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Meatball Marinara Cups

Meatball Marinara Cups

These Meatball Marinara Cups are crispy, cheesy, and packed with comforting Italian flavor. Toasted bread forms the perfect vessel for juicy meatballs, rich marinara sauce, and melty mozzarella  all baked into irresistible bite-sized perfection.

  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 slices sandwich bread
  • 16 small or 8 large frozen meatballs, halved
  • 1 to cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a muffin tin.
  2. Warm the marinara sauce and cook or thaw the meatballs.
  3. Trim crusts from the bread, brush each slice with butter or oil, and press into muffin cups to form bowls.
  4. Spoon marinara into each bread cup, add a meatball, top with more marinara, mozzarella, herbs, and Parmesan.
  5. Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  6. Remove carefully, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use slightly stale bread for easier shaping.
  • Let cups cool slightly before removing from the tin for best structure.
  • Mini meatballs fit better in standard muffin tins.
  • Great for meal prep — freeze and reheat as needed.
  • Author: Monica
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American
  • Diet: Kosher

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 190
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 480mg
  • Fat: 10g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 16g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 9g
  • Cholesterol: 25mg

Keywords: meatball marinara cups, meatball appetizer, muffin tin meatballs, easy party food, bread cup recipe