Baked Meatballs are flavorful, simple to make, and great for busy weeknights. Perfect tender and juicy texture in every bite.
These meatballs make a great Dinner Recipe served with spaghetti and marinara sauce. You can also try Slow Cooker Meatballs and Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs for more easy ways to make this recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Baked Meatballs?
- Easy to prepare and baked in 20-22 minutes, making them perfect for weeknight dinners, pasta dishes, or party appetizers.
- The meatballs are made moist and tender with milk soaked bread, giving them a soft texture without being dense or dry.
Sabrina’s Baked Meatball Recipe
This Baked Meatball recipe is easy to incorporate into a variety of amazing meals. Plus, this method uses less oil for a healthier option. Serving it with pasta and tomato sauce is an obvious and delicious choice. Or get creative serving this recipe with Mashed Potatoes, Stick of Butter Rice, and Sautéed Asparagus. Feel free to add your favorite sauces and condiments when serving. I’ve also included seasonings and other easy additions that you can use to change up the recipe in the Variations section.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 slices bread
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
- 1/2 yellow onion , minced
- 2 pounds ground beef , (80/20)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer add the milk to the slices of bread.
- Melt the butter in a pan and add the minced yellow onions.
- Cook them on medium low until translucent but not browned.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- In your bowl with the milk soaked bread add the rest of the meatball ingredients including the cooked onions.
- Mix it on low until the bread is broken apart and the meat is combined with the ingredients (using the stand mixer and not your hands helps keep the mixture cold and tender).
- Using a meatballer/ice cream scoop or your hands scoop them into balls about the size of a ping pong ball.
- Cook, uncovered, for 20-22 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
Be careful when mixing the ingredients and only blend them until just combined. If you over mix the recipe, they’ll turn out tough. The milk also helps you achieve a more tender texture.
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes. I like to make a batch of meatballs in advance, and will keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer until I’m ready to serve. Doubling up the recipe and cooking in batches also adds convenience. That way one batch can get served fresh, and the other gets stored in the freezer for later.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave this recipe at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: Let leftovers cool, then seal in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months. For easy storage, first, place in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Lay them flat in the freezer for 1-2 hours until hardened. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or plastic container to keep them fresh in the freezer. To reheat, place them on a baking dish and put them in a 300-degree oven until warmed through.
Variations
- Meat: Swap out ground beef for ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken. Keep in mind that ground pork, chicken, or turkey all have different cooking temperatures, so you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. A turkey meatball or chicken meatball recipe is a great option if you’re avoiding red meat. Or, swap out the 80/20 meat for lean ground beef.
- Cheesy: Mix shredded cheese into the meat mixture. I like parmesan cheese best, but you can also give provolone, mozzarella, or pepper jack a try for a cheesy twist.
- Vegetable mix-ins: Add diced veggies to the recipe, like bell peppers, mushrooms, jalapeños, green onions, or roasted peppers.
- Seasonings: Extra seasonings like parsley flakes, paprika, mustard, or an Italian seasoning mix will add a new depth of flavor to this recipe. If you want them spicy, add a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- BBQ: To make BBQ meatballs, add ketchup and brown sugar, or your favorite BBQ sauce to the meat mixture for a sweet and tangy flavor.
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