Oven Baked Meatballs

This oven baked meatball recipe makes flavorful and juicy baked beef meatballs that the whole family will love. Prepped and baked in under 30 minutes these meatballs are perfect for anything from appetizers to pasta sauce, soups, and more.

These tender baked Italian meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser. Made with just a couple of simple pantry staples and basic ingredients this recipe is as simple as it gets. Making oven-baked meatballs is the perfect way to always get the best results with a fraction of the effort.

No skillet, batch cooking, or oily messes. As a result, these meatballs are a little healthier considering how there are no added oils or grease soaking into these baked meatballs.

Homemade Meatballs in the Oven

This baked meatball recipe is a family favorite and it’s not hard to see why. Made from scratch in minutes flat this is a faster way of making your favorite family meals and comfort dishes. In no time at all, you have almost 2 dozen meatballs ready to serve up and share with the family.

This recipe is perfect for any weeknight meal or party appetizer and they always disappear pretty quickly so you won’t need to worry about leftovers.

Ingredients you’ll need for Oven Baked Meatballs:

• Bread crumbs
• Milk
• Lean ground beef
• Shredded parmesan cheese
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Oven-Baked Meatballs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set the pan aside.

Stir together the milk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl until the mixture is pasty.

In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the bread mixture, ground beef, parmesan cheese (if using), garlic powder, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, Salt, and Pepper.

Divide the mixture into small tablespoon-sized meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in your oven for 18-20 minutes or until they are fully cooked through.

Garnish the top with some fresh parsley, if desired.

Enjoy.

Recipe Tips

If desired you can use seasoned breadcrumbs for added flavor in every bite. 

The meatballs are finished cooking when the insides are no longer pink and the internal temperature of meatballs reaches 165 degrees F.

You can use 80/20 or 90/10 ground beef for this recipe. The difference is the fat content and the higher the fat percentage the smaller your meatballs will be when they finish cooking as they will shrink in the heat of the oven. 

For a simple way to reduce the fats, you can place a wire baking rack on top of your baking sheet and have the meatballs cook on the rack, which will pull all of the draining greases to the bottom of the pan so that the meatballs don’t sit in it as they continue to bake.

FAQs

Can I make these meatballs gluten free?

By using gluten free bread crumbs (either storebought or homemade) you can easily modify this recipe to be gluten-free. Perfect for those avoiding gluten due to allergies or dietary restrictions.

Can I mix the meatball mixture in a stand mixer?

If you don’t want to do the mixing by hand you can easily stick the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or bread hook attachment. Mix together over medium speed until everything is well incorporated.

How long are homemade meatballs good for?

These meatballs can be kept stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Simply thaw and use as desired.

For more delicious meatball recipes, check out these tasty suggestions:

• Easy Greek Turkey Meatballs
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Glazed Meatballs
• Easy Vietnamese Turkey Meatballs (with gluten free option!)
• Easy Italian Meatball Bake
• Turkey & Ricotta Meatballs
• Fillo Wrapped Chicken Parmesan Meatballs