Today I’m sharing my Italian recipe for how to make baked meatballs in the oven. There’s no frying involved, it’s mess-free and actually takes less time to make than traditional pan frying.
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These delicious meatballs are made from scratch. I’m not sure how exactly I got started baking meatballs instead of frying – but it’s one of my favorite methods. This is a flexible recipe that is so easy to make any time of the year!
Recipe Summary
This meatball recipe only uses beef. I use 85/15 grass fed beef personally. If you want to use a leaner meat, either use my recipe here, or check out my tips below.
To make this recipe, it’s just a matter of mixing the right ingredients all together and baking our nicely formed balls in the oven at 350F (175C).
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you’ll need.
- Ground beef. I’m using 85/15. See my notes below if you’re using leaner ground beef.
- Egg
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic clove – minced or finely diced.
- Breadcrumbs. If using homemade make sure they are dry.
- Romano cheese. You can use Parmesan cheese or even a mix of the two.
- Cracked black pepepr
- Himalayan salt (or other similar salt)
- Fresh parsley (you can also use dried)
- Fresh basil (you can also use dried)
Step by Step Instructions
For exact measurements check out the recipe card below. These steps will explain what’s involved in making my baked meatballs recipe.
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
Step 2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
Step 3. Using your hands or a medium cookie scoop, shape the meatballs into 2″ balls and place on a non-greased baking dish.
Pro Tip: You can also brush some olive oil on the outside of the meatballs for additional flavor, but this is not necessary.
Step 4. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until internal temperature is 160F.
Step 5. Remove from oven and transfer the meatballs to some paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
Step 6. Add to some sauce, or serve as-is an warm!
Recipe Video
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Recipe Tips & Modifications
There are so many ways to make these meatballs. The ingredients I use are very flexible and traditional. It’s a basic recipe and I don’t think I can count the number of different ways I’ve made them.
- Bake the meatballs halfway in the oven, about 15 minutes. Then transfer the meatballs into a nice hot pot of sauce. Let the meatballs simmer for a few hours to allow them to fully cook through. They’ll add wonderful flavor to the sauce.
- If you’re still a stickler for frying, you can always fry the outside of the meatballs in some oil until browned. Then transfer to the oven to finish baking.
- Use the meatballs to make a meatballs sandwich or add to a dish of pasta!
No matter which method you choose, make sure the meatballs have an internal temperature of 160F.
85/15 vs Lean Meat
If you’re using lean ground beef, such as 93/7, and especially if it’s grass-fed on top of that – you’ll want to make a few modifications.
I would recommend soaking a slice of bread in milk (or water) and squeezing out the excess liquid.
Then add that to the meatball instead of the dried breadcrumbs. This will help add moisture to the meatball that it needs.
Complimentary Recipes
For a full list of Italian side dishes click here. Otherwise, check out these below!
A simple lasagna is a great choice with meatballs. Why? Because this lasagna is meatless, meaning cook up those meatballs and serve them on the side for the meat lovers in the family!
This is a recipe for eggplant parmesan. It’s the one I grew up with (with a few tweaks). But like the lasagna above, it’s meatless, so why not add some meatballs with sauce on the side?
One of the most economical ways to make sauce is to use tomato paste. I explain it all in my post here, but you can get even more flavor by finishing off the meatball cooking process in the sauce!
Storage Tips
Meatballs can be stored in the fridge up to 3 days. If you want to freeze them, you can place them in an airtight container and use parchment to prevent them from sticking. They’ll last at least 3-4 months. Make sure they are cooled before placing them in the freezer.
You can also freeze them raw. Let them thaw in the fridge and then cook them in the oven, just add 5 minutes to the cooking time. Ensure the internal temp is correct when serving.
Reheat meatballs by adding to pasta sauce, microwaving them, or warming them up in the oven.
Recipe Card
Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic finely diced or minced
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Romano cheese
- 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil or 2 tsp dried
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
- In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
- Using your hands or a medium cookie scoop, shape the meatballs into about 2" balls and place on a non-greased baking dish. You can also brush olive oil on the outside of the meatballs too.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until an internal temperature of 160F is reached.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the meatballs to some paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have breadcrumbs, grab some slices of fresh bread, put them through the blender and then toast them in a pan until dried and cooled.
- Storage is easy – let the meatballs cool completely, then store in freezer bags or airtight containers. You can also freeze them raw, just separate them with parchment paper so they don’t stick.
- Reheat in sauce, in the oven on reheat, or in the microwave.
- You can also partially bake these in the oven for 15 minutes, then finish cooking them in a large pot of homemade sauce, if you’re making a batch. This will require a few hours of cooking in the sauce, but will really enhance your sauce!
- Herb quantities are flexible. You can add more or less to your tastes.
Nutrition
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe! If you’ve tried it and made any changes to make it your own (or kept it all the same), let me know in the comments below!
Liz
Liz,
We enjoyed your recipe for Italian meatballs. I especially liked the fact that you baked them in the oven rather than frying them ( less mess and I believe healthier).
I have a question: in the nutrition value you state that there are 131 calories. Is that per one meatball?
Thank you,
Margaret.
Hi Margaret, I am so glad you liked the meatballs! I agree, baking is so much easier and I don’t miss the mess! For the calories, these are estimates that I do not control the calculation, but the 131 calories would be for 2-3 meatballs depending on how big they are. I updated the recipe card to be clearer on the serving size – thanks for pointing that out! Here is another link for meatball calorie estimates: https://foods.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/food/meatballs.
I hope that helped and thanks again for trying our recipes. I hope you enjoy them all!
Liz