The Best Meatball Recipe! - Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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My favorite baked meatball recipe — it’s easy to make, full of great flavor, and incredibly versatile. Serve it with Italian marinara sauce, Swedish cream sauce, American bbq sauce and beyond!

Friends, do you have a go-to recipe for amazing homemade meatballs in your repertoire?

If not, bookmark this one. Like, seriously. ♡

After having made who knows how many millions of meatballs in my life, I’ve officially landed on this easy meatball recipe as my forever favorite. And I love it for so many reasons.

Mainly, I’m partial to this particular meatball recipe because it is BIG on flavor. I’ve always considered it such a missed opportunity when I’m served meatballs that are bland and boring because, quite frankly, it’s so easy to make them delicious! We shouldn’t have to rely on a sauce to make meatballs interesting. So this recipe goes big on all of my favorite flavors, including a base mix of ground beef and pork (win-win), classic garlic and onion (grated to avoid chunks), lots of Parmesan (adds amazing flavor), and a generous helping of zesty herbs and seasonings.

I also love these homemade meatballs because they are baked instead of fried, which makes them a touch healthier and also considerably easier to cook. They can easily be made gluten-free if you would like. They freeze beautifully for later, if you would like. And while I often love to just eat these meatballs on their own, the flavors here are versatile enough to pair with any of your favorite sauces, from Italian marinara sauce, to American bbq sauce, to a Swedish cream sauce, to a spicy Thai curry and so much more.

Basically, this is the meatball recipe that I use for pretty much everything and it is always, always a winner. So be sure to bookmark this one, and let’s make a batch together!

The BEST Meatball Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Homemade Meatballs Ingredients:

Alright let’s talk about the ingredients you will need make this easy baked meatball recipe. (Full amounts included in the recipe below!)

How To Make Meatballs:

To make these homemade meatballs, simply…

Make the panade. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Panko and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Then use a fork to briefly mash the mixture into a paste.
Combine remaining ingredients. Add the ground beef, ground pork, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, fresh herbs, onion and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.
Chill (optional step). To make the meatballs easier to form, I recommend covering and chilling the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour. But if you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
Prep oven and baking sheet. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Form the meatballs. Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (I recommend greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)
Bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Serve. Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!

Possible Meatball Recipe Variations:

There are countless ways that you could customize this homemade meatball recipe, so please don’t hesitate to experiment and get creative! For example, feel free to…

Use ground turkey or chicken:For a lighter option, feel free to use ground turkey/chicken to make turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs. Just note that they will need to be cooked to 165°F instead of 160°F, and will be a bit less moist than the beef and/or pork meatballs.
Use all dried herbs:If you don’t have access to fresh basil and parsley, I recommend adding in an extra 1 tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning instead.
Make them gluten-free:Just use gluten-free Panko (or other gluten-free breadcrumbs), and double-check to be sure that the brand of Worcestershire that you are using is also gluten-free. (French’s, Heinz and Lea and Perrins’ Original are all gluten-free in the United States.)
Make them spicier. Feel free to double or triple the amount of crushed red pepper flakes used to give the meatballs more of a kick.
Make them more garlicky.Also feel free to double the amount of garlic if you like extra-garlicky meatballs.

Ways To Serve Meatballs:

This baked meatballs recipe is incredibly versatile and can be served a number of ways! You could use it to make…

Spaghetti and meatballs: Pair the meatballs with a 1-pound package of spaghetti (cooked until al dente) and a batch of my favorite marinara sauce recipe to make Italian meatballs.
Swedish meatballs:Pair with your favorite Swedish cream sauce recipe to make Swedish meatballs.
Alfredo meatballs:Pair with a batch of my favorite Alfredo sauce recipe to make Alfredo meatballs.
BBQ meatballs:Pair with a batch of my favorite homemade BBQ sauce recipe to make BBQ meatballs.
Grape jelly meatballs:Pair with a grape jelly sauce (just simmer together 1.5 cups ketchup and 1 cup grape jelly) to make retro grape jelly meatballs.

Meatballs

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 238 reviews

Author: Ali
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Yield: 24-30 meatballs 1x

Description

This classic baked meatball recipe is easy to make, full of great flavor, and totally versatile. Pair it with your favorite Italian marinara sauce, BBQ sauce, Swedish cream sauce…and beyond!

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 eggs
1 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely-grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely-chopped fresh Italian herbs (I used half parsley, half basil)
1/4 cup grated yellow onion
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Make the panade. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Combine remaining ingredients. Add the ground beef, ground pork, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, fresh herbs, onion and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.
Chill (optional step). To make the meatballs easier to form, I recommend covering and chilling the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour. But if you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
Prep oven and baking sheet.Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Form the meatballs.Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (I recommend greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)
Bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Serve. Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!

Equipment

The Best Meatball Recipe! - Gimme Some Oven (7)

posted on April 10, 2020 by Ali

Appetizers, Game Day, Gluten-free, Italian-Inspired, Main Dishes

371 Comments »

The Best Meatball Recipe! - Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

You can bake meatballs at both 350°F and 400°F. Baking at a higher temperature (400°F) will result in a golden brown outside and juicy inside in a shorter amount of time. A 350° F oven will still result in a juicy center too, it will just take longer to cook all the way through.

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Is it better to fry or oven bake meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Why did my meatballs fall apart in the oven? ›

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

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What makes meatballs stick together better? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

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Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook? ›

Tenderizing the Meat:

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

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How do you know when meatballs are done in the oven? ›

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.

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Why do my meatballs come out tough? ›

Don't overmix. When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked.

Learn More Now ›

Do you cook meatballs in sauce or not? ›

Brown them first, then let them finish cooking in the marinara sauce. This results in a nice texture on the outside of the meatball but keeps it juicy and tender on the inside. It also adds more flavor to the tomato sauce.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs

Not seasoning the meat.
Not adding any moisture to the meat.
Over-mixing the meat.
Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.

May 1, 2019

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What is the best binder for meatballs? ›

An egg is usually a good start, as that can help with the tenderness and texture, but the king of meatball binders is breadcrumbs soaked in milk (also known as a panade). Soaking the breadcrumbs first makes them pliable and soggy, which allows them to easily and evenly mix into the ground meat.

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What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Bread crumbs are another popular binder for meatballs that can become problematic if used incorrectly. Adding too many bread crumbs to the mix will cause your meatballs to become loose and fall apart.

Get More Info ›

What is the secret to tender meatballs? ›

The Key to Tender Meatballs

One trick to making sure meatballs are totally tender once they're cooked is to use a binder. Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat.

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Is it better to bake or pan fry meatballs? ›

Browning in the oven at high heat is neater than frying and, if you're making meatballs in quantity, both faster and easier than skillet searing. Baking them on a rack set over a baking pan ensures even cooking, and using your oven's convection setting (if you have one) yields nicely browned surfaces.

Why do you put baking soda in meatballs? ›

Baking soda, otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate, appears often in köfte recipes. It raises the PH level of the meat, making it harder for the meat's protein molecules to bond. This in turn allows the meat to retain water as it cooks. And more water means a moist meatball.

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What temperature should meatballs be cooked at? ›

Bake until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and serve.

How do you tell when meatballs are fully cooked? ›

Using an instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen Mk4, check the temperature of the meatballs. They need to have a minimum temperature of 160°F (71°C).

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How do you keep meatballs round when baking? ›

The easiest method is to use a small ice cream scoop. Not only does this give you equal portions, but it also gets you most of the way to the round shape you're looking for.