Baked Italian Meatballs
Simple and juicy baked Italian meatballs made with ground beef, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, baked until tender and finished in rich marinara sauce for a comforting classic dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16–20 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (12 meatballs)
- Category: Dinner / Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef
1 large egg
½ cup milk (2% recommended)
½ cup crushed crackers or breadcrumbs
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely minced yellow onion
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional: fresh parsley, extra Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
For serving: pasta sauce, cooked pasta or zucchini noodles
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers, Parmesan, onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
Form mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs (about golf-ball size).
Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 16–20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Remove from oven and let rest briefly.
Optional: Simmer pasta sauce in a skillet, add cooked meatballs, and gently toss to coat. Heat through.
Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve warm over pasta or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender.
You can substitute crackers with breadcrumbs or panko.
For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Meatballs can be frozen after baking for easy meal prep.
Find it online: https://allcookedup.com/baked-italian-meatballs/
