This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy meatball recipe delivers juicy, flavorful perfection with minimal effort, perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.
We Love Homemade Meatballs!
This easy meatball recipe is a family favorite main dish. We’ve made them for years and love them for so many reasons.
Not only are they an easy dinner recipe, but they can be served as an appetizer. We also like to use them as a base for Crock Pot Meatballs and Grape Jelly Meatballs. This easy meatball recipe is also perfect in soups and pasta, but they’re just as good on their own dipped in a sauce (Alfredo Sauce and Marinara are our go-to’s). Any way you have them, they’re sure to be loved.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Beyond simple! If you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty, you too can make these meatballs in just minutes.
- They’re a quick dinner idea. From start to finish, these guys can be made in 20 minutes.
- Easy to make ahead and freeze. Make several batches and freeze them so you always have meatballs ready to use in other recipes like Spaghetti, Meatball Soup, or Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
BAKE TIME: 12 minutes
- 2 pounds ground beef – For tender and flavorful meatballs, stick with fattier meats. The most popular meat choice is ground beef (80/20 or 70/30). You can also try ground pork, veal, or even Italian sausage or a combination of 2 different types of meat.
- Ground turkey and chicken are options, but they don’t have as much fat as beef which leads to a drier meatball. Try this Turkey Meatball recipe which is formulated to balance the lean meat.
- 2 whole eggs – They act as part of the binding agent to hold the meatballs together.
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese – Freshly grated works best!
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs – This is the other part of the binding agent (with the eggs). It also helps absorb the juices/liquids in the meat.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder – It adds just a hint of flavor that makes them even more delicious.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder – or use minced onion or even real onions.
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt or garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Homemade Meatballs
- MIX. Place all ingredients, 2 pounds ground beef, 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, ½ cup plain breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper into a large bowl and gently mix with your hands, careful not to over-mix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine.
- SCOOP. Scoop and divide the meat mixture into desired-size meatballs.
- To make them more uniform: Use a cookie scoop and gently roll it to smooth out the shape. Cookie scoops are generally 1” and make a perfectly sized smaller meatball.
- BAKE. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size. Be sure to check for doneness.
- SERVE hot or simmer and serve in your favorite sauce. This makes about 50 meatballs!
Crockpot Instructions
- Add the raw meatballs directly to the crock pot.
- Add your sauce or soup of choice and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
If you are worried about them falling apart, brown them first. Add a little olive oil to a skillet and brown each ball to form a thin crust.
Complete The Meal
Side Dishes
SAUCES
More Meatball Recipes
More Collections
Easy Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, I use 80/20
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, seasoning salt or garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets (baking pans will work if you don't have rimmed cookie sheets) with foil and set aside.
- Place all ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix with your hands, careful not to overmix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, divide the meat mixture into desired-size meatballs. As long as they are uniform, they can be as large or small as you like.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size. Be sure to check for doneness. Serve hot with your favorite sauce.
Video
Notes
- Crockpot Instructions. Add the raw meatballs directly to the crock pot. Add your sauce or soup of choice and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
- If you’re worried about them falling apart, brown them first. Add a little olive oil to a skillet and brown each ball to form a thin crust.
- To freeze. Allow meatballs to cool completely on the baking sheets. Once cool, scrape the fat away from the meatballs and seal tightly in a freezer safe bag or air tight container and place in the freezer.
- From frozen. When you’re ready to use them, defrost them in your fridge, or put the frozen meatballs right into a soup or sauce. *Note, for cream based sauces, defrost the meatballs completely before adding.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Spices. Easily adjust the flavor of these meatballs by adding different spices. Italian seasoning is a classic spice.
Add heat. Use chili powder, paprika, or red pepper flakes to add heat.
Fresh herbs. Remember that when using fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or parsley you need twice as much as when you use dry herbs.
Binder ratio. The beaten eggs and bread crumbs both act as binding agents. It is important not to add too much or not enough or the ratio of binding ingredients to the meat will be off and you won’t get the desired texture.
Sauce. To add the meatballs to a sauce like Marinara Sauce or tomato sauce or to cook them in the crock pot, brown them first in a frying pan. This will form an outer crust which will help them keep their shape as they finish cooking.
Additions. Be careful adding extra chopped veggies as they will alter the ratio and the meatballs may not hold together.
You will need to substitute the breadcrumbs with another binding agent such as:
¼ cup cracker crumbs
¼ cup crushed cornflakes
⅔ cup regular rolled oats
Keep homemade meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Freeze meatballs raw or after they’ve been cooked. Lay out the meatballs side by side on a baking pan and place them in the freezer. As soon as the meatballs begin to freeze, transfer them into a Ziploc freezer bag or another freezer container. Label the container and add the date.
Raw meatballs can be stored for 3-4 months. Cooked meatballs can be stored for 2-3 months.
Love these meatballs however live in Texas and did not want to use oven on hot weather!! So……I cast iron browned the meatballs on stove then finished cooking in spaghetti sauce, so delicious!!!!! To make recipe my own, we like spice, added a little red pepper flakes to meatballs but great recipe!
Sounds perfect!! Thank you for sharing that!!
Is there something that i can use to substitute the bread crumbs?
You can crush chips or crackers or use panko, which is similar to bread crumbs.
I just made these meatballs tonight for my husband after searching for an easy recipe that had good reviews. I was not disappointed!!! They turned out super yummy & moist. The recipe was quick, easy & I’ll be using it for years to come. Thank u for posting. I’ll be sure to check out your other recipes.
Love to hear that!! I am glad you found it! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Oh how I love meatballs! These are soooo much better than store bought meatballs. Perfect for the upcoming holiday parties. Thanks! YUM!
These are super tasty!! We had them as an appetizer & we added toothpicks, which were great for picking up & popping in your mouth.
These were so easy to make. I used half in my spaghetti sauce and put the rest in the freezer for another day. Great Recipe, Thanks!
Can these be made in a crock pot? I’m planning on making some with the bbq sauce and crushed pineapple and I feel like every time I bake meatballs in the oven they get dry.
I am sure it could 🙂 I haven’t done it, but I don’t see why not. Crock pots are great for almost everything!
This looks great! I can’t wait to try it. I was wondering can I substitute ground beef for ground pork? Please let me know. Thanks.
I am sure you can 🙂 I haven’t with this specific recipe, but I bet it would taste great!
These are great! I replaced the black pepper with 1/4 tsp ground Carolina Reaper pepper to make spicy meatballs. It was about 2x as spicy as I wanted (Reaper has the BEST pepper flavor – if you don’t use too much). But they work great when combined with the right dishes to tame some of the fire.
I’ll have to try! Thanks so much for stopping by!
It came out well. Great basic recipe.
Yay!! Thank you so much!