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๐Ÿ Home ยป Recipes ยป Italian Recipes

Baked Italian Meatballs

Updated: Feb 10, 2025 ยท Published: Feb 10, 2025 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan ยท 6 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Time: 30 minutes mins

Try these homemade, oven-baked Italian meatballs for a quick and easy dinner tonight. They are juicy and tender, seasoned with Parmesan cheese and Italian spices. These simple baked meatballs are perfect for adding to your favorite marinara sauce, creating a meatball sub sandwich, or serving as a main dish.

๐Ÿ„Ingredients

Ground meatโ€” beef or combined with Italian sausage
Egg
Aromaticโ€”onion and garlic
Bread crumbsโ€”Panko, Italian preferred
Parmesan cheeseโ€”grated
Pantry ingredientsโ€”oregano, ketchup, salt, pepper

Pile of meatballs on a plate.
Jump To (scroll for more)
  • ๐Ÿ„Ingredients
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Bake Italian Meatballsโ€”Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
  • โฒ๏ธHow Long to Bake Meatballs
  • ๐Ÿค”Ingredient options and variations
  • ๐Ÿ˜ŠTips to make the right every time
  • ๐Ÿ“…Making ahead
  • ๐Ÿ“‹Italian recipes you will love
  • ๐Ÿฝ๏ธServing
  • โ„๏ธStoring leftovers and reheating
  • โ“FAQs
  • ๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
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quote mark
Featured Comment by Brian:
โญโญโญโญโญ
"Great recipe, straightforward, even simple, with little fuss and mess to clean up."

These are not the little, hard, tasteless meatballs you buy at the store. They are big, soft, and tasty meatballs nicely browned for extra flavor from baking at a higher temperature in the convection oven.

There are many meatball recipes, and many claim to be the best. The best meatballs are those that meet your expectations for great taste and are easy to make with ingredients you already have. These meatballs are so delicious that you don't need to cover them; they're fantastic as a main course.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Bake Italian Meatballsโ€”Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

Ground meat with seasoning for meatballsโ€”labeled.
Mix all ingredients except the meat to make a panade.

1. Mix the panade of all the ingredients except the meat.

Mixing ground meat into the panade.

2. Mix the meat until it's well incorporated, but donโ€™t overmix. Use of clean hands is acceptable.

Using an ice cream scoop to make meatballs.

3. On a nonstick baking sheet lightly sprayed with PAM, scoop equal-sized meatballs with a 1 ยฝ to 2-inch diameter. I use an ice cream scoop, but hand-forming is fine.

Baked meatballs on the tray.

4. Bake in a 425ยฐ regular or 400ยฐ convection oven until 165ยฐ minimum internal temperatureโ€”about 20 minutes.

For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.

โฒ๏ธHow Long to Bake Meatballs

Bake at 425ยฐ in a conventional oven or 400ยฐ in a convection oven for about 20 minutes to reach 165ยฐ internal temperature. This will vary by the size of the meatballs, the pan, and your oven.

While the safe temperature for ground meat other than poultry is 160ยฐ, the egg rised the final safe temp to 165ยฐ.

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๐Ÿค”Ingredient options and variations

Ground Meat: I generally use 80/20 ground beef, but adding half Italian sausage gives it a great taste. However, you can use any ground meat you want. For example, you can make veal, chicken, or turkey meatballs.

Bread Crumbs: I prefer Panko bread crumbs but regular or homemade breadcrumbs will work fine. Most commercial breadcrumbs come with various seasoning, use the one you likeโ€”I suggest Italian, cheese, or plain.

Ketchup: Adds a lot of flavor of for the beef, but if you substitute for a different meat, skip the ketchup and use other seasoning if you wish.

Herbs and Spices: I chose oregano here, but other spices, such as an Italian spice mix, basil, parsley, or red pepper flakes, could be added.

Other liquid: Add about ยผ cup of milk or water if the panade is thick or if you skip the ketchup.

๐Ÿ˜ŠTips to make the right every time

Do not overmix or compress them, as they will become tougher. Think of them as balls of meatloaf.

Use a baking mat or parchment paper if you don't have a non-stick tray.

If you want to simmer them in the sauce instead of just adding them and heating them, you should cook them more, add another egg, make them a little smaller, and roll them tight with wet hands.

๐Ÿ“…Making ahead

After you form the balls, you refrigerate them for 24 hours, covered well before cooking.

You can also freeze uncooked meatballs. Place them on a tray in the freezer for a few hours, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. You can thaw and cook them or cook them frozen as long as you reach a final internal temperature of 165ยฐ.

๐Ÿ“‹Italian recipes you will love

Try some of these other Italian recipes: Italian Sausage Marinara Sauce, 30-Minute Chicken Marinara Sauce, Pasta E Fagioli Soup, and Boursin Cheese Sauce with Chicken and Pasta.

Or fire up the crock pot for Crock Pot Baked Ziti, and Crock Pot Chicken Baked Ziti.

๐Ÿฝ๏ธServing

The most common serving method is in your favorite marinara sauce with pasta. I like meatball submarine sandwiches with marinara and mozzarella. Or make a BBQ version.

This meatballs are also flavorful enough to serve as a entree.

โ„๏ธStoring leftovers and reheating

Store leftovers sealed and airtight in the refrigerator for 4 days or frozen for 2 months. Reheat in an air fryer or oven at 350ยฐ for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size. A microwave may also be used.

โ“FAQs

Can I make meatballs gluten-free or dairy-free?

It is easy to submitter gluten free bread crumbs and be sure to use gluten free ketchup.

