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Juicy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious, these Baked Meatballs are oven-baked and then simmered in a sauce that makes them perfect for any meal.
If you didn’t know, I’m a pasta and meatball kinda gal. I can’t resist pasta and I absolutely can’t resist a good meatball. This recipe for Baked Meatballs is my staple.
It is the one recipe I use for pretty much every pasta dish that calls for meatballs or any other recipe that calls for meatballs! Seriously, I can’t get enough of these.
I may or may not just make these as a stand-alone dish to munch on, I mean, there is no shame in the meatball game when you’re hungry, and they are just that good.
But most of the time, I am a civilized human being, and I add them to pasta or as an appetizer with different sauces. See, with this recipe, you can do with it what you like.
It is just one of those basic baked meatball recipes that we use for lots of things; in this instance, for this post we are simmering them in pasta sauce.
But do with them what you like – this is the best way to make meatballs! You can’t go wrong with simple Baked Meatballs, you need this recipe in your arsenal.
Some of my other favorite recipes in which you could use meatballs include Spaghetti and Meatballs, BBQ Bacon Meatball Appetizer, and Hearty & Easy Italian Meatball Soup Recipe.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE BAKED MEATBALLS:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- HOW TO USE:
- ARE THERE ANY VARIATIONS?
- WHAT KIND OF GROUND BEEF IS THE BEST TO USE?
- CAN THESE BE EATEN AS-IS, OR DO I HAVE TO SIMMER THEM IN A SAUCE?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Baked Meatballs
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With readily available ingredients there is nothing you can’t find for this recipe.
- You can use them in what you like or however you like.
- Double the recipe to serve more people!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Eggs
Panko bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
Ground beef
HOW TO MAKE BAKED MEATBALLS:
- Preheat the oven temperature to 400°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- Add in the ground beef and gently mix everything together until combined but try not to overmix. Working the meat mixture too much may result in a tougher meatball.
- Portion the meatball mixture into 24 even-sized meatballs (I like to use a cookie scoop for this). Roll them between your hands and place them directly on to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, not touching. You can also make the size of the meatballs as large or small as you want but keep in mind the size difference may result in a longer or shorter cooking time.
- Bake meatballs until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature to make sure it has reached 165°F with a meat thermometer if using right away.
- You can either use the meatballs as is in your favorite recipes or I like to add them straight to my marinara sauce and let them simmer all day. For the best results, the longer they simmer, submerged in the sauce the more tender they get. I tend to simmer them for about 4 hours, but I would simmer for 30 minutes at a minimum before serving.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
HOW TO USE:
You really can’t get much easier with these Italian meatballs. Like I said, they are a simple recipe that you can do with what you like.
Minimal ingredients and spices do not overpower these so it’s not like boom you have this Italian-flavored meatball in your face, it’s a nice subtle spiced homestyle meatball.
Some of my favorite different ways to use these meatballs include:
- Meatball Subs
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Meatball Sliders
- Crockpot Party Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs
Those are just to name a few of the things that we have used this meatballs recipe for, there are so many out there. Pick your favorite recipe, whip up these meatballs and you are good!
In my opinion, they are just an overall delicious recipe that we have learned to love, and we love that they are baked, no frying here. I love that you don’t have that excess mess to clean up.
Truly amazing meatballs!
ARE THERE ANY VARIATIONS?
There are many variations on these perfect meatballs. Here are a few ideas:
- Add different types of cheese, such as mozzarella, cheddar, or provolone.
- Add different vegetables, such as spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini.
- Add different spices, such as chili powder, cumin, or paprika to mix up the flavor profile.
- Serve with different sauces, such as tomato sauce, marinara sauce, spaghetti sauce, or Alfredo sauce.
WHAT KIND OF GROUND BEEF IS THE BEST TO USE?
I like to use 80/20 ground chuck for this recipe, but you can use your preferred ground beef. I find that 80/20 produces tender meatballs while still holding its shape.
However, you can use other ground meat as well, here are some options:
- Ground veal
- Ground pork
- Ground turkey – turkey meatballs are fantastic!
- Ground chicken
You can also use a mix of ground meats to your preference.
CAN THESE BE EATEN AS-IS, OR DO I HAVE TO SIMMER THEM IN A SAUCE?
They can be eaten out of the oven as long as you make sure they reach 165°F.
However, if you are serving them with pasta sauce already, I highly suggest letting them simmer in the sauce. They become much more tender with this additional step.
HOW TO STORE:
If you have leftover meatballs with or without sauce, you can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container or ziptop bag, and they should last you up to 2-3 days.
These delicious meatballs can also be frozen with or without sauce!
To freeze without sauce, place your cooled cooked meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag, and they will keep for up to 2-3 months, let defrost in the refrigerator.
To freeze with the sauce, let everything cool and then place into an airtight container or freezer bag and these will also keep for up to 2-3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator.
You can reheat either of these methods on the stovetop or in the microwave.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- We like to use leaner ground beef for these so don’t go any lower than 80/20.
- Panko breadcrumbs are preferred but if you can’t find them or don’t like them you can use regular breadcrumbs.
- Make sure to bake these on foil for easy clean-up.
- Serve meatballs with sauce or however you would like.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- You can easily double this recipe to serve more or freeze some for later use.
If you want a tried and true recipe, then you have to make my Baked Meatballs- simple, easy, and utterly delicious.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these BAKED MEATBALLS let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Lbs Ground beef preferably 80/20
Instructions
- Preheat the oven temperature to 400°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- Add in the ground beef and gently mix everything together until combined but try not to overmix. Working the meat mixture too much may result in a tougher meatball.
- Portion the meatball mixture into 24 even-sized meatballs (I like to use a cookie scoop for this). Roll them between your hands and place them directly on to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, not touching. You can also make the size of the meatballs as large or small as you want but keep in mind the size difference may result in a longer or shorter cooking time.
- Bake meatballs until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature to make sure it has reached 165°F with a meat thermometer if using right away.
- You can either use the meatballs as is in your favorite recipes or I like to add them straight to my marinara sauce and let them simmer all day. For the best results, the longer they simmer, submerged in the sauce the more tender they get. I tend to simmer them for about 4 hours, but I would simmer for 30 minutes at a minimum before serving.
Video
Notes
- We like to use leaner ground beef for these so don’t go any lower than 80/20.
- Panko breadcrumbs are preferred but if you can’t find them or don’t like them you can use regular breadcrumbs.
- Make sure to bake these on foil for easy clean-up.
- Serve meatballs with sauce or however you would like.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- You can easily double this recipe to serve more or freeze some for later use.
Nutrition
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