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flat lay of cast iron meatballs baked with cheese and basil
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5 from 2 votes

Cast Iron Meatballs - Cheesy Baked One Skillet Meal

These Cheesy Baked Cast Iron Meatballs are the ultimate one skillet comfort food meal. This easy skillet meatball recipe will have everyone asking for seconds! These ground beef meatballs are gluten free, low carb and keto friendly. Nestled in marinara sauce, with lots of cheese and fresh basil.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 576kcal
Author: Briana

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1.34 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 whole egg, room temperature
  • ½ medium yellow onion, minced (about 56 grams)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup pork rind panko (20 grams)
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the meatballs

For the sauce and cheese:

  • 28 ounces marinara sauce
  • 8 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Basil and parmesan to garnish

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add the ground meat, half of the shredded parmesan, dry seasonings, salt, pepper, pork panko, heavy whipping cream, garlic, onion and egg. Mix together until everything is well combined. Roll into equal sized meatballs, you should have about 12 meatballs. Place on a baking sheet and heat a cast iron skillet (at least 10″) over medium heat.
  • When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then add the meatballs to the skillet to brown over medium high heat. Brown on all sides, but meatballs do not need to be cooked though. Cook in batches as to not overcrowd the pan until all meatballs are browned. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Stir in the marinara, then dollop in the ricotta cheese between the meatballs. Cover everything with the mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan, about 12-15 minutes.Broil on high for 3-5 minutes to brown the cheese on top. Garnish with basil ribbons, and more parmesan.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 2134mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1277IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 545mg | Iron: 4mg