Description
These Easy Italian Baked Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and incredibly simple to prepare. Made with pantry staples and baked to perfection, they’re perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or your favorite pasta dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef: A lean-to-fat ratio of 80/20 works best for flavor and moisture.
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs: Use regular or panko breadcrumbs to help bind and retain moisture.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: Adds rich umami flavor.
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg: Helps bind the ingredients together.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional Add-Ons:
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs (such as oregano or basil)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for a little heat
- 1/4 cup minced onion for added flavor and moisture
Instructions
- Preheat oven: to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Mix ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, salt, pepper, and any optional ingredients. Mix until just combined—don’t overmix!
- Shape meatballs: Using clean hands or a scoop, form into 1 to 1.5-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through (internal temp should reach 160°F).
- Serve: Enjoy with pasta, on sub rolls, or dipped in marinara sauce!
Notes
- For softer meatballs, soak the breadcrumbs in a little milk before adding them to the mixture.
- Double the batch and freeze extra meatballs for quick meals later on.
- You can use a mix of ground beef and pork for even richer flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: italian baked meatballs, easy meatballs recipe, baked beef meatballs, gluten free meatballs