apart – it’s ok – they’ll just add flavor to the sauce. Don’t crowd them when browning – that will help too!
Also – using a fish spatula works really well here. You can scrape under the meatball and turn it more easily than just with tongs.
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a saucepan if you have quite a few. Be careful to not break up the meatballs.
Ways to Serve Dutch Oven Meatballs
- Pasta – this is the most obvious way to serve these delicious meatballs – and it works wonderfully.
- Wrap – slice meatballs and add to a tortilla with spinach, cheese and more – (recipe to come) – it’s delicious!
- Sandwiches – slice those meatballs and you can have a makeshift meat-loaf sandwich! Here’s 3 ways to make meatballs sandwiches!
- Salads – forget the chicken! Break up the meatballs and serve on a salad with roasted red peppers, feta cheese and more for a Greek salad.
- Pizza – I’ve had many meatball pizzas! Use the extra sauce and then top with meatballs, ricotta cheese and mushrooms.
More Dutch Oven Recipes
More Meatball Recipes
Dutch Oven Meatballs & Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs
Tomato Sauce
- 56 oz Whole Peeled San Marzano tomatoes 2 – 28 oz cans
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed & chopped
- 8 leaves fresh basil
- 3 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
For Meatballs
- Coat Dutch oven with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Add touch of salt and cook until soft. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, basil, parsley, egg, Parmesan, salt & pepper. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add cooled onion to the mixture.1 lb ground beef, 2 tbsp fresh basil, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- In a medium bowl, tear bread into 5-6 small pieces and soak in milk until saturated and soft. Remove bread from milk, squeezing to drain off extra milk, tear apart drained pieces and add to meat mixture. Mix well with hands just until combined.6 slices Wonder Bread, 3/4 cup milk
- Form 2-2.5” meatballs using large cookie scoop. Wet hands and delicately roll meatballs into more round shape. Don't overwork the meatballs – it makes them tougher.
- Dredge meatballs lightly in with flour and set aside on a baking sheet.1/3 cup flour
- Place Dutch oven back on stove over medium high heat and add 2-3 additional tbsp olive oil. Add meatballs 5-6 at a time (3 batches) to the pot in a single layer and brown on all sides. Transfer cooked meatballs to a paper towel. You’re not cooking them through – just searing the outside so they hold together.
For the Sauce
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the San Marzano tomatoes & their juices in a food processor or blender. (2 cans FILLED my blender) Pulse to chop the tomatoes but don’t liquify. I used lowest setting for just 5-10 seconds.56 oz Whole Peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- Scrape browned bits off bottom of Dutch oven and add the olive oil & garlic over medium-low heat. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often until the garlic is golden but not brown.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
- Add tomatoes from blender to the pan, along with the fresh basil leaves, sugar, salt & ground black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.8 leaves fresh basil, 3 tsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Add meatballs back to Dutch oven in sauce and place covered in oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove Dutch oven from oven and serve over pasta. Sprinkle with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
