Baked Meatballs with Fresh Puttanesca Sauce
Tasty and tender meatballs pair with a fresh, vibrant puttanesca sauce made from roasted tomatoes, anchovy fillets, capers, and olives. The sauce stays light and bright while the meatballs cook to golden brown perfection.
Servings: 4
Calories: 462kcal
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 lbs tomatoes cut into large pieces
- 4 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3-6 anchovy fillets to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and torn into pieces or roughly chopped
- Handful of fresh basil leaves torn
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ⅓ cup Pecorino Romano finely grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes in a large casserole dish with the sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, anchovies, olive oil, oregano, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Toss everything together and roast for 20 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and the anchovies melt into the oil.
- Stir the capers and olives into the tomatoes and return the dish to the oven while you prepare the meatballs.
- In a medium bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, Pecorino Romano, salt, pepper and 1-2 tablespoons of water to moisten.
- Mix gently until just combined, then roll into meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes until browned on the outside but not fully cooked through.
- Remove the tomato sauce from the oven and discard the oregano sprig. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce, spooning some tomatoes over the top. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the flavors meld.
- Top with torn basil leaves before serving.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Gentle mixing keeps the texture light and helps form tender meatballs.
- Bake the meatballs separately so they get browned and the sauce doesn’t get greasy.
- Use parchment paper or aluminum foil on the meatball baking sheet for easy cleanup.
- Roast tomatoes at high heat so they concentrate without turning mushy.
- Always taste the sauce and adjust before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1045mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2010IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 4mg
