Oven-Baked Meatballs (for Pasta and Subs!)
This is my go-to Oven-Baked Meatball recipe, perfect for pasta night. These are made with lean ground beef along with some of my favorite, pantry-staple spices. They’re a crowd pleaser for a reason. Just wait until you try them on a sandwich!
What You’ll Love About These Simple, Oven-Baked Meatballs
They really are simple. You mix all the ingredients (with your very clean hands) into one, homogenous mess, form into 2-inch rounds, and cook them low and slow at 325F for 35 minutes. Voila! That’s it. It’s wild how easily these come together. They freeze like a dream, so doubling the recipe is a wise move. Your future, dinner-hangry self will thank you!
Here’s What You need:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Olive oil, for preparing the baking rack
How to Make Oven-Baked Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 325F and place a rack near the center.
- Place the thawed ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, bread crumbs, and spices, then mix with a heavy-duty wooden spoon or using clean hands (my preferred method). Mix gently until everything is evenly combined.
- Using a 2-Tablespoon scoop, create small meatballs that are similar in size. Roll them with your hands to create the perfect little ball and place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the ground beef mixture has been used.
- Lightly oil the baking/cooling rack and place inside the other baking sheet. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the baking sheet. Place the meatballs on the prepped rack, close together, but not touching each other. Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes. They will be firm to the touch and gently browned on top.
- If serving with pasta, boil your pasta of choice to al dente while the meatballs bake. Strain the pasta, drizzle with a bit of olive oil or a pat of very good butter to avoid it sticking together. Set aside.
- You can use your favorite jarred marinara, or if you have some homemade on hand even better. You can zhuzh it up by using my ‘elevated marinara hack‘ or by adding your favorite things to the mix. Heat the marinara in a medium sauce pan and gently drop in your fully cooked meatballs. Allow them to simmer in the sauce until ready to serve. Serve the sauced balls tossed with your favorite pasta or on a brioche bun for the ultimate meatball sando. Enjoy!
Oven Baked Meatballs
This is the recipe you need for your next pasta night! They're made with lean ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and a handful of pantry-staple spices. Super easy, extremely delicious! They come together in about an hour, end to end. Let's make some!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Sturdy wooden spoon or use your hands
- Ice cream scoop 2 Tablespoon size for medium balls
- Parchment paper
- 2 Full baking sheets
- Baking / cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt decrease salt if breadcrumbs are salted
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary dried, chopped or ground
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
- olive oil for greasing the rack
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and place an oven rack near the center.
- Place the thawed ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, and spices, then mix with a heavy-duty wooden spoon or using clean hands (my preferred method). Mix gently until everything is evenly combined.
- Using a 2-Tablespoon scoop, create small meatballs that are similar in size. Roll them with your hands to create the perfect little ball and place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the ground beef mixture has been used.
- Lightly oil the baking/cooling rack and place inside the other baking sheet. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the baking sheet. Place the meatballs on the rack, close together, but not touching each other. Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes. They should be firm to the touch and gently browned on top.
- If serving with pasta, boil your pasta of choice to al dente while the meatballs bake. Strain the pasta, drizzle with a bit of olive oil or a pat of very good butter to avoid it sticking together. Set aside.
- You can use your favorite jarred marinara, or if you have some homemade on hand even better. Heat the marinara in a medium sauce pan and gently drop in your fully cooked meatballs. Allow them to simmer in the sauce until ready to serve.
- Serve the sauced balls tossed with your favorite pasta or on a brioche bun for the ultimate meatball sando. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you’d like to make sure your seasoning is spot-on before making the meatballs, take a tablespoon of the ground beef and spice mixture, flatten it into a tiny patty, and gently fry in a skillet with some olive oil on the stove top. If you like the flavor, great! Carry on and make some amazing balls. If you’d like to adjust by adding a bit more salt, red chilis, etc., do that! It’s a great way to make sure you’ll love the end result.
- Want to make them gluten-free? Substitute almond flour for the bread crumbs. You will not be sorry!
- Once all of the balls have been made, they can be frozen into zip tight bags to be baked, stewed, or fried another day. I like to double up the recipe so I can get 3-4 meals out of the effort it takes to make this.
- If using with a red sauce, “zhuzh” it up by using my ‘elevated marinara hack’ or by adding your favorite things to the mix.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 27gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 543mgPotassium: 455mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 93IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I freeze the meatballs raw or cooked?
A: YES. Freeze them raw to defrost and bake at a later date (they store up to 3 months in the freezer). If freezing them once cooked, be sure they are fully cooled before placing in freezer bags or airtight containers and freezing.
Q: Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?
A: Yes, however, the fat content will be different and may result in a dry meatball. If substituting ground chicken or turkey, choose dark meat if available or consider adding a tablespoon of oil to your meatball mixture before forming the rounds.
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