Italian Baked Meatballs

This go-to, foolproof basic baked meatballs recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Beautifully browned on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, they are super versatile, with or without sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Baked Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, Spaghetti and Meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings people

Calories 1220kcal

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 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

For Serving:

4 Cups Homemade or Commercial Tomato Basil Sauce
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil or Parsley, Chopped

Instructions

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

For Serving:

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

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