Description
Meatball Boats are a comforting, flavorful, and easy-to-make dinner featuring juicy meatballs nestled inside tender baguette-style bread, topped with gooey mozzarella cheese and zesty marinara sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings, this handheld dish delivers hearty satisfaction with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 large baguette or 4 sub rolls
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Optional Variations
- Ground chicken, pork, or vegetarian meatballs instead of beef or turkey
- Provolone, cheddar, or pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella
- Gluten-free bread and breadcrumbs for gluten-free option
- Finely chopped spinach or mushrooms added to meatball mixture
- Olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or roasted peppers as toppings
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a bowl, combine ground meat with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add breadcrumbs and a beaten egg to bind the mixture. Roll into 1-inch evenly sized meatballs, compact but tender. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes or pan-fry over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
- Prepare the Bread: Slice the baguette or sub rolls lengthwise to create a hollowed-out space for the meatballs. Lightly brush the inner sides with olive oil to prevent sogginess and promote a golden crisp after baking.
- Assemble the Meatball Boats: Place cooked meatballs inside each hollowed bread boat. Spoon generous amounts of marinara sauce over the meatballs, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly to cover the surface.
- Bake Until Melty: Place assembled boats on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Optionally, broil for an additional minute for a golden-brown cheese crust.
- Garnish and Serve: Finish with freshly chopped basil or parsley and serve immediately to enjoy the perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to form uniform meatballs for even cooking.
- Don’t overfill the bread to avoid cheese overflow and messiness.
- Use quality marinara sauce for best flavor, homemade or store-bought.
- Let the meatball boats rest a few minutes after baking before serving.
- Make extra meatballs ahead and freeze for quick future meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 boat
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg