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Truly the easiest and best Italian meatball recipe! Serve my homemade Italian meatballs for a quick weeknight dinner, or freeze them for later. Ready in 30 minutes and so tender, they practically melt in your mouth!
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Meatball Recipe
Is there anything more comforting than a steaming hot plate of an old-school Italian meatballs recipe, smothered in tomato sauce served over spaghetti noodles, and paired with a slice of garlic bread? I don't think so!
These flavor-packed Italian-style meatballs are so tender, they practically melt in your mouth. Seasoned to perfection and ready to be served in just 30 minutes, these meatballs are juicy and tender throughout with irresistible flavors that will have you craving more.
I guarantee these are the best homemade meatballs in the oven - give them a try for your next spaghetti night or meatball sub!
These meatballs are amazing. They remind me of the meatballs my grandmother used to make. Great easy to follow instructions too.
Merry on Pinterest
Beef Meatball Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Italian breadcrumbs
- Milk
- White bread
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make Italian Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, pepper, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix well until fully combined.
- Set meat mixture aside. Place 2 slices of bread onto a plate and pour milk over top. Let the bread soak up all the milk for about 5 minutes.
- After your bread has soaked up most of the milk, gently squeeze the bread until all the extra liquid is released.
- Add soaked bread into the meat mixture and give it a good mix.
- Tightly roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls using your hands. Place rolled meatballs onto a baking sheet, evenly spaced apart so none of them are touching.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Once meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and sprinkle them with sea salt to taste. Enjoy!
There are countless options of sides to eat with these meatballs baked in the oven, of course pairing them with spaghetti and meatball sauce is a classic!
Beef Meatball Recipes Tips
- Wet your hands: Working with damp hands will prevent the beef mixture from sticking to your fingers.
- Use a wire rack: Bake the meatballs on a wire rack on a large baking sheet to ensure all the fat drips down during baking.
Meatball Recipe Temps
Always cook your meatballs until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Check out my beef temperature chart for the perfect doneness.
Can you prepare Italian Meatballs ahead of time?
These Italian-style meatballs are perfect for make-ahead dinners and are easy to meal prep as they store well in the fridge or freezer. This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled to be made in advance!
In fact, I think they actually taste better when made ahead of time. The flavor intensifies as it sits in the sauce.
Storing and Reheating Italian Meatballs
- Storing meatballs: Let your meatballs completely cool. Then, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing meatballs: Simply cook as instructed, and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating frozen meatballs: Thaw meatballs overnight in the fridge and reheat in sauce or place them in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until fully heated through. Or place it in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes.
Italian Meatball Recipes FAQs
This Italian meatball recipe is made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork to make the perfect meatball beef mixture, as well as Italian breadcrumbs, milk, white bread, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.
The secret to making great meatballs is to use bread soaked in milk in the meat mixture to keep it moist and to bake the meatballs rather than fry them. Use a mixture of beef and pork for the perfect meat consistency, and plenty of seasonings for flavor.
Bake Italian meatballs for 15-20 minutes at 400℉.
Best Meatball Recipes
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- Meatball Seasoning
- Italian Meatball Soup
- Meatball Sliders
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Italian Meatball Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 2 slices white bread
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- Sea salt to taste
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ degrees. In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, pepper, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix well.2 pounds ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Set meat mixture aside. Place 2 slices of bread onto a plate and pour milk over top. Let the bread soak up all the milk, for about 5 minutes.2 slices white bread, 1 cup milk
- After your bread has soaked up most of the milk, gently squeeze the bread until all the extra liquid is released.
- Add soaked bread into the meat mixture and give it a good mix.
- Tightly roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls using your hands. Place rolled meatballs onto a baking sheet, evenly spaced apart so none of them are touching.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Once meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Enjoy!Sea salt
Video
Notes
- Wet your hands: Working with damp hands will prevent the beef mixture from sticking to your fingers.
- Use a wire rack: Bake the meatballs on a wire rack on a large baking sheet to ensure all the fat drips down during baking.
Nutrition
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Julie Boydston says
I fixed your italian meatballs today and they are wonderful. Wasn't sure about not added eggs but rolling the meatballs tight really worked. This is a keeper recipe for sure. Thank you for sharing.
Isabel Laessig says
This is wonderful to hear, Julie. Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.