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This Easy Meatball Recipe is so flavorful and delicious while being super easy to make. Serve as an appetizer or as a main dish.
Meatballs are a staple for all our game day and holiday gatherings. They are always a crowd favorite and easy to make. Meatballs are hearty, delicious and can be made in a variety of ways.
If you love making Appetizer Recipes as much as I do, then you are going to love this recipe. Check out these other meatball recipes – Crockpot BBQ Meatballs, Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs, and Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why Make these Meatballs:
If you always thought homemade meatballs were too much trouble, make this easy Italian meatball recipe to see how simple it is. The flavor can’t be beat and you can use the meatballs in lots of recipes.
All you need is a few simple ingredients for a moist and delicious meatballs. Serve with marinara sauce or on pasta for a amazing meal idea.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef
- Breadcrumbs
- Parmesan Cheese
- Minced Garlic
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the ingredients and full recipe in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas:
- Change the Meat – You can easily make these meatballs with other types of meat. Feel free to make ground chicken, ground turkey meatballs, Italian sausage or with ground pork. You can also combine meats for a change in flavor.
- Seasoning – Feel free to change the seasoning to fresh herbs or anything you prefer. You can substitute minced garlic with garlic powder or garlic cloves. Add in onion powder to the mixture for delicious flavor.
- Breadcrumbs – There are different flavors of breadcrumbs that can be used.
Step by Step Instructions:
- Step 1 – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl add beef and bread crumbs to the bowl.
- Step 2 – Then add parmesan cheese, minced garlic, Italian Seasoning, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Step 3 – Mix with your hands until combined.
- Step 4 – Form meat mixture into 1 or 2 inch meatballs. You should get about 24 meatballs.
- Step 5 – Add the meatballs to a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to flip the meatballs halfway through.
- Step 6 – Serve and enjoy over spaghetti or as an appetizer.
Recipe Tips:
- Scooping Meatballs – To easily form the meatballs into balls, use cookie scoop. This helps to keep the cooked meatballs to be about the same size. It also helps to allow the meatballs to cook evenly.
- Line Baking Sheet – For best results, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This makes it for an easy cleanup.
- Instant-Read Thermometer – To ensure your meatballs are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. Cooking times will vary as you want to cook meatballs until no longer pink.
- Cooking Meatballs – While cooking the meatballs, we recommend flipping the meatballs half way through the cooking time.
- Mixing the Ingredients – When combining the ingredients do not overmix as it could cause the meatballs hard.
- Large Eggs – If you problems with the meatballs binding, you may need to add in one large egg.
What to Serve with Meatballs:
Meatballs can be served with many different things. These are some of our favorite side dishes to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
These are great store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
I often double or even triple this recipe so I can keep meatballs in the freezer. It really makes it convenient to take out for a quick dinner or to add to a recipe. Store in freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Yes, if you want to prepare ahead of time to save time, this is a great recipe for that. Once you have cooked the meatballs and they have cooled, store in an airtight container.
These meatballs can also be made in the air fryer. This is a great way to cook your favorite appetizer in the air fryer in half the time.
More Meatball Recipes to Try:
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
- Crockpot Meatball Stew Recipe
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- Instant Pot Meatball Sandwich Recipe
We love hearing from you. If you try this Easy Homemade Meatballs, make sure to leave us a comment.
Easy Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, Italian Seasoning, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until combined.
- Form into 1 or 2 inch meatballs, into 24 meatballs.
- Place on a cookie sheet – Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Nutrition Facts
I usually do not cook them first. I flash freeze them meaning I put them on a cooking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour and then place them in a freezer bag this way they don’t stick together in the bag. Thank you!
If you freeze these, do you cook first and then freeze or do you freeze them while they are raw?