To make dairy free meatballs, substitute a goat version of Ramono cheese and use a substitute milk if you need any.

Is it better to cook the meatballs before adding to sauce?

Yes. They will tend to fall apart in the sauce. Before adding them, they should be well-browned on the stovetop or fully cooked to a safe temperature, like in this recipe.

What is a panade

A panade is a liquid and starch mixture that is used to keep meat tender and moist while cooking. A common example is that bread and milk are used in meatloaf to extend the usefulness of relatively inexpensive meat.

It can also help maintain moisture in low-fat meat dishes. Sometimes, it contains eggs and spices, like these meatballs, to add moisture, flavor, and hold the ground meat together.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions

Pile of meatballs on a plate.

Baked Italian Meatballs

4.48 from 17 votes
From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Try these homemade, oven-baked Italian meatballs for a quick and easy dinner tonight. They are juicy and tender, seasoned with Parmesan cheese and Italian spices. These simple baked meatballs are perfect for adding to your favorite marinara sauce, creating a meatball sub sandwich, or serving as a main dish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings #/Adjustable :8 servings
Print | Pin | Email share | Like and save for later Saved!

Ingredients

US Customary - Convert to Metric
  • 1 lb ground beef - or other ground meats
  • 1 large egg
  • ยฝ onion - medium chopped fine
  • 1 clove garlic - minced or crushed
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • ยผ teaspoon pepper
  • ยฝ teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • ยผ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ยผ cup Parmesan cheese - grated

Step-by-Step Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425ยฐ regular or 400ยฐ convection.
    Ground meat with seasoning for meatballsโ€”labeled.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, add one egg and whip it to combine the yolk and white. Add ยฝ medium onion chopped small, 1 clove crushed garlic, ยฝ teaspoon salt, ยผ teaspoon pepper, ยฝ teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon ketchup, ยผ cup each of panko bread crumbs, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
    Mix all ingredients except the meat to make a panade.
  • Add 1 pound of ground beef, but break it apart while adding it. Mix until all is incorporated well but no more. Hand mixing is acceptable. Do not over mix.
    Mixing ground meat into the panade.
  • On a nonstick baking sheet sprayed with PAM cooking spray or a regular sheet pan lined with parchment paper, scoop equal-sized meatballs with a diameter of 1 ยฝ to 2 inches. Again, the use of hands is acceptable.
    Using an ice cream scoop to make meatballs.
  • Bake until 165ยฐ minimum internal temperatureโ€”about 20 minutes.
    Baked meatballs on the tray.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

  1. You can use almost any type of ground meat, but it needs to have some fat. I suggest all beef or a 50/50 mix of ground beef and Italian sausage.
  2. Mix just to the point where the ingredientsย are combined. Do not over-mix or over-compress.
  3. I suggest ketchup if you are making beef, but skip it if you are making other meats.
  4. Season to your taste.
  5. You want consistent sizes so they cook evenly.
  6. Done is an internal temperature of 165ยฐ for safety due to the egg.
  7. An extra egg is a good idea if you add it to a sauce to simmer.
  8. Good refrigerated for 4 days and will freeze well for 2 months.
  9. Make-ahead instructions are in the post.

Your Own Private Notes

Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.

To adjust the recipe size:

You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.

Nutrition Estimate (may vary)

Calories : 135 kcal (7%)Carbohydrates : 3 g (1%)Protein : 14 g (28%)Fat : 7 g (11%)Saturated Fat : 3 g (15%)Cholesterol : 65 mg (22%)Sodium : 274 mg (11%)Potassium : 208 mg (6%)Fiber : 1 g (4%)Sugar : 1 g (1%)Vitamin A : 72 IU (1%)Vitamin C : 1 mg (1%)Calcium : 55 mg (6%)Iron : 2 mg (11%)
Course: Main dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Baked Italian Meatballs, Baked Meatbals, Beef, Healthy homemade dog treats, Oven Baked Meatballs

Originally Published November 24, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

Molly and Lilly Dogs playing in snow

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  1. Brian Mooney says

    July 19, 2022 at 7:58 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, straightforward, even simple, with little fuss mess to cleanup.

    Made minewith equal parts of 85/15 ground beef, and ground mild Italian sausage. A few tablespoons of minced fresh parsley brightened both the flavor and appearance. Plus some dried marjoram in place of oregano was added for more a more subtle flavor, with a dash of Tabasco or similar hot sauce.

    Reply
  2. Don D. says

    September 08, 2020 at 10:12 pm

    4 stars
    Perfect / Easy meatball recipe to go with my recent homemade tomato sauce. I was able to make 9 - 2.5oz. meatballs and have a few left over for a sandwich tomorrow. So happy to have come across your recipe!

    Reply
  3. Lauren F says

    December 11, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    This is such a great, simple recipe! I used parchment paper for easier cleanup and I love to spoon some Rao's Marinara over it. So glad I found your website, love all of your recipes for two!

    Reply
  4. Dan Mikesell says

    May 10, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    I admit to a little heavy on the onion. I do like my onion but for this recipe it needs to be fine or it's scale is off. I'm not a mustard person but the Worcestershire sounds great.

    Reply
  5. Heidi Menocal says

    May 10, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    I made these tonight. Very easy and delicious. I did add ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce, as I add those to mu meatloaf. I think next time I will add less onion or really dice it small.

    Reply
  6. Chris says

    November 28, 2012 at 3:25 pm

    Sounds like they would be good in a meatball sub.

    Reply

DrDan imageHi, I'm DrDan.
Welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy step-by-step photo instructions.
About DrDan

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