Hearty Grilled Dish with Melted Cheese
Juicy meatballs, aromatic tomato sauce, and melted cheese – this dish is perfect for outdoor cooking. The meatballs are first lightly smoked on the grill and then baked in a savory tomato sauce with cheese.
This recipe is ideal for a grill pan, paella pan, or cast iron skillet and creates a true BBQ feeling.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
1 kg mixed minced meat
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs (e.g., oregano, basil, thyme)
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the Tomato Sauce
1 can strained tomatoes (400 g)
1 can diced tomatoes (400 g)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Italian herbs
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
For Gratinating
250 g grated Gouda cheese
Preparation
1. Prepare the Meatballs
Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic very finely.
Place the minced meat with onion, garlic, Italian herbs, paprika powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl and knead thoroughly.
Form uniform meatballs from the mixture.
2. Grill and Smoke Meatballs
Prepare the grill for indirect heat (approx. 180 °C).
Place the meatballs on the grill and grill indirectly for 10–15 minutes.
Optionally, add smoking chips or pellets to create a light smoky flavor.
The meatballs should have light grill marks on the outside but do not need to be fully cooked yet.
3. Prepare the Tomato Sauce
Place a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the grill.
Heat olive oil.
Sauté onions and garlic until translucent.
Add tomato paste and roast briefly.
Stir in strained and diced tomatoes.
Season with Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes.
4. Gratinate the Meatballs
Place the grilled meatballs into the tomato sauce.
Sprinkle with grated Gouda cheese.
Close the grill lid and gratinate everything at 180–200 °C for about 5–10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
5. Serve
Serve the meatballs hot from the pan.
They pair especially well with:
- fresh white bread
- baguette
- pasta
- rice
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