💡 Recipe Snapshot
- •The Dish: Juicy meatballs nestled in a rich, creamy tomato sauce, baked to bubbly perfection with mozzarella and fresh basil.
- •Time Saver: An effortless weeknight dinner with minimal prep—no need to brown the meatballs beforehand!
- •Method: Your Thermomix® handles the meat mixture and sauce, then the oven takes care of the rest.
We’ve all been there: your stomach is growling, the whole family is asking what’s for dinner, and you have zero energy to stand over a hot stove. That’s exactly when these cheesy Tuscan Meatballs come to the rescue!
Get ready for juicy, flavorful meatballs swimming in a velvety tomato-cream sauce, all topped with melted, golden-brown mozzarella. And the absolute best part? You don’t even have to sear the meatballs first.
Thanks to your Thermomix®, prep work is a total breeze, and the oven does all the heavy lifting. It’s pure, fuss-free comfort food for busy nights!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- The ultimate comfort food for the whole family
- Packed with juicy meatballs—no searing or browning required!
- Smothered in a wonderfully rich and creamy sauce
- Super easy prep thanks to your Thermomix®
- Baked to bubbly perfection with melted mozzarella cheese
- Made right in your baking dish for minimal cleanup
- A effortless win for busy weeknight dinners
- Just plain delicious!
My Top Recipe Tips
Pro tip for rolling meatballs: slightly dampen your hands with water before shaping them. This keeps the meat mixture from sticking to your fingers and gives you perfectly smooth, uniform meatballs every single time.
Be sure to place the simmering basket on top of the mixing bowl lid while the sauce cooks to act as a splash guard. Trust me, it saves you from annoying countertop cleanups!
After chopping your onion and garlic, use the spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This ensures every piece gets cooked evenly when you sauté.
Serve these Tuscan meatballs over a bed of fresh pasta or with a warm, crusty baguette—it’s the absolute best for soaking up every last drop of that dreamy sauce!
Can I Make This Ahead of Time or Store Leftovers?
Yes, absolutely! You can shape the meatballs, make the sauce, and assemble everything right in your baking dish. Just cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Then, simply pop the dish straight into the oven when dinner time rolls around! Any leftovers will keep well covered in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days and reheat like a dream the next day.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
Mix up the meat: If you’re looking for a leaner option, feel free to swap the mixed ground meat for lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
Switch up the cheese: Out of mozzarella? No problem! Shredded Gouda, Swiss, or even a good Provolone or Fontina will melt beautifully over top.
Ingredients for Tuscan Meatballs
For the meatballs:
- 1.1 lbs (500 g) ground meat (beef/pork blend)
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
For the sauce:
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 20 g (about 1 ½ tbsp) olive oil
- 200 ml (about ¾ cup) heavy cream
- 400 g (14 oz can) diced tomatoes
- 20 g (about 1 tbsp) tomato paste
- ½ to 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the Topping:
- 9 oz mozzarella cheese (sliced)
- Fresh basil for garnish
How to Make Tuscan Meatballs
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Start by prepping the meatballs. Add all the meatball ingredients to the mixing bowl and combine for 2 min / Dough Mode. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, roll into about 14 equal-sized meatballs with your hands, and arrange them in your baking dish.
To make the sauce, add the onion and garlic clove to the mixing bowl and chop for 3 sec / Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with your spatula.
Add the olive oil and sauté for 2 min / 250°F (120°C) / Speed 1.
Next, add the heavy cream, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar). Simmer for 8 min / 212°F (100°C) / Speed 2, replacing the measuring cup with the simmering basket on the lid to prevent splatters.
Pour the warm sauce evenly over the meatballs in the baking dish. Top each meatball with a slice of mozzarella cheese.
Bake the meatballs in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until they’re beautifully golden brown. Top with some fresh basil right before serving!
Enjoy!
Now, I hope you have so much fun whipping this up and enjoying every bite!
You might also love this recipe: Meatballs in Bell Pepper Sauce
Happy cooking,
Christoph
Tuscan Meatballs
Click stars to rate now
Zutaten
For the Meatballs
- 500 g ground beef and pork blend
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning dried
For the Sauce
- 1 onion peeled, quartered
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 20 g olive oil
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 400 g diced tomatoes
- 20 g tomato paste
- ½ - 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp sugar
To Finish
- 250 g mozzarella cheese sliced
- fresh basil for garnish
Zubereitung
- Preheat your oven to 200 °C.
- 500 g ground beef and pork blend, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 1 tbsp mustard, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoningFirst, prepare the meatballs. Add all the meatball ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix for 2 min. / Dough Mode. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, roll into about 14 equal-sized meatballs using your hands, and arrange them in a baking dish.
- 1 onion, 1 garlic cloveTo make the sauce, place the onion and garlic clove in the mixing bowl and chop for 3 sec. / Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
- 20 g olive oilAdd the olive oil and sauté for 2 min. / 120 °C / Speed 1.
- 200 ml heavy cream, 400 g diced tomatoes, 20 g tomato paste, ½ - 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sugarNext, add the heavy cream, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar). Simmer for 8 min. / 100 °C / Speed 2. Remove the measuring cup and place the simmering basket on top of the lid to prevent splatters.
- 250 g mozzarella cheesePour the warm sauce evenly over the meatballs in your baking dish. Top each meatball with a slice of fresh mozzarella.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
- fresh basilGarnish with fresh basil right before serving. Enjoy!
Tuscan Meatballs
Click stars to rate now
Zutaten
For the Meatballs
- 500 g ground beef and pork blend
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning dried
For the Sauce
- 1 onion peeled, quartered
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 20 g olive oil
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 400 g diced tomatoes
- 20 g tomato paste
- ½ - 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp sugar
To Finish
- 250 g mozzarella cheese sliced
- fresh basil for garnish
Zubereitung
- Preheat your oven to 200 °C.
- 500 g ground beef and pork blend, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 1 tbsp mustard, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoningFirst, prepare the meatballs. Add all the meatball ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix for 2 min. / Dough Mode. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, roll into about 14 equal-sized meatballs using your hands, and arrange them in a baking dish.
- 1 onion, 1 garlic cloveTo make the sauce, place the onion and garlic clove in the mixing bowl and chop for 3 sec. / Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
- 20 g olive oilAdd the olive oil and sauté for 2 min. / 120 °C / Speed 1.
- 200 ml heavy cream, 400 g diced tomatoes, 20 g tomato paste, ½ - 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sugarNext, add the heavy cream, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar). Simmer for 8 min. / 100 °C / Speed 2. Remove the measuring cup and place the simmering basket on top of the lid to prevent splatters.
- 250 g mozzarella cheesePour the warm sauce evenly over the meatballs in your baking dish. Top each meatball with a slice of fresh mozzarella.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
- fresh basilGarnish with fresh basil right before serving. Enjoy!
