Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Meatballs and Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil, room temperature
- 50 g onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, finely chopped
- 3 g fennel seeds
- 3 g red pepper flakes
- 6 beef meatballs
- 200 g canned tomatoes
- 50 ml water
- 10 g butter
- 50 g mozzarella, fresh
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
Serving
- 10 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 red chili, finely sliced
- 5 g basil, fresh leaves
- 100 g crusty bread
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 574 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1200 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 86 mg
- Potassium
- 556 mg
- Calcium
- 299 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 48 mg
- Phosphorus
- 375 mg
- Zinc
- 5.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 150 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 5.0 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 222 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
Heat 15ml olive oil in a small, ovenproof pan over medium heat.
Add the 50g chopped onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes until the pieces are translucent.
Stir in the garlic, 3g fennel seeds, and 3g chilli flakes; cook for 3-4 minutes until aromatic.
Place the 6 meatballs in the pan and sear them for 3-4 minutes to brown the exterior.
Add 200g canned tomatoes and 50ml water to the pan.
Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 10g butter until it has completely melted into the sauce.
Remove the pan from the heat and tear 50g mozzarella over the top of the meatballs.
Apply a light drizzle of extra olive oil over the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes.
Garnish with grated parmesan, sliced red chilli, and fresh basil; serve hot with crusty bread.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) for food safety.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without bread or fresh basil garnish.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180°C (350°F) until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thin or watery
Cause: Tomatoes did not reduce sufficiently or too much water was added
Fix: Simmer on the stovetop for 5 minutes before adding cheese to evaporate excess liquid
Prevention: Ensure the pan is at a steady simmer before adding cheese and baking
Cultural Context
An Italian-American inspired dish combining traditional Mediterranean aromatics like fennel and basil with the convenience of one-pan baking.
