Baked Spicy Meatballs
We've taken an Italian classic and added a fiery twist with this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe. It's ready for the oven when the meatballs are swimming in a rich, herby tomato sauce, all topped off with TWO layers of cheese: torn reduced-fat mozzarella and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Keep an eye out for when everything's bubbling and golden…
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories270
- Carbs11g
- Protein26g
- Fat12g
- Saturates7.1g
- Sugars7.8g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
If you love Italian flavours and you love a hint of spice, this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe will be right up your street. Something a bit different from ordinary meatballs and spaghetti, this easy-peasy bake involves not one but two finely-chopped fresh red chillies.
To keep the calories (and the fuss!) down, we’ve used shop-bought reduced-fat meatballs. There’s nothing to stop you making your own from scratch to stir in instead, if you’d prefer. You can also use any kind of meatballs – just be sure to adjust the calories accordingly, if you’re counting.
Spoon your portion onto a plate with spaghetti and green beans and you’ll be in midweek menu heaven! They’ll go down a storm with any kind of pasta or potatoes – we sometimes serve a spoon over a jacket potato at lunchtime.
For more slimming-friendly meatball recipe inspiration, tap here to read our blog full of ideas.
What diets is this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe suitable for?
This Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets, however you might want to double-check the ingredients if you use shop-bought meatballs – some varieties might not be gluten-free!
Take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Baked Spicy Meatballs?
These Baked Spicy Meatballs are sooo easy to make! You’ll just need two basic pieces of cooking equipment.
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An ovenproof dish comes in handy for countless baked recipes.
You’ll also want a large frying pan, like this one from Amazon!
How many calories are in this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe?
There are 270 calories per portion in this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 4 minutes until browned on all sides.
Step 2
Add the garlic and chillies and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the passata and oregano.
Step 3
Pour the sauce and meatballs into a large ovenproof dish.
Top with chunks of the mozzarella and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake for 35 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, and the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
What could I serve with this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe?
These Baked Spicy Meatballs are so versatile and can be served with a wide range of accompaniments.
Some of our favourite things to serve them with include with spaghetti and green beans, a jacket potato or courgetti, but the following also work really well:
How do you know when this Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe is cooked?
You’ll need to make sure that the outsides of the meatballs are brown before you place them into the ovenproof dish.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Baked Spicy Meatballs in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Baked Spicy Meatballs in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Baked Spicy Meatballs?
Yes, you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough in individual portions.
- Use a container that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label telling you the name of the recipe and the date you’re stashing leftovers in the freezer.
How do I reheat Baked Spicy Meatballs?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Baked Spicy Meatballs
Topped with two different types of cheese, this slimming-friendly Baked Spicy Meatballs recipe is surprisingly versatile midweek wonder!
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Prep Time
10 MINS
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Cook Time
40 MINS
- KCals 270
- Carbs 11G
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 4 minutes until browned on all sides.
- Add the garlic and chillies and cook for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the passata and oregano.
- Pour the sauce and meatballs into a large ovenproof dish.
- Top with chunks of the mozzarella and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake for 35 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, and the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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11 comments
See what others have to say
JPTuesday 4th March 2025
Can I use shop made frozen veggie meatballs for this recipe?
HollyMonday 17th March 2025
Hi Martin, yes you could just make the sauce and use ready made meatballs if you prefer, hope that helps!
Carol PTuesday 14th June 2022
Can I cook the meatballs and sauce then freeze it. Then add the mozzarella when defrosted .
HollyFriday 17th June 2022
Hey Carol, yes you can add the mozzarella when you are ready to re-heat and serve, hope that helps!
CharlieMonday 15th November 2021
It says 24 meatballs, how many grams roughly is that? I’m thinking of making the meatballs myself. This looks yummy can’t wait to try I!
HollyTuesday 16th November 2021
Hey Charlie, the weight of the meatballs depends on the brand you are using. Most supermarkets do their own version of reduced fat meatball so there’s plenty of choice! Hope that helps!
GabriellaMonday 19th October 2020
Had this with spaghetti recently and wow it is just Devine! One thing i’d just like to know, is the total calorie count including the pasta or not? Thanks!
HollyTuesday 20th October 2020
Hi Gabriella, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! The calories are just for the meatballs this leaves you free to serve them with spaghetti or any other accompaniment you fancy!
Jo EdkinsTuesday 3rd January 2017
Oh my word – just made these for dinner and they are lush! Made my own meatballs with 5% fat pork, onions and mixed herbs, used the sauce but added chunky peppers to it as well.
I had them with courgetti but the rest of the family had pasta. They all loved them. Think this will be a new favourite in our house.
Emma TTuesday 3rd January 2017
Hi Jo,
So glad you all enjoyed them!
Emma
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