CLASSIC BAKED ITALIAN MEATBALLS
This delicious classic baked italian meatballs recipe uses ground beef, seasoned beadcrumbs, italian seasoning and just a few other simple ingredients.
Classic Baked Italian Meatballs
From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito
Sauce is simmering on the stove and classic baked Italian meatballs are in the oven.
I can literally smell that sentence. This was always on the menu at my house growing up.
Sauce and meatballs were on a constant Sunday dinner rotation.
My siblings and I would look forward to this dinner all week.
Italian meatballs really are the ultimate classic comfort food.
As easy as they are to make, there are a few simple tips and tricks to making your meatballs the absolute best they can be.
Light and fluffy little balls of perfectly seasoned beef. That’s what we’re going for!
This meatballs recipe is a favorite of ours around here.
I’m really excited to share this classic baked Italian meatball recipe with you.
I know if you try them that they will become a favorite in your home, too.
Fast. Simple. Delicious.
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It’s 60 no fuss no fail comfort food recipes perfect for busy weekday dinners.
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What can I serve these classic baked Italian meatballs with?
Nothing goes better with great meatballs than a delicious pasta, right?
Here are a few that would go perfectly with these.
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- The Best Vodka Sauce
- Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- Creamy Tomato Ravioli Sauce
- Pink Marinara Alfredo Sauce
Meat Options:
I made these meatballs with beef only this time.
I do like to add some ground veal and pork sometimes, too.
They both add nice flavor to the meatballs.
Grocery stores sometimes even sell packages of beef, veal and pork together.
If you’d like to add those to the meatball mixture, try one pound of beef and a half a pound each of veal and pork.
The Secrets To Making Perfect Meatballs:
Making meatballs themselves isn’t necessarily a complicated task but they need to be done right.
There are a few things we can do to make sure this classic Italian baked meatballs recipe is at its absolute best.
All of these bullet points play a big role in the process:
- Breadcrumbs
- Adding Milk
- Consistency
- Over Mixing
- Baking
I think if you apply these little tips and tricks you will see a big difference in the taste and quality for sure.
Breadcrumbs:
Seasoned breadcrumbs are the best choice for this recipe in my opinion.
It’s a great way to add a lot of extra flavor into the beef.
I also like these because the breadcrumbs are finer then Panko. Those tend to be a little bigger and chunkier.
They’re flavorful and really work well towards with the smooth consistency of the meatballs.
Adding Milk:
Adding milk to the meatball mixture may sound a little strange at first but I promise you that it’s completely necessary.
it will actually do two things.
First, it will soak into the breadcrumbs and soften them up.
This will keep the meatballs from drying out while they’re in the oven and keep them fluffier overall.
The second thing the that the milk does is tenderize the meat.
That’s right, the milk will help keep the beef nice and tender so the meatballs don’t get too tough.
Adding milk to the meatball mixture will overall keep them moist and fluffy.
Consistency:
I just want to address consistency a little bit.
Since I’ve had kids, I generally stopped sautéing garlic and onions to add into the meatball mixture.
It does add a bunch of really nice flavor. So If you’d like to do that, be my guest.
But my kids just don’t care for the texture that it brings. My grown up brother doesn’t like it at all either.
I think some people just don’t enjoy it. So, I’ve substituted them with garlic and onion powder.
It does keep the consistency of the meatballs really nice and smooth for picky eaters.
Over Mixing:
DON’T OVER MIX THE MEAT.
I can’t stress that enough. Mix the meatball mixture until it’s just combined and then stop.
Over mixing can lead to tough dense meatballs and we do not want that.
To keep them light and fluffy they need to be mixed and messed with as little as possible.
Baking:
Classic Italian meatballs need to be cooked before being added to the sauce.
In this recipe, we’re going to bake them but you can use this same recipe and fry them if you’d like too.
Baking the meatballs first will do a couple of things.
The grease that’s produced when baking can easily be discarded. Better all that grease goes in the trash rather then in your pasta sauce.
The meatballs will also develop a really nice little crust around them in the oven.
That crust is the best and I absolutely love it!
Classic Baked Italian Meatballs Ingredients:
- Ground beef (ground veal and pork optional)
- Eggs
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Italian seasoning.
- Milk
- Tomato sauce
Instructions:
First, add the beef to a large bowl. If youre using a blend- add equal parts beef, veal and pork.
