Name: Easy Baked Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt (less if you prefer, but meat loves salt); 1 large egg; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 3/4 cup breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup lukewarm water; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

If you’ve been looking for a simple recipe for Easy Baked Meatballs, you’ll love this one! Made with ground beef, Parmesan cheese, plenty of spices, eggs, breadcrumbs, and water, they’re juicy and flavorful. Once you try this easy meatball recipe, you’ll never want to make them another way!

Best Meatball Recipe

Do you have a go-to dish you make for company? I have a few! But the one I find myself making time and time again? These easy oven baked meatballs!

That’s because they’re a TOTAL crowd-pleaser!!! And even picky eaters love this recipe. In fact, I ALWAYS double this baked meatball recipe when we have company over. Because they literally fly out of the crockpot! Especially when I serve them with my flavorful marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Just thinking about them is making me so hungry lol!

What to serve with Meatballs

Pasta! I mean, is there a more iconic pairing than spaghetti and meatballs?! We love serving them with simple spaghetti fra diavolo, quick and easy bucatini all’ Amatriciana, or this one-pan tomato basil pasta!
Spaghetti Squash! A lower calorie, but still delicious, alternative to pasta. Learn how to roast spaghetti squash!
A slice of tomato pie or pizza!
Lasagna! My family adores this Lightened Up Chicken Parm Lasagna with a few meatballs on the side. YUM.
Gnocchi alla Vodka! I don’t make this dish enough… but when I do, you can bet I’m serving it with meatballs on the side!
Hoagie rolls, extra spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, and provolone cheese! Place all of these ingredients on the table and allow your guests to make their own meatballs sandwiches. So fun and so easy! Or check out my Italian Meatball Sub Sandwiches for more inspiration.
And finally, for a lighter meal, you could serve these quick and easy meatballs with a simple salad and a few homemade garlic knots or a piece of rosemary focaccia.

P.S. You can really serve your meatballs with ANYTHING. So if meatballs and brussels sprouts sounds good to you, I say go for it.

How to bake Meatballs

Cooking meatballs in the oven is a beautiful thing and simple by nature! Not only is it much neater than frying meatballs, but it’s also much easier than frying multiple batches in a skillet.

With my oven baked method, you can make all of the meatballs at once. You’ll simply roll the meat mixture into small balls, place them on the baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes. That’s it! Once they’re done baking, you’ll toss them in tomato sauce and they’re ready to be devoured. This is definitely the best way to make meatballs for spaghetti, since you’ll be baking them in the oven, which leaves the stovetop clear for making your pasta and sauce.

Ingredients for Easy Meatballs?

Now that you know how to make meatballs, let’s review the meatball ingredients:

ground beef: I suggest using the best variety you can afford! We use grass-fed beef from our farmers market!
eggs: Aka the binder that will hold the meatballs together!
breadcrumbs: I prefer panko breadcrumbs, but any variety will work.
spices: Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder add tons of flavor with minimal effort!
cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese adds a pop of flavor!
And water: This might sound strange, but water is a crucial ingredient. So please don’t reduce it or be scared of it! It makes the meatballs moist without adding any calories. Aa lot of recipes use milk, which adds tons of calories and not much else. My grandmother (who’s from Italy!) has been using water in her meatballs for years. It’s a little trick you’ll come to love!

Pro Tip: To easily, and evenly, shape your meatballs, use a spring loaded cookie scoop! It’s so easy!

And that’s it! You’ll also need some olive oil, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings to make my simple marinara sauce recipe. You can find all of the details for that in the recipe box below. But feel free to skip the tomato sauce and use pesto instead!

What are the Best Meats for Meatballs? Can I use Ground Turkey?

So here’s the deal: if you want tender, juicy, and flavorful meatballs, you should choose fatty meat. Because fat equals flavor! A popular meat choice is 80/20 ground beef, and for a good reason. This variety is easy to find, relatively cheap, and produces juicy meatballs.

Ground turkey – or even ground chicken – can work, but they don’t have as much fat as beef, so the meatballs will be a bit drier. If you’re feeling creative, you can also combine meat varieties. We often use 50/50 ground pork and ground beef.

Can I make Meatballs without Breadcrumbs?

I have never made these meatballs without bread, so I cannot say for sure! However many readers have told me that crushed cracker crumbs and finely ground rolled oats can work as substitutes. As always, I suggest experimenting at your own risk 😉

Should Meatballs be Pink in the Center?

Yes and no. If you know that your meatballs are made from 100% beef, a slight touch of pink can be fine. But generally it’s not a great idea to eat pink meatballs. And the internal temperature should ALWAYS be 160 degrees (F) or above.

How to Store Meatballs?

Fully cooked, these meatballs will keep, stored in the fridge in an airtight container, for 3 days!

Can Meatballs be frozen?

Yes! These easy to make meatballs raw or fully cooked. Simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange the meatballs side by side on the prepared sheet, and then pop the pan directly into the freezer. Once the meatballs have frozen enough to be solid to the touch, you can transfer them into a freezer safe bag or storage container, and then return to the freezer. The meatballs will keep, stored in the freezer, for 2 months. When you’re ready to use them, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then cook as directed.

How many Meatballs per person?

This completely depends on the size of the meatballs… and the appetites of those eating them. But a good rule of thumb is 4 to 5 meatballs per person. When we have really large parties (like Superbowl or 4th of July), I triple this meatball recipe so I know there’s plenty!

Can I put Meatballs in a Crockpot?

Yes!!! But please fully cook them first. Otherwise they will fall apart. Once the meatballs are fully cooked, you can place them in the slow cooker, add in the sauce, and keep warm on the lowest setting. I suggest doubling the sauce if you’re going to have them in the crockpot for more than an hour.

For more Meatball Recipes, Check Out:

This is a great basic meatballs recipe you and your family are sure to love!

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