This recipe for meatballs is easy, versatile, and delicious. They can be baked, served with marinara sauce, in a sub, or eaten on their own. Yes, they are really that good 🙂

Listen up! I know everyone has their favorite meatball recipe that they cling to, but let me tell you, my Homemade Meatball recipe is the one you need to have in your back pocket. These meatballs are packed full of flavor, moist, and incredibly easy to make. I have been making this recipe for so long that I have mastered it and rarely ever use any other recipe. Trust me, once you try these meatballs, you’ll never go back to your old recipe again!

CAN YOU MAKE MEATBALLS AHEAD?

This is absolutely a make-ahead recipe! Just combine the recipe ingredients, form your meatball, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to two months, until ready to cook.

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

Jump to the bottom of the recipe card below this post for full ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ground Beef – I like using an 8o/20 beef mixture. You could also substitute half of the beef with pork in this recipe.

Aromatics – Finely chopped bell pepper, onion and garlic.

Bread Crumbs – I love using seasoned breadcrumbs, but plain breadcrumbs or even panko works just fine!

Seasoning & Spices – Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch of dried Italian seasoning.

Milk – I use a little bit of whole milk to add to my breadcrumbs to form a panade. This keeps the meatballs nice and moist. Please note that you have the option of just adding the milk and breadcrumbs in at the same as the rest of the ingredients without making the panade.

Eggs – I use two eggs to help bind the ingredients together.

Fresh herbs– I like to use fresh herbs and typically use whatever I have on hand, but especially fresh parsley and oregano.

Parmesan cheese – Parmesan adds a nice umami flavor to these meatballs. I enjoy indulging myself by purchasing high-quality Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

HOW TO MAKE MEATBALLS

Follow these simple steps to make delicious Meatballs:

Make the panade: In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the milk. Mix together well and set aside for 5 minutes.
Combine the remaining ingredients: In a large bowl, add the ground beef, eggs, vegetables, seasoning, spices, fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and the panade. Using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mix the ingredients together well to combine. Note: I like to form my meatballs first, then refrigerate them for about 30 minutes, but this is an optional step.
Form the meatballs: Using a medium-sized scoop, or a spoon, grab about two tablespoons of the meat mixture, then roll it into balls. I like to roll the mixture lightly in the palm of my hands. Place the meatballs on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan until ready to cook.
Pan Fry: Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a heated stove-to-oven skillet, then brown the meatballs for about two minutes on both sides.
Finish In the Oven: Top the meatballs with marinara sauce, if using, then place the meatballs into a preheated oven at 425° uncovered for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.

HOW TO BAKE MEATBALLS

If you prefer baking your meatballs, this recipe is perfect for you too! To bake the meatballs, start by following the instructions above in the “How To Make Meatballs” section. Then, place them on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 425° for 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs are deeply browned. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160° when inserted with an instant-read thermometer.

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Homemade Meatball Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Recipe by Jamie Tryon Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

Meatballs

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs 2 ground beef
1 cup 1 bread crumbs
1 cup 1 shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup 1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup 1/4 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup 1/2 milk
2 2 eggs
3 cloves 3 garlic, minced
1 tsp 1 dried italian seasoning
1 tsp 1 onion powder
1 tsp 1 garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp 2 olive oil
1/4 cup 1/4 fresh parsley,finely chopped plus more for garnish
fresh basil, garnish

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the milk. Mix together well and set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the ground beef, eggs, vegetables, seasoning, spices, fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and the panade. Using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mix the ingredients together well to combine.
Using a medium-sized scoop, or a spoon, grab about two tablespoons of the meat mixture, then roll it into balls.
Using a stove-to-oven skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the meatballs for about two minutes on each side.
Top the meatballs with marinara sauce, if using, then place the meatballs into a preheated oven at 425° and bake uncovered for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.