You know what? I’ve been making this meatballs recipe for years now, and it never gets old. There’s something about pulling a tray of perfectly browned meatballs out of the oven that just makes me happy. No standing over a hot stove, no grease splatter everywhere. Just good, honest cooking. What I love most about this beef meatballs recipe is how forgiving it is. The secret ingredient is actually water (I know, sounds weird, right?). But trust me on this one. It keeps everything moist and tender. I’ve served these at everything from casual weeknight dinners to holiday parties. They work great in a meatballs recipe crockpot setup too if you’re feeding a crowd. Just bake them first, then keep them warm in your slow cooker with extra sauce. Want to switch things up? This recipe works beautifully as a chicken meatballs recipe or pork meatballs recipe base. I’ve even combined beef and pork for extra richness. And when you need a party meatballs recipe that’ll actually impress people, these are your answer. Pair them with some good bread, toss them over pasta, or just eat them straight from the pan with a fork (no judgment here). The marinara sauce comes together while the meatballs bake, so you’re looking at dinner in 30 minutes flat. Can’t beat that on a busy Tuesday night.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Baked Meatballs Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Easy Baked Meatballs
- 4) How to Make Easy Baked Meatballs
- 5) Tips for Making Easy Baked Meatballs
- 6) Making Easy Baked Meatballs Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Easy Baked Meatballs
- 8) Try these Main Course recipes next!
- 9) Easy Baked Meatballs
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- What makes baked meatballs better than fried?
- Can you freeze homemade meatballs?
- What’s the secret to keeping meatballs moist?
- How long do you bake meatballs at 425 degrees?
- What can you serve with meatballs besides pasta?
2) Easy Baked Meatballs Recipe
Listen, I’ve tried every meatballs recipe out there, and this one wins hands down. Why? It’s foolproof. You don’t need to stand over a hot stove flipping meatballs in batches. You don’t need to deal with grease splatters all over your stovetop. Just roll, bake, and you’re done. This is the kind of meatballs recipe that changed my weeknight cooking game.
What makes this beef meatballs recipe so good is the texture. They come out tender and juicy every single time. The secret? That half cup of water mixed into the meat. I know it sounds odd at first. My own mom raised her eyebrows when I told her about it. But trust me on this. The water keeps everything moist without adding fat or calories. It’s like magic.
I’ve served these at everything from quiet Tuesday dinners to packed holiday parties. They work beautifully as a party meatballs recipe when you need to feed a crowd. Just make a double or triple batch, keep them warm in a slow cooker with extra sauce, and watch them disappear. People always ask for the recipe. And when I tell them it takes 30 minutes? They don’t believe me.
The best part is how versatile this recipe is. Sure, it’s a fantastic beef meatballs recipe as written. But you can swap the beef for ground turkey to make it a chicken meatballs recipe. Or use half pork and half beef for a richer pork meatballs recipe. I’ve done all the variations. They all turn out great. The technique stays the same no matter what meat you choose.
Baking them means you can make way more at once than if you were frying. No more standing there watching the stove. No more trying to keep finished batches warm while you cook the rest. Just line them up on a sheet pan and let the oven do its thing. It’s the kind of simple solution that makes you wonder why anyone bothers frying meatballs anymore.
And can we talk about how good your kitchen smells when these are baking? The garlic, the Italian seasoning, the Parmesan cheese all melding together. It’s the kind of smell that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready. My kids start hovering around the oven at the 10 minute mark.
3) Ingredients for Easy Baked Meatballs
Ground Beef
Go for 80/20 if you can. That ratio of meat to fat gives you the perfect balance. Too lean and your meatballs will be dry. Too fatty and they’ll shrink down to nothing. I like buying mine from the local butcher when I can. The quality really does make a difference. You can taste it in the finished product.
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
I use both powders instead of fresh for a reason. They distribute more evenly throughout the meat mixture. Fresh garlic can give you pockets of intense flavor that not everyone loves. The powders give you consistent seasoning in every single bite. Plus they’re shelf stable and you probably already have them.
