Easy Homemade Meatballs

This easy homemade meatballs recipe is so simple, you’ll never eat store-bought frozen again!

This meatball recipe lends itself to any kind of sauce you like, from traditional Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, to a Swedish Meatballs with gravy to Spicy Barbecue Grape Jelly Meatballs.

Easy Homemade Meatball Recipe

Until recently, I had always thought that it was much easier to just grab a bag of frozen meatballs from the grocery store rather than try to make them myself. Then my son and I made this amazing Turkey Meatball Soup, and I remembered how easy AND fun it is to make homemade! They are a great starter recipe for young chefs, too. My kids loved learning how to make them; mixing, scooping and rolling them out is the best part!

Why Make Meatballs from Scratch?

• They are delicious and taste super fresh, unlike frozen from a bag.
• Meatballs are fun to make and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.
• They freeze beautifully so you can always have some homemade meatballs on hand!

HOMEMADE OVEN BAKED MEATBALL RECIPE

I always make at least one extra batch of homemeade meatballs, since it’s incredibly easy to double or even triple this recipe. They freeze really well and it’s super easy to defrost them in sauce on the stove or quickly in the microwave, depending on what you’re making.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OVEN BAKED MEATBALLS

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and set aside.
2. Place all ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix together with your hands, careful not to over-mix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine.
3. Divide meat mixture into desired size. As long as they are uniform, they can be as large or small as you like. PRO TIP: To ensure that they cook evenly, I use a medium cookie scoop to divide the meat into uniform sized 2-inch balls, roll them, then place them fairly close together on a foil lined cookie sheet. They can be even closer together than this, as long as they’re not touching.
4. Bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size. Be sure to check for doneness. Use an instant read thermometer to check that they are at least 165 degrees F. Serve hot with your favorite sauce.

CAN I FREEZE BAKED MEATBALLS?

Absolutely! This meatball recipe will freeze beautifully if you follow these steps.

To freeze baked meatballs:

• Cool just enough so they are easy to handle.
• Scrape any fat from the meat (this happens when the meat cooks and releases the juices that congeal as they cool).
• Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag.
• Freeze cooked balls for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, just place frozen or thawed in your favorite sauce and cook until heated through. If desired, thaw in the refrigerator first.

To freeze raw meatballs: Mix your ingredients together then place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. To cook, place frozen balls on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

Can I make this meatball recipe with ground turkey instead?

You can! Just replace the ground beef with the same amount of lean ground turkey and bake as directed. You could also use my Homemade Turkey Meatballs Recipe which is similar to this one.

Serving Suggestions

This meatball recipe makes great meatballs to use in a variety of ways. Serve them drenched in marinara over pasta, in a sub roll topped with melty cheese, or even in soup! Sometimes we just like to enjoy plain meatballs with a salad and some garlic bread to just keep it simple.

If you loved this easy oven baked Meatball Recipe, you’ll love these other recipes:

• Italian Sausage Meatballs
• Meatball Marinara Poppers Appetizer
• Ground Beef & Noodle Stir Fry
• Chopped Steaks with Mushroom Gravy
• Classic Meatloaf Recipe
• Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Easy Homemade Meatballs

Easy homemade meatball recipe is so simple - no more store-bought! How to make homemade meatballs for sauces and sandwiches in just a few easy steps.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: meatball recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 48 meatballs

Calories: 58kcal

Author: Kristin

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef I use 85/15
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets (baking pans will work if you don't have rimmed cookie sheets) with foil and set aside.
• Place all ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix together with your hands, careful not to over-mix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine.
• Using a cookie scoop or your hands, divide meat mixture into desired size balls. As long as they are uniform, they can be as large or small as you like.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size. Be sure to check for doneness. Serve hot with your favorite sauce.
• TO FREEZE: Allow meatballs to cool completely on the baking sheets. Once cool, scrape the fat away from each ball and seal tightly in a freezer safe bag or air tight container and place in the freezer.

Notes

*Nutrition count is per meatball when you get 48 meatballs from the recipe using the medium cookie scoop as described in the post.

Nutrition

Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 65mg | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.5mg