Two meatballs in tomato sauce on pasta, topped with grated cheese, with garlic bread on the side

Italian Meatballs with Parmesan and Marinara

Name: Italian Meatballs with Parmesan and Marinara
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs (a bit extra on purpose — it helps the meatballs soak in the marinara while simmering, for extra depth); 1/3 cup milk; 1 large egg; 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (lightly dried); 1 tsp dried parsley (lightly dried); 1/2 tsp minced garlic; 1/4 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 3/4 tsp seasoned salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (optional but recommended); 1 cup flour, for dredging (toss and shake off excess; discard the rest); 2 tbsp olive oil (for searing); 24 oz Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce (Made with Italian Tomatoes) (one jar); Parmesan, grated (to taste, for serving); parsley, chopped (to taste, for serving)

Prep 30 min Cook 45 min Total 1 hr 15 min Servings 4

By Lukasz Jagiello

Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Oct 28, 2026

Recipe

About this recipe

Beef meatballs seasoned with Italian herbs, garlic and Parmesan, browned to a golden crust and warmed through in marinara. The mix gets breadcrumbs soaked in milk. Chilling the shaped meatballs before flouring and frying keeps them from falling apart. They finish in the oven and come topped with Parmesan and parsley, with ravioli or spaghetti. Ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Tip: The meatballs are chilled before they're floured and pan-fried, which is what keeps them from falling apart in the pan. Searing them first builds a browned crust, and finishing them in the oven with the sauce lets them cook through gently without drying out.

Techniques in this recipe

Notes & swaps

A main-course serving is 2 meatballs, about 7.2 oz (204 g).
Good with Rana four-cheese ravioli or spaghetti — cook the pasta separately, per its own package instructions.