Dutch Oven Meatballs with Marinara

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Dutch Oven Meatballs with Marinara are a quick, easy, delicious weeknight meal! Serve them over pasta or as a party appetizer! 

There is nothing better than a pan-fried meatball, except, there is! A dutch oven fried meatball is better! Because dutch ovens have heavy bottoms and heat evenly, your meatballs are less likely to burn and they’ll cook evenly.  

Ingredients

Let’s talk about the ingredients.

• Ground beef: the star ingredient. Use a fatty meat, I like to use 80/20.
• Spicy sausage link: squeeze it out of the casing. Sausage adds flavor and a binding element to your meatball. If you don't have sausage just leave it out. Nothing bad will happen.
• Bread: white bread is best. typically I’d rather do anything other than use a slice of white sandwich bread for anything.  I’m all about the artisan, made-from-scratch, organic, fresh, whole-food ingredients.  This is one of those times I am not.  Grab a slice of white sandwich bread and grind it in the blender.  It makes the meatballs *moist* (yes, I know that’s a cringe word), and it makes them taste delicious.  So just bite the bullet and grind a slice of bread in the blender, would ya? Obviously I feel strongly about this topic.
• Minced onion: for flavor and moisture, use a yellow or sweet onion.
• Egg: to bind the meat and add some moisture.
• Garlic cloves: for flavor, garlicky meatballs are the best.
• Parmesan: freshly grated parmesan adds flavor and moisture.
• Spices: freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and onion powder.
• Worcestershire sauce: can anyone ever say this one correctly? Or spell it correctly? Because I can't. But it's great in meatballs. Trust.
• Basil: fresh is best, but if you don't have it flat-leaf parsley works too. If you don't have any fresh herbs, leave them out. It won't be the end of the world.
• Olive oil: I only use olive oil in my kitchen but any neutral-tasting oil works.

How to make marinara sauce for meatballs

It's simple. And flexible. You have all of these ingredients in your pantry, I bet!

• Olive oil: you'll want to flavor the sauce with a good, quality olive oil.
• Shallot: shallots will build flavor. They have a sweet, mild garlic flavor.
• Garlic: to add that classic garlicky zing.
• Spices: back pepper, Italian seasoning, salt.
• White wine: builds flavor and adds a bit of interest to your marinara. Be sure to use a dry white (like pino gris or sauvignon blanc). If you don't have wine, leave it out and continue with the recipe, or sub it for chicken broth.
• Crushed tomato: we can't have marinara without crushed tomato!
• Parmesan rind: for flavor. Be sure to use a quality parmesan rind here. You can find them in the deli section of your grocery store pretty cheap!

Steps

It's not a difficult process, simply make your meatballs, form them into small balls. Place them into the dutch oven, and fry them on all sides until they're brown and the centers are no longer pink.

If you have any doubts about the done-ness, split one open and look. Then eat it...nobody needs to know!

When they're done, drain them onto a paper towel and begin to make your marinara.

Substitutions

• Ground beef - ground turkey is a good 1:1 substitution. 
• Sausage - if you don’t have a sausage link, just leave it out.  Or replace it with a mild or sweet sausage link if spiciness is of concern. 
• White bread - you can use any bread crumbs.  ¼ cup of dry, unseasoned bread crumbs are equal to a slice of bread.  So if you’re not using a slice of bread, substitute for ¼ cup of UNSEASONED or Italian-seasoned bread crumbs.

Make-Ahead, Leftovers, and Reheating

• Make ahead - this is a fabulous make-ahead main dish.  Simply make the recipe as directed, and save in a freezer-safe container (or ziplock) for up to 2 months.
• Leftovers - If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they will save in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.  
• Reheating - To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat over medium-low heat with a splash of water or white wine, covered, until warmed throughout. 

FAQ

Can I cook meatballs in a dutch oven?
Yes, that’s what this recipe is all about.  This is the best way to cook meatballs because dutch ovens have a heavy bottom and heat evenly, giving you the best-cooked meatball!

What is the best way to cook meatballs?
In a dutch oven, such as this one.  It’s shallow but deep and wide enough to make meatballs and sauce.  

Can I bake meatballs in a dutch oven?
Yes, make them as directed but instead of pan-frying place them into a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Then finish the recipe as directed.  

More Dutch Oven Recipes

• Dutch Oven Pork Chops with Brine
• Lobster Carbonara
• Cream Sauce for Lobster Ravioli

Recipe for Dutch Oven Meatballs with Marinara

Dutch Oven Meatballs with Marinara

Dutch Oven Meatballs with Marinara are a quick, easy, delicious weeknight meal! Serve them over pasta or as a party appetizer!

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 16 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian-Inspired

Servings 4 people

Calories 1896 kcal

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FOR THE MEATBALLS

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 spicy sausage link casing removed
• 1 slice bread ground in the blender
• ½ minced onion
• 1 egg
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 minced shallot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• ¼ cup white wine dry
• 12 oz can crushed tomato
• 1 parmesan rind

Instructions

 

FOR THE MEATBALLS

• In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients but the olive oil in a bowl. I suggest just grabbing a tablespoon of tomato sauce from the can of crushed tomatoes you’re going to use for the marinara-the sauce won’t miss the bit that you’re adding to the meatballs.
• Using your hands, mix all of the meat together until it forms a well-combined ball, then stop. You won’t want to overwork the meat or you’ll end up with tough meatballs.
• Add olive oil to a dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• With a two-teaspoon scoop, form balls and place them into the dutch oven. Measure out about 18-20 meatballs, placing them into the heated dutch oven as they’re formed.
• Pan fry them for 10 minutes, turning them as you go so that all sides are browned.
• Place the meatballs onto a paper towel lined plate and drain the fat out of the dutch oven.

FOR THE SAUCE

• In the same dutch oven that you just made the meatballs and drained the fat from, add the olive oil, garlic, and shallot. Saute for 3 minutes.
• Add the spices and give them a stir to wake them up. Then add the white wine. It’ll bubble and deglaze the pan.
• Then, slowly add the crushed tomatoes and throw in the parmesan rind.
• Bring it to a simmer for 2 minutes and then turn it down to low.

PUT IT TOGETHER

• Return the meatballs to the sauce. Toss.
• Top with parmesan, chopped basil and serve over pasta, if desired...enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions 

Ground beef - ground turkey is a good 1:1 substitution. 

Sausage - if you don’t have a sausage link, just leave it out.  Or replace it with a mild or sweet sausage link if spiciness is of concern. 

White bread - you can use any bread crumbs.  ¼ cup of dry, unseasoned bread crumbs are equal to a slice of bread.  So if you’re not using a slice of bread, substitute for ¼ cup of UNSEASONED or Italian-seasoned bread crumbs. 

Make Ahead, Leftovers, and Reheating

Make ahead - this is a fabulous make-ahead main dish.  Simply make the recipe as directed, and save in a freezer-safe container (or ziplock) for up to 2 months.

Leftovers - If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they will save in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.  

Reheating - To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat over medium-low heat with a splash of water or white wine, covered, until warmed throughout.  

 

Nutrition

Calories: 1896kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 153g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 82g | Trans Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 486mg | Sodium: 5239mg | Potassium: 1630mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 273mg | Iron: 14mg

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