Savory and delicious, these easy-to-make Pork Meatballs will become a family favorite!
I love to make meatballs! There’s just something so satisfying about the gentle mixing of the ingredients, the forming of the little spheres, the careful placing of them on the parchment, (the smell while they bake!), and then, of course, the eating! These Pork Meatballs, with their Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese, are so flavorful, and they complement so many of my family’s favorite sides that I make them very often. Once you’ve tried them, I think you will make them all the time, too.
Pork, often called ‘the other white meat,’ is actually classified as a red meat (who knew?), but in some ways, it’s healthier than beef; while they are both high in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, beef has more calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol than pork, so these Pork Meatballs can be a somewhat healthier option. But the real reason for using ground pork instead of ground beef is the taste. Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional ground beef meatballs. But I also love these Pork Meatballs because although pork has a distinctively savory flavor, it is somewhat milder than beef, maybe even a bit sweeter. Lots of people add ground pork to their ground beef meatball mixture to lighten the intensely meaty flavor of ground beef.
These Pork Meatballs are baked instead of fried, but they will still form that wonderfully crisp exterior while maintaining tenderness and juiciness inside. They are so tasty and so easy to make: everything is mixed in one bowl, and they only take about 20 minutes to bake. This means that if you have all the ingredients on hand, you can whip them up for dinner on the spur of the moment. And you should because just about everyone loves meatballs!
In our house, a favorite meal is also a pretty healthy one: Pork Meatballs, Baked Rice, and some Sauteed Broccoli. But when I’m feeling a little more indulgent, I love to serve Pork Meatballs with Broccoli Alfredo Pasta (at least I’ve still got the broccoli in there!).
How to Make Perfect Meatballs
Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that require the most care…at least, that’s the case when making meatballs. Most meatball recipes, like this one for Pork Meatballs, are pretty straightforward, but the perfect meatball is all about technique.
First things first: season the mixture. In this recipe, we have Parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to bring additional flavor to the pork. Next, be patient with your panade…what’s a panade, you ask? It’s a fancy French word for soaking your breadcrumbs in the milk. Actually, a panade can be any starch and liquid combined and added to a ground meat mixture to keep the meat proteins from stiffening, so don’t rush your panade because it’s those completely soaked breadcrumbs that give these meatballs the moisture they need. Make sure you don’t overwork your meatball mixture; use your hands to combine all of the ingredients until everything is just incorporated (over-mixing can lead to tough meatballs). Wet your palms before you begin shaping your meatballs—that will make the mixture easier to work with—and strive to make all of the meatballs the same size (I use a small ice-cream scoop to ensure consistency). Finally, if you chill your formed meatballs in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before putting them in the oven, they will hold their shape better.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Cooked and cooled Pork Meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw frozen meatballs in the fridge overnight before reheating).
Can Pork Meatballs be made with other kinds of ground meat?
They certainly can! This exact recipe can be followed with whatever kind of ground meat you like—beef, turkey, chicken—or you can use a combination of ground meats, such as beef and veal.
Is it possible to make a dairy-free version of Pork Meatballs?
Yes, and it’s very easy to do so. You can use any kind of plant-based milk in place of the dairy milk (oat, soy, almond—they all work) and substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Pork Meatballs are perfect with the traditional things you’d pair with beef meatballs, like Tomato Sauce, Garlic Rolls, and a crispy, green Kale Caesar Salad, but they are also so good with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts (the best comfort dinner!). And speaking of comfort foods, you won’t believe how good Pork Meatballs are on top of a steaming bowl of creamy Macaroni and Cheese.
Pork Meatballs are also delicious tossed in Pesto (and because we can never get enough pesto around here, I serve them over Pesto Pasta Salad). These meatballs are really versatile, too, in terms of flavors. You can easily turn them into a version of an Asian meatballs by substituting the Italian seasoning with a combination of ground ginger and ground coriander, and then adding some minced Thai basil and a splash of soy sauce to the mixture. Add some crushed red pepper flakes, too, if you want some heat. Then serve this Asian version on top of a Thai Red Curry Rice Bowl or beside some Shrimp Fried Rice.
Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes.
- Add ground pork, egg, Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle meatballs with olive oil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
- Serve hot with your choice of sides or pasta and sauce.
So easy and everyone loves them. I usually double the recipe and we still don’t have many leftovers. After the meatballs are cooked, I put them into a warm mixture of half bbq sauce and half grape jelly. We usually eat them with vegetables, but they would also be great(especially with the bbq/jelly sauce) in a crockpot for tailgating or a pot luck finger food gathering.
Hey Monica, I agree jelly meatballs is a classic for a reason! We love it too. Thanks for your comment.
You should try my version of jelly meabtalls by the way: https://livsbalansehelse1.org/grape-jelly-meatballs%3C/a%3E. Hope you like it!