The Best Baked Meatball Recipe - Happily Unprocessed (2024)

Everyone loves meatballs! And these meatballs are super easy to make because they are baked leaving you with perfectly cooked, tender moist meatballs – and no mess! Stick around and get your taste buds ready.

Easy Peasy Meatballs

Meatballs are little balls of love, but they can also be labor intensive. I have found that frying meatballs takes a lot of time and patience because they need to be babysat. Then there is the issue of the oil splattering all over the stove.

No thank you.

I have found a better way, and that is to bake them.

Ingredients for Easy Baked Italian Meatballs

• Beef – this recipe uses 2 lbs. of lean ground beef, however you can substitute ½ lb. ground pork. This gives the meatballs a little less density.
• Vegetables – I like to add very small, almost minced onion and garlic
• Binder – Bread crumbs, eggs and Parmesan cheese (you can also use Pecorino) help bind the meatballs so they don’t fall apart while cooking.
• Moisture – Beef broth adds such moisture and flavor to meatballs, give it a try.

How to Make Baked Meatballs

I have made these meatballs countless times both fried and baked. I am being honest here when I say that I have found virtually no difference between the two. So why go through the trouble of frying when you don’t have to?

• Soften the veggies – Some people put raw onions in their meatballs, I’m not one of them. I also chop them until they are almost minced. Little itty bitty is what we’re going for. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
• Meat mixture – in a large mixing bowl, combine everything except the broth. Use your hands to combine and slowly add a little warm broth at a time.
• Roll – I like my meatballs big, so I usually get 12-15. However, medium sized meatballs will make 24 (like pictured above)
• Bake – Bake the meatballs on a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, turning once.

Note: My larger sized meatballs are baked for about 30 minutes. Smaller sized will take less time. I continue the cooking process in my spaghetti sauce. If you are not continuing on to that step, please check them using an instant-read thermometer to ensure they are fully cooked.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or place in a freezer safe container and freezer for up to 3 months.

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