Now add the eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning.
Next add the Parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Then pour the milk over the breadcrumbs. Let the milk soak into the breadcrumbs for a minute or two.
After that, mix the meat until it’s just combined and then stop. Don’t overdo it.
Now form the mixture into small equally sized balls about 2 inches wide.
Then add them to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can bake them close together but make sure to leave a little space so they’re not completely touching.
Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes.
Then once the meatballs are done cooking, add them to a pot of simmering sauce.
I have a simple tomato sauce recipe that goes great with these classic Italian baked meatballs if you need one. If not, use your own recipe or your favorite jarred sauce.
Now the meatballs generously with more tomato sauce. Let them simmer in the sauce for about 15 minutes.
Finally, serve the meatballs over pasta and enjoy!
Classic Baked Italian Meatballs
Equipment
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Ground beef
- 1 Cup Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tbs Garlic Powder
- 1 1/2 Tbs Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 Tbs Onion powder
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl add- the beef, pork, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder,Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning.
- Now add the breadcrumbs
- Pour the milk on top of the breadcrumbs
- Gently mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Don’t overmix
- Form them into medium sized balls.
- Add them to a baking sheet thats been sprayed with cooking spray
- Bake for 30-40 minutes
- Then add them to a tomato sauce lined baking dish
- Cover the meatballs with additional sauce.
- Baked covered for another 15 minutes.
- Serve hot
Comments (18)
Creamy Tomato Ravioli Sauce
April 10, 2022 at 8:31 pm
[…] dinner would be amazing along side some Classic Italian Meatballs or Chicken Cutlets, […]
Creamy Pancetta and Peas Pasta
April 25, 2022 at 4:34 pm
[…] Classic Italian meatballs […]
Pink Marinara Alfredo Sauce
May 5, 2022 at 2:47 pm
[…] Classic Baked Italian Meatballs […]
Eileen Dwyer
December 9, 2022 at 8:02 pm
I’m not a fan of veal, can I replace it with sausage instead,?
Al Dente Diva
December 12, 2022 at 2:57 pm
Hello. He’s absolutely but it may change the taste completely. Feel free to add it but I would just completely omit it if I were you.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
September 12, 2023 at 11:04 am
[…] Classic Italian meatballs […]
Creamy Tomato Sauce
September 28, 2023 at 12:14 am
[…] just happen to love pasta with a great classic meatball recipe or a really crispy chicken […]
EASY CHEESY PESTO BOMBS
October 15, 2023 at 3:25 am
[…] But if you are looking to serve these with something, try some BBQ Chicken Drumsticks, Marinated Skirt Steak, or a nice big serving of spaghetti and meatballs. […]
CREAMY TOMATO GNOCCHI
October 23, 2023 at 10:51 am
[…] if you would like to serve this gnocchi with something classic Italian meatballs or chicken cutlets would both be great […]
MARRY ME PASTA
January 31, 2024 at 10:39 am
[…] I personally would love this with some thinly sliced chicken cutlets or classic Italian meatballs. […]
BAKED ZITI WITH MEAT SAUCE
February 1, 2024 at 11:18 am
[…] Cutlets or Classic Meatballs would be great choices for sides, […]
HOMEMADE SPAGHETTIOS
February 13, 2024 at 4:32 pm
[…] I have a great recipe for Classic Italian Meatballs HERE. […]
EASY GARLIC KNOTS
February 23, 2024 at 8:53 am
[…] like to serve them with a big bowl of pasta and meatballs or chicken […]
Adiya
February 26, 2024 at 1:06 pm
How would I do just 1lb of ground beef for the meatballs in the spaghettio’s
Al Dente Diva
February 26, 2024 at 1:32 pm
Keep everything the same and use 1 c of breadcrumbs
Anonymous
February 26, 2024 at 7:06 pm
How much pork for the meatballs? I didn’t see pork in the ingredients.
Al Dente Diva
February 26, 2024 at 8:39 pm
I’m sorry it is a little confusing. That is a variation so 2 lbs of meat total. So all beef of equal parts beef veal and pork
MEATBALL PARMESAN SLIDERS
April 10, 2024 at 10:07 am
[…] have a great homemade meatball recipe HERE but feel free to use your own recipe if you’d like, […]