Italian Seasoning
This is your flavor shortcut. One and a half teaspoons brings oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary all at once. No need to measure out five different herbs. I keep a big jar of this in my spice cabinet because I use it constantly. Not just for this recipes with marinara sauce, but for so many Italian dishes.
Black Pepper and Salt
Don’t skimp on the salt. Meat needs it. I know people get nervous about sodium, but unsalted meatballs taste flat and boring. Use a good half teaspoon or even a bit more. You can always serve them with a lighter sauce if you’re watching sodium. The pepper adds a nice subtle heat that balances everything out.
Egg
This is your binder. It holds everything together so your meatballs don’t fall apart when you roll them or when they bake. One large egg is perfect for a pound of meat. Room temperature eggs mix in better than cold ones straight from the fridge. Just something I’ve noticed over the years.
Parmesan Cheese
Freshly grated is best if you have time. The pre shredded stuff from the store works fine in a pinch though. Don’t use the powdered kind in the green can for this. You want real cheese that melts and adds flavor. Parmesan brings that nutty, salty punch that makes these meatballs taste Italian.
Breadcrumbs
I bounce between panko and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs depending on what’s in my pantry. Panko gives a slightly lighter texture. Italian breadcrumbs add more flavor. Plain breadcrumbs work too. You can even make your own by pulsing stale bread in a food processor. Whatever you use, they help hold moisture and give structure.
Lukewarm Water
This is the ingredient that makes people do a double take. Half a cup of water seems like too much. It seems like it’ll make the meat mushy. But it doesn’t. It makes the meatballs incredibly tender. The water gets absorbed during mixing and cooking. You end up with meatballs that stay moist even after baking.
Olive Oil for Marinara
Any decent olive oil works here. You’re using it to sauté garlic, so it doesn’t need to be your fancy finishing oil. Three tablespoons gives you enough fat to cook the garlic without burning it. The oil also helps the sauce coat the meatballs nicely when you toss everything together.
Fresh Garlic for Sauce
Two cloves minced up small. This is where you want fresh garlic, not powder. The quick sauté in olive oil brings out the sweet, mellow side of garlic. It makes your whole kitchen smell amazing. Just watch it carefully. Burned garlic tastes bitter and there’s no coming back from that.
Crushed Tomatoes
A 28 ounce can is perfect for coating a batch of meatballs. I like the ones with basil already added, but plain works fine too. Crushed tomatoes have the right consistency. Not too thick, not too watery. They break down into a proper sauce texture. Don’t substitute tomato sauce or diced tomatoes here. The texture won’t be right.
Sugar for Sauce
Just one teaspoon. It’s not there to make the sauce sweet. It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes. Canned tomatoes can taste harsh without it. That tiny bit of sugar rounds out the flavor and makes everything taste more balanced. You won’t even know it’s there, but you’d miss it if it wasn’t.
4) How to Make Easy Baked Meatballs
Step 1: Get Your Oven Hot
Crank that oven to 425 degrees F. Line your biggest baking sheet with parchment paper. The parchment makes cleanup so much easier. Nothing sticks. You can slide the whole batch right off when they’re done. I’ve tried using just a greased pan before. Not worth the scrubbing later.
Step 2: Mix the Meat
Dump your ground beef into a large bowl. Add all your dry seasonings first. The garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt. Then crack in the egg. Toss in the Parmesan and breadcrumbs. This meatballs recipe crockpot enthusiasts love starts with proper mixing. Get your hands in there.
Step 3: Add the Water Slowly
Pour in a few tablespoons of lukewarm water at a time. Mix it in with your hands. Keep adding water bit by bit until everything comes together. The mixture should feel quite wet but still hold its shape. Don’t overmix or you’ll make tough meatballs. Mix just until combined. That’s it.
Step 4: Roll Your Meatballs
Use an ice cream scoop or a big spoon to portion out the meat. About a tablespoon per meatball. Roll each portion between your palms into a ball. If the mixture sticks to your hands, wet them a little with water or rub them with olive oil. Line up the meatballs on your prepared baking sheet with a bit of space between them.
