Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these oven-baked meatballs are lip-smacking and delicious!
On days when I don't want to spend a lot of time planning my meals, I turn to my classics and family favorites. If I have chicken, I usually make grilled chicken wings or air-fried chicken legs, and on days when I want to use up some lamb, I make my favorite baked lamb chops.
Whenever I have ground beef that I want to use, I make these easy-baked meatballs, which I can use for many different recipes. This dirty rice recipe uses ground beef, too! I team them up with a savory gravy and serve them with mashed potatoes or stuff them into hoagie buns—they're perfect either way. This is a super easy meatball recipe, indeed.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This oven-baked meatball is super versatile! You can use it to make easy dinners or a fancy appetizer for get-togethers.
Despite being baked, they have a nice crispy exterior and are much healthier than fried meatballs.
You can meal-prep them, too! They're a total savior for days when you're rushed, but still want something homecooked and delicious!
Ingredients For the Oven Baked Meatballs Recipe
Ground Beef: Use the best quality (ideally grass-fed) variety. You can use either fresh or frozen ground beef. You can also add some veal or pork if you want to. Regular or lean ground beef will work, too.
Eggs are a must! They add a nice bit of moisture to the meatballs, help bind the mixture together, and also make them extra juicy.
Bread: These help the meatballs hold their shape and retain moisture and juiciness. Mix a slice of bread with some milk or just some panko breadcrumbs if that's what you have at hand.
Onion: For that delicious umami sweetness.
Seasonings: These are pretty simple—just salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a dash of bouillon powder for extra flavor or even black pepper.
Fresh Parsley: To lend that bright pop of color and freshness.
Variations & Substitutions
- You can make these meatballs cheesy by adding some shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone are great) to the meatball mixture! I love parmesan cheese in it.
- You can bulk up the meatballs by adding some veggies of your choice. I love adding grated zucchini, chopped spinach, and chopped mushrooms to the mix.
- Spice up the meatballs by adding cayenne, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika powder, or other ingredients like fresh garlic, basil, thyme, or any herbs.
- Experiment with different meats to make different versions of this recipe. Ground turkey and ground chicken meatballs taste fantastic too!
- Substitute the bread with some bread crumbs.
How to Oven Baked Meatballs
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it with oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, bread in milk, egg, garlic powder, finely chopped onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are just combined.
- Step 3: Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, shape the mixture into meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Mold each meatball with your greased palms. Place each meatball on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Step 4: Drizzle or lightly brush the meatballs with oil and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. If you like a crispier exterior, broil them for an additional 2-3 minutes at the end.
- Step 5: Allow the meatballs to rest for a few minutes, and then serve them with dipping sauces or use them for any of your recipes.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a mix of beef and pork to make the meatballs extra juicy.
- Add some crushed crackers to the meatball mixture if you don't have bread or breadcrumbs.
- You can substitute the milk in the almond or non-dairy milk recipe to make dairy-free meatballs.
- Line your sheet pan or parchment paper to make cleanup easier!
- If you don't have an oven, you can use a skillet and cook the potatoes over medium heat until tender in batches if they can't all be cooked at once. This will avoid overcrowding the pan.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These oven-baked meatballs are incredibly versatile! There are a ton of ways you can put them to use.
I love adding them to marinara sauce or tomato sauce and serving them with pasta. They also taste fantastic when served in a meatball sub or with some garlic bread on the side.
On days when I'm too lazy to cook, I serve these flavorful meatballs with a simple potato side dish, such as my crispy Air Fryer potatoes or baked potato wedges.
When I have leftover homemade shawarma bread, I add meatballs, shredded cabbage, sliced onions, and my favorite sauces to the bread to make a hearty wrap!
Storage and Reheating
Refrigeration: You can store your leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and then reheat them in the microwave or the oven until they're warm again.
Freezing: Freeze meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Ground turkey or chicken can be a great leaner alternative to ground beef. Just remember that leaner meats may cook a bit faster, so these meatballs may need less cooking time. You may also need to add a tablespoon of olive oil or some extra milk to keep the meatballs juicy.
To make the meatballs gluten-free, simply substitute regular breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers. You can also use oats if you want to. Ensure all other ingredients (seasonings and spices) are gluten-free as well.
Yes, you can freeze these meatballs and store them for later! Simply arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for a few hours until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container and store them for up to 3 months.
When making meatballs, make sure you don't overmix the ingredients and add ingredients like milk or grated cheese to retain moisture. Also, remember not to overbake them, and get them out as soon as they're done.
The most reliable way to check if meatballs are cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, cut one open to ensure it's no longer pink in the center.
Cook them at 400F for 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160F.
More Meaty Recipes to Try
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Homemade Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 kg Beef minced or ground
- ¼ cup Liquid milk
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Blackpepper
- 1 slice Bread 25g
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tbsp Bouillon powder or any Seasoning Powder
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1 Large Egg
- ¼ cup Fresh herbs I used parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking pan with a parchment paper or baking mat.
- Cut the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until well softened.¼ cup Liquid milk, 1 slice Bread
- In a mixing bowl, add the minced beef with the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined.1 kg Beef, 2 tsp Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Blackpepper, 1 tsp Salt, ½ tablespoon Bouillon powder, 1 medium Onion, 1 Large Egg, ¼ cup Fresh herbs
- Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out beef. Using your wet palms or greased palms, roll balls to about 2 diameter.
- Transfer balls into the lined baking pan.
- Bake at 400°F for about 20-30 minutes till they reach an internal temperature of about 165°F.
- Remove from oven and drain off excess fat. Let it cool for about 2 minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- To make dairy-free meatballs, substitute the milk in the recipe for almond milk or another non-dairy milk.
- Remember to line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier!
- Use a mix of beef and pork to make the meatballs extra juicy.
- If you don't have bread or breadcrumbs, add some crushed crackers into the meatball mixture.
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Nutrition
Bilikis says
It looks so delicious
Bilikis says
So yummy and delicious
Bilikis says
Thanks for the recipe ma
Ojong Blessin says
Can it be fried too?
Yes, definitely. You can deep fry on medium heat. You can also shallow fry.