These tender, flavorful baked meatballs have been a family and reader favorite for many years. Hundreds of readers have called them the best meatballs ever! Serve them with spaghetti and your favorite sauce, as an appetizer, in a meatball sandwich-or all by themselves. A perfect meal prep recipe that freezes well, too!Save

These tender, flavorful baked meatballs have been a family and reader favorite for many years. Hundreds of readers have called them the best meatballs ever! Serve them with spaghetti and your favorite sauce, as an appetizer, in a meatball sandwich-or all by themselves. A perfect meal prep recipe that freezes well too!

 

Perhaps you are like me in this way: I have recipes everywhere…a shelfful of cookbooks, a box with recipe cards, and various pages torn from magazines, newspapers…and so many slips of scrap paper with my own hand-written notes that I scratch out as I create in the kitchen.

Amidst all the recipes, I return often to the gems given to me by my friend, Jen. Like me, Jen  likes to experiment with new recipes and acquired many of her favorites from her grandmother.

This meatball recipe reduces mess–and fat–by baking the meatballs instead of pan-frying. Parmesan and panko add great flavor and texture. Make them ahead and simmer with Basic Marinara sauce (your favorite store bought works too) in a crock pot set on low. Or heat on the stove as you are boiling water for pasta.

A single recipe yields two dozen golfball-size meatballs. The recipe may easily be doubled and the meatballs freeze well, whether cooked or uncooked.

If freezing raw, I thaw the meatballs before baking for more even cooking, although they may be baked from frozen and will require five or so extra minutes. That said, I tend to bake the meatballs first and then cool and freeze. That way, they are ready for a speedy dinner, whether that is a meatball sandwich or two or a big pot of spaghetti.

I made the quadruple batch pictured below with a friend. Meal prep is inherently rewarding–and so much more fun when chatting the whole time!

Advance prep and a few more tips:

  • The meatballs may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. 
  • Refrigerating for at least an hour before cooking will also help the meatballs hold their shape better. That said, I regularly bake them without doing this. 
  • For a crispy exterior, you can broil the meatballs for a couple of minutes at the end of the cooking time. Just watch closely so as not to burn.
 

 

Jen's Incredible Baked Meatballs have been a reader and family favorite for years!Save

Click here for my favorite gluten-free option to panko.  And for a sauce option using vine-ripened plum tomatoes, I love this recipe for Balsamic Pesto Marinara Sauce.

slider-Blender-Tomato-SauceSave

Shortcut Blender Tomato Sauce (above) pairs beautifully with these meatballs and is perfect when vine-ripened tomatoes are in season.  When canned tomatoes are the best option, Basic Marinara (below) is a great option.

Basic-MarinaraSave

I’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.

These tender, flavorful baked meatballs have been a family and reader favorite for many years. Hundreds of readers have called them the best meatballs ever! Serve them with spaghetti and your favorite sauce, as an appetizer, in a meatball sandwich-or all by themselves. A perfect meal prep recipe that freezes well, too!Save

Jen’s Incredible Baked Meatballs

5 from 21 votes
Tip #1: Double the batch and freeze half to serve later as mini meatloaves. Or reheat with sauce, top with cheese and make into a mean meatball sandwich.
Tip #2: If you have a leftover piece of rind from the Parmesan, let it simmer in the crock pot with the marinara sauce or save for another soup recipe. This will add a great flavor boost to most any sauce or soup.
Yield 24 meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1 pound hamburger, grass-fed if desired
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup panko or breadcrumbs (see notes)
  • 1 small onion, minced or grated (1/2 a large onion)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients with hands.
  2. Form into golfball-size meatballs.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Notes

  • For a gluten-free option, crushed Rice Chex work beautifully.
  • When making a big batch, I recommend mixing all of the ingredients except the beef first. This will ensure everything is well incorporated but help prevent over-working the meat.
  • Advance prep: The meatballs may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
These tender, flavorful baked meatballs have been a family and reader favorite for many years. Hundreds of readers have called them the best meatballs ever! Serve them with spaghetti and your favorite sauce, as an appetizer, in a meatball sandwich-or all by themselves. A perfect meal prep recipe that freezes well, too!Save
Jen’s Incredible Baked Meatballs. One of our most popular recipes!
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529 responses to “Jen’s Incredible Baked Meatballs”

  1. Mary Lou Keller Avatar
    Mary Lou Keller

    I made for our dinner tonight Ann, it’s a big hit! I used a jar of my favorite marinara and served with spaghetti.

    My husband even commented on how it would make great meatball subs.. so that’s dinner tomorrow night!