Step 5: Bake Them
Slide that sheet into your hot oven. Set a timer for 12 minutes. Check them at that point. They might need up to 15 minutes total depending on how big you made them. They’re done when they’re cooked through and nicely browned on the outside. The internal temp should hit 160 degrees F if you want to check with a thermometer.
Step 6: Start the Sauce
While the meatballs bake, make your marinara. Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium low heat. Add your minced garlic. Let it sizzle for about a minute until it smells incredible and turns golden. If you like heat, toss in some red pepper flakes now.
Step 7: Build Your Marinara
Pour in that can of crushed tomatoes. Add the salt, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Stir everything together well. Let the sauce simmer for at least 10 minutes. Stir it occasionally. Taste it near the end. Add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Everyone’s taste is different.
Step 8: Combine Everything
When your meatballs are done baking, add them right into the sauce. Give everything a gentle toss to coat each meatball. Be careful not to break them up. They’re tender at this point. You can serve them right away or let them hang out in the sauce for a few minutes. The flavors get even better as they sit together.
5) Tips for Making Easy Baked Meatballs
Don’t overwork the meat when you’re mixing. I know I already said this, but it’s worth repeating. The more you handle ground meat, the tougher your meatballs will be. Mix just until everything comes together. Then stop. Your hands are warm and they’ll start cooking the fat in the meat if you keep squishing it around.
Size matters when it comes to meatballs. Make them all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Nothing worse than having some that are done and some that are still raw in the middle. An ice cream scoop helps with this. I use a medium sized one. Gives me meatballs that are about two inches across. Perfect for serving with pasta or on subs.
If you’re making this as a pork meatballs recipe instead, use the same technique. Ground pork has more fat than beef usually. You might want to use 85/15 instead of 80/20. The extra lean content keeps them from being too greasy. Pork meatballs taste a bit sweeter and richer than beef. My kids actually prefer them that way.
Space them out on the baking sheet. Don’t crowd them. If they’re touching, they’ll steam instead of browning. You want that nice caramelized crust on the outside. If you have more meatballs than fit on one sheet, use two sheets. Or bake them in batches. It only takes 15 minutes per batch so it’s not a huge deal.
Let the meatballs rest for a minute when they come out of the oven. They’re fragile right when they’re hot. Give them 60 seconds to firm up before you try to move them around. This is especially true if you’re making a chicken meatballs recipe version. Poultry tends to be more delicate than beef.
You can brown them under the broiler for an extra minute if you want. Just watch them like a hawk. The broiler goes from perfect to burned in seconds. I only do this when I’m feeling fancy or having company. Most of the time the regular baking gives them enough color. The sauce covers them anyway.
Double the sauce if you’re serving these over pasta. One batch of marinara is enough to coat the meatballs nicely. But pasta soaks up sauce like crazy. You’ll want extra for tossing with the noodles. I usually make a batch and a half of sauce when I know we’re having spaghetti and meatballs. No one ever complains about too much sauce.
6) Making Easy Baked Meatballs Ahead of Time
These meatballs are perfect for meal prep. I make them on Sunday and we eat them all week long. You can prep them in different ways depending on when you want to cook them. The raw meatballs freeze beautifully. So do the cooked ones. Pick whatever method works for your schedule.
If you want to freeze them raw, roll all the meatballs and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Stick the whole sheet in the freezer. Let them freeze solid for an hour or two. Then transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer bag. This keeps them from sticking together in one big clump. You can pull out just what you need for dinner.
When you’re ready to cook frozen raw meatballs, you can bake them straight from the freezer. Just add 5 or 10 minutes to the cooking time. They’ll need a bit longer since they’re starting out frozen. Check the internal temperature to make sure they’re fully cooked. Should hit 160 degrees F in the center.
