How to Make Baked Meatballs (2024)

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This delicious Baked Meatball Recipe is an easy way to get dinner on the table without oil splattering all over your stove. They are great to make ahead and freeze, too, and the method works with almost any meatball recipe you can cook up.

Learn how to bake meatballs for weekly meal prep, spaghetti dinners, potluck buffets, and more. Cooked meatballs are delicious tossed with marinara sauce for your next Italian Feast, added to French rolls for meatball subs, and bathed in cream sauce for Swedish meatballs.

Make appetizer meatballs smothered in grape jelly sauce or add them to your next bowl of meatball soup. This versatile recipe is ready in a flash and works with almost any type of ground meat and no matter how you make them, they bake up juicy and full of flavor.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Ground meat:Choose any ground meat such as ground turkey, ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, ground Italian sausage, or a combination of 2 or more.Avoid super-lean options like fat-free turkey breast.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Coat a wire rack with nonstick spray and set on prepared baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, eggs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.

3. Using a strong spatula or your hands (I like to wear latex gloves), mix well.

4. Scoop with a cookie scoop and shape the mixture into 1-inch balls (you should have about 24 meatballs total).

5. Arrange meatballs on rack and brush with oil to help the outsides form a brown crust.

6. Bake until browned with crispy edges, about 15 to 20 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees for 15 seconds). Brush with or serve with your favorite sauce if desired.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield:This recipe makes about 24 meatballs, or 8 servings (3 meatballs each).
• Storage:Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead:The meatballs can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator.
• Freezer:Arrange the cooked, cooled meatballs in a single layer on a small baking sheet or plate, not touching. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and store up to 1 month.
• Reheat:To reheat frozen meatballs, place on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake in a 300-degree oven until the meatballs reach 165 degrees on an internal thermometer, about 15 to 20 minutes. Or, reheat in a covered saucepan with your favorite sauce for 10 to 15 minutes (to 165 degrees).
• Pan-fried meatballs: If you prefer to pan-fry your meatballs, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tbsps olive oil. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until brown on all sides and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Air-fryer meatballs: Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees. Working in batches, arrange meatballs in air fryer basket, brush with oil, and cook until browned with crispy edges, turning over meatballs after 5 minutes, about 8 minutes (aninternal thermometershould read 165 degrees for 15 seconds).
• Customize your meatballs: You have a lot of leeway to change these up as you see fit. Add other spices like Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, or red pepper flakes. No fresh parsley in the crisper drawer? Just leave it out.
• Chicken meatballs:If you can’t be bothered with breading chicken, Chicken Parmesan Meatballsare fast, easy, and wildly delicious on pasta or grilledgarlic bread. Pass the parmesan cheese, please!
• Crockpot meatballs:These insanely popularCrockpot Meatballsare sauced with grape jelly and Heinz chili sauce, a magical combination celebrated across the Midwest.
• Italian meatballs:These classicItalian Meatballsare swimming in tomato sauce and ready to beserved with spaghetti, on meatball subs, or as an appetizer. Don’t forget the mozzarella cheese.
• Korean meatballs:These spicyKorean Barbecue Meatballsare made with ground beef and are brushed with a sticky apricot-gochujang glaze.
• Turkey meatballs: Leaner than beef, these Turkey Meatballs are healthy, packed with flavor, and incredibly moist on the inside. A combination of fresh and dried herbs gives these meatballs an Italian flare while also providing a balance of flavors. They make an excellent addition to your next meal prep menu, especially when paired with roasted broccoli or other vegetables.
• Swedish meatballs:The bestSwedish Meatballsare made from scratch with an easy homemade gravy. They are so delicious withmashed potatoesand lingonberry orcranberry sauce.