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This easy homemade meatballs recipe is so simple, you’ll never eat store-bought frozen again. Toss them in your favorite sauce, serve as an appetizer or serve them for dinner! They’re ready in 30 minutes and taste amazing!
You’ll find lots of different meatball variations here on this site, but this is my tried and true, go-to basic meatball recipe that can be used in a bunch of different meals. Keep a batch on hand in the freezer to grab for quick weeknight dinners or fast appetizers.
Check out my ultimate guide on How to Cook Ground Beef for tons of information, tips and tricks!
Pin this recipe for later!Why This Recipe Works
This is the best meatball recipe you will ever make! It works because it’s got just the right ratio or egg, breadcrumbs and milk to hold the meatballs together perfectly – no falling apart on in your spaghetti!
Plus, homemade meatballs are so moist, juicy and tender, and so easy to customize in size and flavor. I always make an extra batch to freeze for later.
We also love it because:
- Homemade Tastes Better – These meatballs are so flavorful and delicious, and taste super fresh and have a tender texture, unlike frozen from a bag.
- Kid Friendly – Meatballs are fun to make and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. They love eating them too!
- Make Ahead and Freezer Friendly – They freeze beautifully so you can always have some on hand to toss into your favorite meatball recipes, like Meatball Sliders or Meatballs and Gravy. You can also prep a variety of sizes and add mini meatballs on top of my Pizza Lasagna!
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
To make this simple homemade meatball recipe, you’ll need the ingredients listed below. The parmesan cheese is optional but goes great when you’re adding the cooked meatballs to Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. If you using them in my Crockpot Meatballs or Sweet and Sour Meatballs, leave out the cheese.
- Lean Ground Beef – I like to use an 85/15. It’s got a great flavor but isn’t overly greasy. Feel free to use a different meat or combination of meats, like a 50/50 combination of ground beef and ground pork, ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Eggs – This helps to bind the meat together and keep the meatballs moist.
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Freshly and finely grated or pre-grated; either will work.
- Plain Breadcrumbs – If you don’t have breadcrumbs on hand you can use Panko bread crumbs or even crushed crackers. For Italian meatballs, use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Or make your own by toasting a few slices of bread and then pulsing them in a food processor.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Fresh Parsley
How To Make the Best Meatballs
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Prep. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and set aside.
Hand mix. Combine all of the ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix together with your hands, careful not to over-mix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine. Your hands have a lighter touch than a spoon or spatula, and incorporate all of the ingredients without crushing the meat.
Form the meatballs. Divide the meatball mixture into your desired size. As long as they are uniform, they can be as large or small as you like.
PRO TIP: To ensure that they cook evenly, I use a medium cookie scoop to divide the meat into uniform sized 2-inch balls, roll them, then place them fairly close together on a foil lined cookie sheet. They can be even closer together than this, as long as they’re not touching; you just need air flow around them to ensure even cooking.
Bake. Bake in the 450℉ oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size. Be sure to check for doneness. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature reads at least 165 degrees F. Serve hot with your favorite sauce. For more information on food safe temperatures, check out my Beef Temperature Chart.
FAQs
Cooking them in a pan on the stovetop requires additional olive oil for frying, and baking doesn’t. Baking them is a healthier alternative since you aren’t adding any extra oil. If you want a crispier exterior, you can place them under the broiler for a few minutes at the end. You’ll still get that golden brown and crispy outside without any extra fat.
When meatballs fall apart, it’s usually the binder that’s the culprit. The ingredients you use can make a difference. The binder helps to hold the meat together; and in this recipe, that’s an egg and breadcrumbs. Over-mixing can actually make your meatballs fall apart! Use your hands to lightly mix and form them.
The egg used in most formed ground beef recipes like meatballs or meatloaf, is part of what holds the meat together. You can substitute the eggs with plain yogurt or ricotta cheese if you need to.
You can! Just replace the ground beef with the same amount of lean ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork and bake as directed. You could also use my Homemade Turkey Meatballs Recipe which is similar to this one.
How To Use Meatballs
You can use homemade meatballs in a variety of ways:
- Spaghetti Night. Serve them drenched in spaghetti sauce over pasta and topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese.
- Game Day Meatball Subs. Stuff them in a French roll topped with marinara sauce and melty Mozzarella cheese.
- Mini Meatballs. Add mini meatballs to soup, like Spaghetti and Meatball Soup or Italian Wedding Soup.