    1. Hi Mary Lou,
      I’m so glad these went over well, and your husband is on to something with the subs. We love them!

  2. I Love Meatballs!! Your Recipe is almost like mine. The difference is I do add dried Cilantro, Oregano and Parsley and they are so delicious! I also make a double (huge) batch and freeze. Great to have for many meals in a hurry! I pinned to save as I never measure when cooking and this helps so my kids have it written someplace safe. LOL..
    And I Love your Blog! Thanks So Much!!

    1. Oh and another Tip.. I omit the salt and add a packet Of Sazon Goya.. it’s a Spanish seasoning just adds a little more flavor with a latin spin on it. YUM!!!

      1. Thanks for your great comments and tip, Marta. I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes!

  3. Mary Lou Keller Avatar
    Mary Lou Keller

    Oooh yummy! I have some ground beef in my freezer, thinking I’ll use to make these. Thanks Ann!

    1. My pleasure, Mary Lou. Enjoy!!

  4. I was an Italian girl who could not make a meatball…until this recipe!

    1. That’s awesome feedback!!

  5. […] Jen’s Incredible Baked Meatballs from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen — I was an Italian girl who could not make a meatball until I met this recipe. […]

  6. Amy Rodgers Avatar
    Amy Rodgers

    Another thing I did that helped the balls stay round and not flatten is chilled them in the fridge for 10 minutes or so.

    I made one batch regular size meatballs. And another batch of big meatballs for sub sandwiches. I used a ice cream scoop and that makes the perfect size for subs IMHO. And the cooking time was the same.

    A convection oven makes the meatballs brown evenly and get a little crust on them.

    Yummy

    I can’t wait to make more

    1. Love these in a meatball sandwich. Thanks for mentioning!

  7. Amy Rodgers Avatar
    Amy Rodgers

    I’ve failed at making meatballs twice. This is a homerun.

    This a great simple recipe. I used ground pork and ground beef. I didn’t have fresh basil so I added a teaspoon or so. Next time i shall use fresh basil.

    This has a great texture and taste. My whole family approves.

    1. Thanks for the great feedback, Amy. I am so glad these were a hit with your family!

  8. The recipe looks amazing. Is there any substitute for cheese though? I can’t have diary…

    1. Great question, Natalia. You could omit the Parmesan, although it does provide great flavor and some binding in this recipe. If I were to try to closely replicate the flavor I might–odd as it sounds–try ground cashews. Cashews are often used in vegan recipes to mimic the flavor of cheese. If you try, I’d love to hear what you think!

    2. Samantha Avatar
      Samantha

      You can also use apple sauce as a binder…

    3. Samantha Avatar
      Samantha

      Tried these with a mixture of Byson and Grass fed, also used apple sauce in place of cheese, they are amazing. Double batch, half with marinara and the other with grilled veggies topped with Parmesan….Thanks so much for sharing.

      1. Thanks for your great feedback, Samantha. I’m so glad you enjoyed!

    4. Beatrice Falco Avatar
      Beatrice Falco

      Hey Natalia i am dairy intolerant too remember dry cheese almost no lactose in it look it up. Or i use romano cheese no lactose. I always use fairlife milk lactose free too half the sugar and not thick like lactaid.

  9. These are delicious! I didn’t have basil and they are still awesome! My house smells of goodness!
    Thank you!!

    1. I love the smell of these, too! I’m thrilled you enjoyed, Amy, and appreciate the comment!

  10. Viki Yaeger Avatar
    Viki Yaeger

    This was such a crowd-pleaser! The 5, 8 and 11 year olds could not get enough. We had not had meatballs since my 8 year old was diagnosed with celiac disease, and they had been a beloved staple in our pre GF life… We used Ann’s GF version with Rice chex and they were such a success I cooked a double batch just to freeze! Thank you!

    1. You just made my day, Viki! I am so happy these were a hit and thrilled I was able to help bring back an old favorite in your family!

      1. Just as an FYI for the GF people. There is gluten free panko out there. I used it for the recipe. It was perfect.

        1. Absolutely, Erin. That works, too, so thanks for the mention. So happy you enjoyed!

  11. These look great! When I don’t have bread crumbs on hand I sometimes crush croutons and use them in meatballs – they add a little extra flavour.

    1. Great suggestion, Katie. Thank you for taking the time to share it!

  12. July 21, 2013

    This might sound crazy to a few, but as I haven’t made meatballs in years, just want to confirm that it is 1/4 cup or parsley or basil? Also, has anyone done both parsley and basil?

    Thanks, Nancy

    1. Yes, Nancy…1/4 cup of fresh herbs is correct. If you use dry, reduce to 1/3 of that amount or a slightly rounded tablespoon. Also, a mix of both herbs would be delicious. You could even mix in a little thyme, chives, or another favorite if you have them on hand.

    2. I put parsley in the meatballs and basil in the sauce.

      1. Wonderful!

  13. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Mmmmeatballs! We brought these to the beach at the lake last night – the adults and kids ate them as hors d’oeuvres dipped in the basic marinara. My baby ate FIVE! Delicious!

