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    Home » Dinner

    Basic Meatball Recipe

    Published: Apr 12, 2019 by heather · This post may contain affiliate links

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    This basic meatball recipe can be used for countless recipes. Made with ground beef, Panko bread crumbs, a little onion and baked in the oven. Check out the tips for how to have these turn out great every time! 

    This post has been updated on April 12, 2019. 

    Stacked Meatballs on a white plate

    Meatballs can take on so many different flavors. They don’t cost much to make, you can freeze them for later and they are the perfect bite-size. One of my favorite go-to weeknight meals are these meatballs and buttered noodles. So simple but always delicious!

     

    Ground beef, parsley, onion, panko, egg in a glass bowl

    HOW TO MAKE BAKED MEATBALLS

    1. Start by preheating oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with foil. You can place the meatballs directly on the foil or put them on a small rack.
    2. Mix Panko bread crumbs and milk. Let sit for a couple of minutes.
    3. Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the soaked crumbs into the bowl. 
    4. Combine ingredients and then roll into golf ball sized meatballs. 
    5. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. 

    Rolled meatballs on a wire rack ready to be baked

    TIPS FOR MAKING MEATBALLS

    • Soak the Panko bread crumbs in milk before you add them to the mixture. This step helps to keep the meatballs moist and tender. 
    • Try using a small ice cream scoop to form same size meatballs. This helps to ensure that they all cook evenly. 
    • Don’t overdo the mixing. Too much mixing can mean tougher meatballs.

    Baked meatballs on a wire rack

    FAQS

    HOW TO FREEZE MEATBALLS

    • After Baking: Allow the meatballs to completely cool. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they are not touching. Place the baking sheet with meatballs in the freezer and freeze until solid. Place the meatballs into a freezer safe bag.
    • They will stay good in the freezer for 2-3 months.

    Allow them to thaw before baking them. You can also place them in a slow cooker with your favorite sauce. 

    WHY ARE MY MEATBALLS TOUGH?

    Don’t skip the milk! It helps add moisture to the meatballs. Also be sure not to over mix. 

    WHAT CAN YOU USE INSTEAD OF BREADCRUMBS

    If you would prefer not to use breadcrumbs or Panko you can substitute with oats, crushed crackers or crushed corn flakes. 

    Stacked meatballs on a plate

    There are so many ways to use this easy meatball recipe. Put them on a sub sandwich, over pasta, in the crockpot with BBQ sauce, I can keep going. Enjoy!

    MEATBALL RECIPES:

    • Turkey Quinoa Spinach Meatballs
    • Parmesan Pesto Chicken Meatballs
    • Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs
    • Meatloaf Meatballs

    I am also loving these brownies for dessert from The Stay At Home Chef.

    Plate with a stack of meatballs.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    4.34 from 12 votes

    Basic Meatball Recipe

    Basic Meatball Recipe
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: ground beef, meatball
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 334kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
    • 1/4 cup grated onion
    • 1 egg
    • 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 1/8 cup fresh chopped parsley
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick spray.
    • Mix Panko bread crumbs with milk and let sit for 2 minutes. Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and then add the soaked crumbs.
    • Combine all of the ingredients and then form into golf ball size meatballs. Place directley on foil or on a rack. 
    • Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. 

    Notes

    • Soak the Panko bread crumbs in milk before you add them to the mixture. This step helps to keep the meatballs moist and tender. 
    • Try using a small ice cream scoop to form same size meatballs. This helps to ensure that they all cook evenly. 
    • Don't overdo the mixing. Too much mixing can mean tougher meatballs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 354mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @foodlovinfamily or tag #foodlovinfamily!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Teresa Moshier Ricigliano

      July 14, 2020 at 11:37 pm

      This looks like the recipe I’ve had for 25 years that my husband recently threw away! I’m going to try this. The secret to the best meatballs and meatloaf is to let the mixture sit overnight in the fridge. It makes a big difference!

      Reply
    2. Allyson Zea

      August 24, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      5 stars
      Wow thank you for all this info! These meatballs look like the perfect staple recipe! Pinning for future use!

      Reply
    3. Katerina @ diethood .com

      August 24, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      5 stars
      These meatballs sound fantastic!! YUM!!

      Reply
    4. Mallory Lanz

      August 24, 2018 at 2:24 am

      5 stars
      Meatballs are my sister’s favorite. She’ll love these.

      Reply
    5. Michael Wurm Jr

      August 24, 2018 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      These sound delicious! I’ll be sure to try them! Thanks for sharing!!

      xo Michael

      Reply
    6. Sabrina

      August 24, 2018 at 12:04 am

      Such a great idea to make a bunch and freeze them to have on hand for a super quick and easy dinner!

      Reply

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