As unspectacular as “meatball casserole” may sound, don’t pass it up! While our version is equally traditional, it is also full of surprises. From the delicious gooey filling inside the mini-meatballs to the scrumptious homemade garlic bread lining the casserole dish — it’s all tasty, tasty, tasty!
Meatball Casserole with Secret Ingredient
Equipment
- Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 oz coarse bread crumbs
- 0.5 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp diced onions
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- salt & pepper
- 1 ball mozzarella (approximately 4½ oz)
- oil for frying
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp softened butter
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp garlic, chopped
- 6 slices baguette
- 3.5 oz shredded cheese
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, oregano, onion, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix the ingredients together thoroughly with your hands.
- Take a portion of the ground meat mixture and form a round, flat "plate" out of it. Place a piece of mozzarella in the middle, wrap the meat around it, and shape into a ball. Repeat this until you have 12 small, stuffed meatballs in front of you.
- Fry the meatballs on all sides in plenty of oil and once they have browned, add the tomato sauce. Let the dish simmer for five minutes and then pour into a casserole dish.
- In a separate bowl, add the salt, parsley, and garlic to the softened butter and mix well. Brush the finished spread on the baguette slices.
- Line the inner edges of the casserole dish with the baguette slices so that they partially sink into the sauce. The buttered side of each slice should face inwards.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the stuffed meatballs and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
VIDEO
With its mixture of down-to-earth, classic, and creative elements, this casserole is a true “recipe for success”! Give it a try — you will be amazed! You can find the recipe for the Swedish Meatball Bake featured in the bonus video here.