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This homemade meatballs recipe is so simple to make and packed with flavor, you’ll be debating on starting your own Italian restaurant.
I’m all about Italian food – chicken parmesan to meat lasagna. But probably the most well-known and most popular dish is spaghetti and meatballs.
I mean who didn’t have spaghetti and meatballs as a kid? And admit it, you still have it as an adult. But did you or your parents take the time to make homemade oven baked meatballs?
Yes it is super easy to just buy frozen meatballs at the store, but after trying this meatballs recipe, you’ll understand why you should take the time to make them yourself.
While this homemade meatballs recipe can go with any type of sauce you crave, it’s hard to top pairing with roasted tomato sauce. For those that have had their fair share of meatballs (I have), you can tell the difference between a quality meatball and a so-so one.
You want a meatball that has a charred exterior but is moist and flavorful on the inside. After trying this homemade meatballs recipe, you won’t be trying another.
Jump to:
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil – adds flavor and moisture.
- Sweet onion, garlic, Italian parsley – additional flavors for the meatballs.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – adds a touch of heat.
- Ground beef/pork – the combination of meats gives a great flavor.
- Eggs – helps bind everything together.
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is the only way to go.
- Italian breadcrumbs – can also use panko breadcrumbs.
- Whole milk – need some moisture to keep the meatballs moist.
- Kosher salt – enhances the flavor.
How to Make Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large sauce pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 7 minutes or until translucent, stirring frequently. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, milk and parsley.
- Squish the mixture with your hands until mixed. Add the onion mixture and kosher salt and continue mixing with hands. The mixture should be fairly wet.
- Use wet hands or an ice cream scoop to shape the meatballs to desired size, usually golf ball size. Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and place meatballs in single layer.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until meatballs start to brown on top.
- If using right away, add to the roasted tomato sauce for the last 30 minutes. If not using, you can freeze.
Meat Substitutions
While I suggest using a combination of beef and pork for this homemade meatballs recipe for the flavor, you can use all of one or the other.
You can also use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer. I actually have a turkey meatballs recipe which is similar to this one.
Breadcrumb Substitutions
If you don’t have Italian breadcrumbs on hand, you can always use panko or even make your own if you have some leftover bread. Just throw in a food processor and you have breadcrumbs.
Crushed crackers can work in a pinch too for these oven baked meatballs.
Serving Suggestions
Of course the most obvious is to serve them over pasta, but you can never go wrong with a sub. Perhaps my favorite is adding them to a pizza.
Can I Freeze Meatballs?
Yes you can. Let them cool enough to handle and scrape any fat off that might release. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze then transfer to a freezer bag so they don’t stick. To reheat, place the frozen or thawed meatballs in your sauce and cook until heated through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Don’t over-mix! Over-mixing the meatballs will make them tough.
- Use an ice cream scoop to make the meatballs equal in size so they all cook the same.
- Use cold ingredients to keep the fat from melting before transferring to the oven.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
- You can replace the milk with water if needed.
- You know the meatballs are done when inserting an instant read thermometer and it reads 165°F. I usually just cut one in half and see if there is any pink left. Just throw back in oven for another 3-5 minutes if they aren’t done.
Similar Recipes
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Homemade Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large sauce pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 7 minutes or until translucent, stirring frequently. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, milk and parsley. Squish the mixture with your hands until mixed. Add the onion mixture and kosher salt and continue mixing with hands. The mixture should be fairly wet.
- Use wet hands or an ice cream scoop to shape the meatballs to desired size, usually golf ball size. Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and place meatballs in single layer. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until meatballs start to brown on top. If using right away, add to the marinara sauce for the last 30 minutes. If not using, you can freeze.
Notes
- Don’t over-mix! Over-mixing the meatballs will make them tough.
- Use an ice cream scoop to make the meatballs equal in size so they all cook the same.
- Use cold ingredients to keep the fat from melting before transferring to the oven.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
- You can replace the milk with water if needed.
- You know the meatballs are done when inserting an instant read thermometer and it reads 165°F. I usually just cut one in half and see if there is any pink left. Just throw back in oven for another 3-5 minutes if they aren’t done.
Yum!