These classic Italian meatballs are so easy to make and come out juicy and flavorful every time. I served these with my homemade spaghetti sauce, but feel free to serve them as an appetizer or in a sub sandwich!
If you loved this recipe, you'll also love my Meatloaf recipe!
About This Recipe
To be completely honest, meatballs have not always been my favorite dish. They're usually too dry, have a weird texture, or just do not taste that good. But this meatball recipe will NOT disappoint you. The meatballs come out juicy, tender, and super flavorful. Best of all, they only take 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
I love that these meatballs can be baked in the oven. It makes the cooking process so much easier. The key is to bake them at a slightly higher temperature than normal. I bake mine at 450ยฐF for 18-20 minutes. This ensures that the tops and bottoms get a nice brown color and caramelization. Color = flavor!
Sometimes, I will also air-fry the meatballs, usually for about 15 minutes at 400ยฐF. They come out even better, actually, but I understand not everyone has an air fryer, so I wrote this recipe for the oven.
Key Ingredients
Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are extremely important for juicy meatballs. They absorb the juices from the meat that get squeezed out during baking.
Milk: We soak the breadcrumbs in milk first to hydrate them a bit. Otherwise, they will be too dry.
Ground beef + ground pork: I used extra-lean ground beef (10% fat). I prefer using leaner ground beef because ground pork already has a high-fat percentage.
Egg: An egg helps bind all the ingredients together.
Grated parmesan: Parmesan provides a ton of flavor and saltiness to the meat. It is an absolute must, so do not skip out on it.
Onions & garlic: Ideally, the onion and garlic should be minced as fine as possible. The meatballs only cook for 20 minutes, which is not enough time for big chunks of vegetables to soften. If the onion or garlic pieces are too large, they can ruin the texture of the meatballs.
Herbs: I recommend either parsley, basil, or a combination of both. For today's recipe, I actually did not have parsley so I used basil only.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let this sit for 5 minutes.
STEP 2: Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and mix until thoroughly combined.
STEP 3: Roll the meat mixture into 1 ยฝ-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
STEP 4: Bake at 450ยฐF for 18-20 minutes until the tops are browned and caramelized. I actually cooked mine a bit longer because I like more of the fat to render out.
Serve with homemade spaghetti sauce, as an appetizer, or in a sub sandwich!
๐ Recipe
Classic Italian Meatballs
Ingredients
- โ breadcrumbs
- โ cup milk
- 1 pound ground beef
- ยฝ pound ground pork
- 4 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- 1 large egg
- ยฝ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ยผ cup chopped fresh parsley, basil or a mixture of both
- ยผ cup yellow onion (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450ยฐF and set the rack in the upper-third position.
- Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and mix everything together.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1 ยฝ-inch balls and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are browned.
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