Peppered Meatballs Recipe

Cooking Directions

• STEP 1.Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• STEP 2.In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.
• STEP 3.Mix the ingredients until well combined, but avoid overmixing.
• STEP 4.Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• STEP 5.Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden brown.
• STEP 6.Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce by heating olive oil in a saucepan and sautéing garlic until fragrant.
• STEP 7.Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the saucepan.
• STEP 8.Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
• STEP 9.Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
• STEP 10.Serve the peppered meatballs hot as an appetizer, main course, or use them in sandwiches and pasta dishes.

Cooking Tips

• For extra flavor, you can add grated onion or minced garlic to the meatball mixture.
• To make the meatballs ahead of time, you can freeze them after baking and reheat them in the sauce when ready to serve.
• You can customize the spice level by adjusting the amount of black pepper in the meatball mixture.

Storage and Serving

• Store any leftover meatballs and sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat the meatballs and sauce together in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
• Serve the meatballs as an appetizer with toothpicks, as a main course with pasta or rice, or in sandwiches with melted cheese.