Description
This hearty Meatballs and Potatoes recipe combines tender baked beef meatballs with sliced Yukon Gold potatoes, layered in a rich tomato and creamy béchamel sauce, then topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfectly seasoned and baked to golden perfection, it’s an all-in-one comfort dish that’s easy to prepare and sure to satisfy.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
- ½ cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
- ⅓ cup plain panko bread crumbs
- 1 extra large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley (divide 1 teaspoon for meatballs, 1 teaspoon for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Potatoes:
- 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and dried (skins on or peeled as preferred)
Tomato Sauce:
- 1½ cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Béchamel (Cream) Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, sliced into pats
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2¼ cups whole milk, warmed to room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a medium (2-3 quart) mixing bowl, combine ground beef, finely chopped onion, panko bread crumbs, beaten egg, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a spoon until well combined. Using nitrile gloves when mixing by hand is recommended to prevent cross contamination.
- Form Meatballs: Use a 1½ tablespoon scoop to portion the mixture. Roll each portion into a ball and place onto the prepared baking sheet spacing each meatball about 2 inches apart. Expect to form 22-23 meatballs.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. While baking, prepare the potatoes and sauces.
- Boil Potatoes: Boil the Yukon Gold potatoes (skins on or peeled) for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool for slicing.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir to blend evenly.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the salted butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour continuously for 1 to 1½ minutes until fully combined and slightly cooked.
- Incorporate Milk: Gradually whisk in the warmed whole milk, continuing to whisk until the sauce thickens to the consistency of white gravy. Remove from heat and stir in kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and ground nutmeg.
- Remove Meatballs: Take the meatballs out of the oven once baked.
- Slice Potatoes: Slice the boiled potatoes ⅛ inch thick. Keep the cut ends as backup if needed.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Select a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet, 9×9 baking dish, or 3-3½ quart casserole pan. Generously spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Assemble Base Layer: Place a single layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom and up the sides of your chosen baking dish.
- Add Meatballs: Arrange the baked meatballs on top of the potato layer in a circular bullseye pattern.
- Fill Potato Gaps: Place remaining potato slices in between the meatballs, creating a fortified ‘meatball and potato’ arrangement.
- Add Sauces: Spoon all the tomato sauce evenly over the meatballs, then carefully spoon the béchamel cream sauce over the tomato layer. Stir the cream sauce before spreading and use all of it.
- Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the cream sauce layer.
- Bake Dish: Bake the assembled dish for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
- Rest and Garnish: Allow the casserole to rest for 10-15 minutes to let liquid absorb and flavors meld. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the baked meatballs and potatoes for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat thoroughly in the microwave or oven until heated through.
- Tips: Substitute ground turkey, chicken, or pork for ground beef. Adjust panko and egg quantities as ground beef has higher fat content. For peeled potatoes, peel after boiling or microwaving. Using raw, sliced potatoes requires extra baking time (30-45 minutes). Spray the baking dish well with nonstick spray before assembling. Frozen meatballs can be used as a shortcut, but fresh meatballs yield best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/8 of the casserole)
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