    1. That is so great, Shannon, and what a wonderful setting to have dinner. I bet it was perfect, and I am thrilled the meatballs and marinara were a hit!

  14. Ruth Jth Avatar
    Ruth Jth

    The meatballs are great. Thank you. Do you have a good marinara sauce recipe you can share? Can’t seem to get mine just right.

    1. Hi Ruth,
      I am thrilled you liked them! Here is a recipe for a basic marinara that we really enjoy. I often freeze a couple of portions for two recipes which are linked on the recipe page. Having the sauce on hand makes for some easy and creative dinners. Here is the sauce link:
      https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/basic-marinara/

  15. Allisan C. Avatar
    Allisan C.

    Anyone know the best way to store parmesan cheese? Also can you freeze it?

    1. I store Parmesan in the refrigerator where it will keep for over a month if wrapped well, Allisan. It is fine to freeze it, too.

  16. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    I am an American of Italian decent. I have never heard of putting oregano in a meatball. Maybe I will try this in a half recipe, just to make sure we like it with the oregano.

    1. Yes, you can do a taste test and see which way you like best! Oregano can be pungent, but this small amount does not overpower. Hope you enjoy!

  17. So I tried this last night and they were DELICIOUS but then when I took them out of the oven, after following the recipe, my meatballs came out as half meatballs. The bottoms had flattened out and stuck to the baking sheet. How can I fix this?

    1. That is really interesting, Nina, and I am trying to figure out why that may have happened. Do you know the fat content of the ground beef you used? Perhaps the fat content was high and much of it cooked out, causing the meatballs to seemingly shrink. I typically use beef that is anywhere between 85 and 90% lean. I hope this is helpful!

      1. Marci Parrent Avatar
        Marci Parrent

        Use mini muffin tins.

        1. Great idea!

          1. After making the balls, I would put in the refrigerator and bake at 375 for 22-25 min.

        2. Sabrina Avatar
          Sabrina

          I had the same problem. The solution: Bake on parchment paper! No sticking at all.

          1. Parchment paper is what works.

    2. Angie Avatar
      Angie

      Did you make sure the oven was completely preheated before putting them in? Or maybe your oven temp is lower than it registers. Warm burger kind of sinks and flattens like that. I found out the hard way that my oven was registering that it had reached full temp before it had. Maybe try preheating 5 minutes longer before putting them in. We did that for years rather than expensive oven repairs.

      1. Lori Reeves Avatar
        Lori Reeves

        Had an oven like that..buy an oven thermometer to set inside the window this is an inexpensive solution!

    3. Guilty of making recipes and not providing reviews. So, will try to improve. These meatballs are excellent. Can’t wait to immerse in fav sauce and cook for 20 minutes or so to add some additional flavor to sauce. (Used 20/80 gr. beef have always been told that combo most flavorful–more fat. Mine were flat on bottom too, but didn’t mind due to how good they were.)

      1. Too funny, Sheila…and no worries! I’m just glad you made, enjoyed, and eventually checked in! I bet they will be divine with your favorite sauce.

    4. Alison Wilson Avatar
      Alison Wilson

      You should put them on a sheet pan with a rack or one of those silicone mats. Mine flattened a little on the bottom but Since they were on a rack they were fine.

      1. Thanks for the idea, Alison!

  18. Soo good thank you

    1. You are welcome, Armando. Glad you liked them!

  19. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    A, these meatballs are seriously,….THE BOMB. so deliciously good! Thank you, thank you. So easy to make and I doubled the recipe thankfully bc they ROCK!

    1. You are very welcome and I am so glad they were a hit! I am always happy to have some of these on hand, too! In fact, I think I am due to make them soon: )

    2. I’ve been using this recipe for over 30 yrs..A friend of mine told me to bake them in the oven to reduce cooking mess & clean-up …such a great idea!!!

      1. I agree!

      2. But I used one cup of breadcrumbs and one cup of cheese in my meat balls feel moist so should I forget about the cup of breadcrumbs Avatar
        But I used one cup of breadcrumbs and one cup of cheese in my meat balls feel moist so should I forget about the cup of breadcrumbs

        Recipe called for 2 cups bread crumbs But I used one cup of breadcrumbs and one cup of cheese in my meat balls feel moist so should I forget about the cup of breadcrumbs

        1. Gaylene Rosier Avatar
          Gaylene Rosier

          The recipe states 1 cup of breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese!!

    3. Nathan Avatar
      Nathan

      I didn’t make 24 meatballs but these were great. I’m only upset at my own mistake too much salt . I don’t know how i oopsed . Ohh well Thanks i saved the recipe

      1. That happens! Glad it’s a keeper nonetheless.