Oven-Baked Meatballs with Vegetables
Juicy spiced meatballs baked over a bed of peppers and onions in a rich tomato-pepper sauce, finished with melted cheese — an easy one-pan dinner.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 g ground beef
- 1 onion grated
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 50 ml sparkling water about ½ Turkish tea glass
- 4-5 sprigs fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt to taste
Vegetables
- 2 onions sliced
- 3 green peppers sliced
- 2 red capia peppers or red bell peppers, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
Sauce
- ½ tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tbsp red pepper paste
- 1½ cups hot water
- Salt to taste
Topping
- Grated Kashar cheese or mozzarella
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion, grated garlic, breadcrumbs, sparkling water, parsley, black pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, and salt. Knead until well mixed, then shape into meatballs slightly larger than a walnut.
- Slice the onions and peppers into thin strips and spread them in a baking dish. Add the garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, tossing until evenly coated.
- Arrange the meatballs on top of the vegetables.
- Whisk together the tomato paste, red pepper paste, hot water, and salt. Pour evenly over the meatballs and vegetables.
- Wet a sheet of parchment paper, squeeze out excess water, and use it to cover the baking dish.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 35-40 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Remove the parchment paper, sprinkle generously with grated cheese, and return to the oven for a few more minutes until melted and golden.
Notes
Serve hot with crusty bread or steamed rice to soak up the sauce. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.