Mangia, Mangia! Baked Meatballs are a delicious appetizer or main.
Whether covered in sauce or served plain, meatballs are delicious. Various cuisines around the world have standard recipes for meatballs, but they’re most often associated with Southern Italian cooking. Think Sicily, Calabria, Abruzzi. Italian cooks for generations have perfected their own family recipes for these tender, meaty bites that are spaghetti’s best friend. Even the old children’s song “On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball…” is a ridiculous but classic homage to meatballs’ popularity!
So, what makes a meatball? Basically, one or more types of ground meat are the base. Beef or ground beef with ground pork is common. In more recent times, ground turkey or chicken is a popular lean choice. In Arab cuisines, you might see meatballs with ground lamb as the base. The ground meat is mixed with dry breadcrumbs, egg, milk, and seasonings. That’s the basic blueprint; below is our recipe for a delicious rendition of this blueprint which is baked in the oven to finish.
You will love these meatballs because of their taste and versatility. Soft and tender on the inside but slightly crisped on the outside, they are moist without being greasy and easy to cut with just a fork. They’re versatile in that they’re perfect for spaghetti night, covered in marinara—yet delicious as an appetizer, served with a dipping sauce. Favorites include honey mustard, marinara, or pesto dip. One of the best things is that they freeze beautifully, so they are a great make-ahead option.
Our Secret for Perfectly Tender Meatballs
While the milk and egg help make these meatballs soft, there’s another trick to getting the meatballs perfectly tender. And it’s easier than you might think! In Step 2, there’s a reminder not to overmix the meat, egg, milk, and breadcrumb mixture. That’s part of it. The other part is when you actually form the meatballs. A light touch is best here: gently shape the meat mixture into meatballs. Don’t squeeze! The less you mix and handle them, the more tender they will be.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Baked Meatballs are wonderful to make ahead. Prepare as directed and let them cool. Once cooled, place them on a clean baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes, then place them in an airtight container or in a single layer in a resealable bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you need to use them, simply plop the frozen meatballs in a stockpot of sauce and heat over the stove. For leftovers, you can refrigerate them for 3-5 days in an airtight container and reheat them in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
For a simple, hearty dinner, serve Baked Meatballs with spaghetti and red sauce. If you want to mix things up a bit, try serving them with other hot pasta dishes. For instance, they are delicious on top of our Broccoli Alfredo Pasta. Or with our Easy Goat Cheese Pasta. If you’d rather serve them “dry” without pasta and sauce, set them out with toothpicks and your favorite dipping sauce. Honey mustard, marinara, or pesto dip are three easy ideas.
Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, milk, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
- Serve the baked meatballs hot with your favorite sauce or as desired.
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