Freezing them cooked is another great option. Bake the meatballs as directed. Let them cool completely. Then freeze them the same way. On a sheet first, then into a bag once they’re solid. Cooked meatballs reheat faster than raw ones cook. Toss them in sauce and heat them on the stove for about 10 minutes. Or microwave them if you’re in a real hurry.
You can also make the sauce ahead. It actually tastes better after sitting for a day or two. All the flavors meld together. Make a big batch on the weekend. Store it in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze it in portions. Then you’ve got meatballs and sauce ready to go whenever you need a quick dinner.
The raw meat mixture can sit in the fridge overnight before you roll and bake the meatballs. Just cover the bowl with plastic wrap. This is nice if you want to do some prep the night before. The flavors even develop a bit more. The only thing you can’t do is let raw meatballs sit at room temperature. That’s asking for food safety problems.
For parties, I bake the meatballs the day before. Then I reheat them in the sauce in a slow cooker. Keeps them warm for hours without drying out. Just set the slow cooker to low or warm. Stir them occasionally. They’ll stay perfect all through your party. Way less stressful than trying to cook during the event.
7) Storing Leftover Easy Baked Meatballs
Leftovers are honestly the best part of this recipe. These meatballs taste even better the next day. The sauce really soaks into them as they sit. I always make extra on purpose so we have lunches sorted for the week. They reheat like a dream. No one would ever know they weren’t freshly made.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for three or four days. Maybe five if your fridge is really cold. I keep mine in a glass container with a tight fitting lid. The sauce can stain plastic containers. Glass washes clean every time. Plus you can see what’s inside without opening it.
Keep the meatballs in the sauce when you store them. They dry out if you store them plain. The sauce keeps them moist. It also keeps them from sticking together in the container. You can pull out just what you need for one serving. Heat it up and you’re good to go. Way better than most takeout.
To reheat, I usually use the microwave for single portions. About two minutes on 50% power. Stir them halfway through. The lower power keeps them from getting tough. If you’re reheating a bigger batch, the stovetop works better. Just warm them in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir gently so they don’t break apart.
You can freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for up to three months. Let them cool completely first. Freeze them in portion sized containers. Then you can thaw just what you need. They take a few hours to thaw in the fridge. Or you can thaw them in the microwave on the defrost setting if you’re in a rush.
Don’t refreeze meatballs that have already been frozen and thawed. That’s when you start getting quality issues. The texture gets weird. They can get mushy. Just freeze them once and you’ll be fine. Plan your portions based on how many people you’re feeding. I do containers of four or six meatballs each.
Leftover meatballs are super versatile. Reheat them and serve over pasta like you did the first night. Or make meatball subs with them. Slice them up for pizza topping. Chop them into a salad. Mix them into scrambled eggs for breakfast. Once you have a container of these in your fridge, you’ll find all kinds of ways to use them up.
8) Try these Main Course recipes next!
9) Easy Baked Meatballs
Meatballs Recipe: Easy Baked Meatballs with Marinara Sauce (30 Minutes)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
For the Marinara Sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, egg, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs.
- Slowly add the water, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with your hands until everything comes together. Don’t overwork the mixture or your meatballs will turn out tough. The mixture should be quite moist but still hold its shape when you roll it.
- Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, scoop about one tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball using your palms. Place each ball on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and nicely browned.
- While the meatballs bake, get started on that marinara sauce.
For the Marinara Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium low heat. Toss in the minced garlic and let it sizzle for about a minute, just until it turns golden and smells amazing.
- If you’re using the red pepper flakes, add them now. Then pour in the crushed tomatoes along with the salt, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Give everything a good stir.
- Let the sauce simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
- Once your meatballs are done, add them right into the sauce, give them a gentle toss to coat, and you’re ready to eat!
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 4 meatballs, Calories: 245, Sugar: 3.2 g, Sodium: 612 mg, Fat: 14.5 g, Saturated Fat: 5.2 g, Carbohydrates: 12.8 g, Fiber: 1.8 g, Protein: 18.3 g, Cholesterol: 85 mg
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