Italian Baked Meatballs

This go-to, foolproof basic Italian baked meatballs recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Browned on the outside and tender juicy on the inside.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Baked Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, oven baked meatballs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 1332kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 pinch red pepper flakes
4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
3/4 cup whole milk
2 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Serving:

4 cups homemade or commercial tomato basil sauce
2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 475°F (246°C).
Heat olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, until shimmering. Cook onions (1 ½ cups) until golden and very soft, 10-15 minutes.
Add garlic (6 cloves), Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon), and pepper flakes (1 pinch) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside and cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add milk (3/4 cup) and bread (4 slices) and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Mash.
Add cooled onion mixture, ground beef (2 1/2 pounds), sweet Italian sausage (1/2 pound), Parmesan (1 cup), eggs (2), salt (1 1/2 teaspoons), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and knead until ingredients are well combined.
Form mixture into 2 ½ inch meatballs (you should have approximately 16 meatballs), place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until well browned.

For Serving:

Transfer meatballs to the pot of sauce (4 cups) and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta and garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley!

Notes

Onions and Garlic: Our recipe is a little unique and different than most because we sauté our aromatics before adding them to the mixture. Instead of the stronger, pungent smell of raw vegetables, you’ll have a sweeter, mellower, and smoother flavor. This step also helps marry the flavors in the meatballs. The picture below shows you the size I chop my onions.
Meat Combo: The flavor really is in the fat! A combination of fattier meats (80/20) like beef and pork will yield meatballs that are more tender and more flavorful. When making baked meatballs turkey can also be used, but be careful not to overcook them as they can become tough. When seasoned properly, baked turkey meatballs are delicious.
Sausage: Yes, please remove the casing before mixing the sausage in!
Italian Seasoning: Typically consisting of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage, this is the seasoning I use when I want real Italian flavor. And it’s all in one jar. The exact herb combo will vary between manufacturers. This combo also works well when making turkey meatballs baked in the oven. BTW This is one of the most used jars in my spice rack.
Use Two Rimmed Baking Sheets: Don’t crowd the meatballs on the baking sheet – the space between them is important for even cooking and browning. Spread them out so they have a minimum of 2-2.5 inches between them I use two half-sheet baking trays to make this recipe.
Line Your Baking Sheets: When creating this recipe, I once forgot to line my baking sheets and I sure was sorry! Use foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. You can thank me later.
Don’t Overwork the Meat: You just want to knead the mixture until it is well combined so your meatballs aren’t tough. The only tool you need for this is at the end of your arm.

Nutrition