- In a Variety of Recipes. Use them for Spicy Cranberry Meatballs, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Swedish Meatballs, or just toss with your favorite Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- Appetizers. Meatballs make a fantastic appetizer for parties because you can dramatically change the flavor with a simple sauce. Turn frozen meatballs into Peach BBQ Crockpot Meatballs, Grape Jelly Meatballs, Meatball Marinara Poppers, or Buffalo Ranch Meatballs.
- Keep It Plain and Simple. Enjoy them on their own because they’re delicious! Serve with a copycat Olive Garden Salad and some Garlic Bread to just keep it simple.
Storage
Storage: Any leftover meatballs can be stored on their own or with a sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating: To reheat frozen or thawed meatballs, simmer with your favorite pasta sauce on the stove top over medium heat. Or you can reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds on high.
Freezing Leftover Meatballs
Meatballs freeze beautifully if you follow these steps, so I always make a double batch.
To freeze baked meatballs:
- Cool just enough so they are easy to handle, then scrape any fat clinging to the bottom of the meatball.
- Flash Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store in an airtight container like a freezer bag for up to 6 months.
To freeze raw meatballs: Mix your ingredients together then place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. To cook meatballs from frozen, place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes. Make sure that the internal tempearture reaches 165°F.
Expert Tips
- Rimmed Baking Sheets. Use rimmed sheets because the meatballs will release juices as they bake and you want to keep it all on the pan and not on the bottom of your oven. If you don’t have rimmed baking sheets you can bake the meatballs in a baking dish.
- Use Aluminum Foil. Make sure to line your pan with foil for easier clean up. Parchment paper can work but will likely get soggy, and silicone mats won’t cover the whole sheet pan. With foil you can wrap it over the edges and just roll it up when you’re done, keeping the mess contained.
- Perfect Portions. Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to portion out the meatballs so they are even in size.
- Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Don’t over-mix or you risk the meatballs becoming tough. Using your hands for gentle mixing will help keep the meatballs tender.
- Add Moisture if Needed. If your meat mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of milk.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef & Noodle Stir Fry
- Chopped Steaks with Mushroom Gravy
- Instant Pot Chili Recipe
- Salisbury Steak
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
Easy Homemade Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef I use 85/15
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees 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 together with your hands, careful not to over-mix. Just squish it all together a few times to combine.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, divide meat mixture into desired size balls. 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.
- TO FREEZE: Allow meatballs to cool completely on the baking sheets. Once cool, scrape the fat away from each ball and seal tightly in a freezer safe bag or air tight container and place in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
This delicious recipe, which I made exactly as written, is very similar to the one I’ve been making for decades. I can’t even remember when I started using grated Parm in my recipe, but it wasn’t there the 1st time I made it in the 1950s. With 2 eggs and a whole cup of milk, this makes a very loose recipe. The proportions I use include less milk, twice as much parm, slightly more breadcrumbs (Panko for me). When I make them, I do a really big batch, usually 3 lbs of meat, freeze them on sheet pans and then pour into plastic bags to keep–and they never last longer than a month or two. I can pour out just what I need when I need them. Although a mix of beef and pork was my go-to for years, I’ve been enjoying them made with ground chicken recently. The sauce I grew up using in the 1950s was grape jelly and Heinz chili sauce. I’ve also used my homemade pepper jelly from time to time. The main fun with a recipe like this is to use it as a springboard and vary it to please your own tastes and those of your family. Thanks, Kristin, this is a fast, easy and delicious recipe
You are so welcome janmaus! Fantastic feedback! Thanks for stopping by.
Are these meatballs baked at 400 or 450? In your explanation it says 400 but the recipe itself says 450. 450 seems hot to me but maybe it’s to get them browned nicely. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
There was a typo in the post. You cook them in a 450℉ oven. Thanks for letting me know, and I hope you come back and share your review!
These were outstanding! I stopped making meatballs years ago because mine were always hard and tasteless. So I’ve been buying frozen meatballs for over 25 years. I was visiting my daughter in Brooklyn and making meatball subs for dinner, and frozen wasn’t available in her grocery store, only pre-made ones from the deli department at $7.99/lb! So I bought ground beef and decided to try again. I found this recipe and made a few changes: increased the Parmesan to 1/2 C, also increased the breadcrumbs (Italian seasoned) to 1 C. I like that they’re baked vs. fried. My daughter and son-in-law loved them, we did too. Will be making these from now on!
Nice! Fantastic feedback SIgne. Thanks for stopping by.