Learn how to make homemade meatballs from scratch with this simple recipe! This recipe is gluten-free and can be made with beef, pork, or Italian sausage. No matter what, these meatballs are a winner!
Batch-cooking food and having it on hand in the freezer is one of the ways that I save money on our food budget. Instead of buying pre-made meatballs that are ready to heat, I spend less than an hour to have 50 homemade meatballs in the freezer!
We like to serve these with homemade pasta and our roasted tomato sauce turned into pasta sauce!
Best Tips for the Perfect Meatballs Recipe
If you've never made meatballs before, rest assured, this recipe is so simple! But there are a few things that I like to do to take the finished meatballs to the next level.
- Choose the Right Meat - I use ground beef most frequently, as we raise our own beef and that's what we have on hand. However, you can also use pork, Italian sausage, or a mix of meats. A popular combination is beef, pork, and veal, known as "meatloaf mix" in many grocery stores. The beef provides a strong flavor, the pork adds fat and tenderness, and the veal offers a delicate texture!
- Mix Gently - When combining your ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs, so just mix until your ingredients are combined. This will ensure that your meatballs are tender and light.
- Browning - Before adding them to your sauce, brown the meatballs on all sides. This step adds a depth of flavor and texture to the meatballs that you can’t get from just simmering them in sauce. I like to pan-sear them in a skillet before I finish cooking them in the sauce to let them absorb all those delicious flavors. This can be done on the stove top, or in the oven (which is what I prefer).
Making Homemade Meatballs From Scratch
Now it's time to take a quick look at the ingredients for this simple recipe and then pull them all together for the final dish! I love making this recipe and I hope you will too!
- Meat - Again, we most often use beef because that's what we have on hand. But you can use Italian sausage, pork, or even a mix of meats! Using a high-fat meat will make a more flavorful and tender meatball though, so keep that in mind.
- Seasonings - We keep it simple with salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning. You can also add fennel if you want, I like to do that when I want more of an Italian sausage taste using only beef or pork.
- Egg - Since this recipe is gluten-free, egg is the only filler. You can omit this completely for a wonderful meatball if needed, but adding it does give a lighter texture!
- Onion - A finely diced white onion adds a rich depth of flavor and I highly recommend adding it if you can. If you want to use dried onion instead, you certainly can!
- Sauce - To finish this recipe, you'll need about 16 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce. That might be a homemade sauce or a store-bought sauce. Either way, make sure you have a jar on hand!
See how simple that is! Now let's turn those ingredients into meatballs!
- Mix - Gently combine the ingredients EXCEPT the sauce and butter in a medium bowl. I like to use my hands for best mixing, but you can use a spoon instead if you want! Just don't overmix.
- Form - I like to make 16 meatballs with this recipe for a medium meatball. However, you can also make 10 or 12 depending on the size you want the finished meatball to be. Form however many meatballs you want and roll them to form smooth balls.
- Brown - In a hot skillet with a little butter or oil of your choice, brown the meatballs on all sides.
- Cook - Remove the meatballs from the skillet and place them in an oven-safe dish. Pour your favorite pasta sauce over the top, cover, and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.
- Serve - At this point, your meatballs are ready! You can serve them right away, or freeze them for later.
- Freeze (optional) - If you're going to freeze them, line a baking dish with wax paper and place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on the tray. Freeze until hard and then place in a freezer bag for later.
- Reheat (optional) - To reheat from frozen, place your desired number of meatballs in a skillet with some butter or oil and heat until warm. You can also heat them in the microwave for a few minutes, or in the oven in a dish of sauce!
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Keep your freezer stocked with these recipes for easy meals any time!
Classic Meatball Recipe
Learn how to make homemade meatballs from scratch with this simple recipe! This recipe is gluten-free and can be made with beef, pork, or Italian sausage. No matter what, these meatballs are a winner!
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Servings: 4 servings (4 meatballs)
Calories: 390kcal
Cost: $10
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or meat of choice
- 1/4 cup white onion finely diced
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter or oil of choice
- 16 oz pasta sauce
Instructions
- Gently combine all ingredients EXPECT sauce and butter in a medium bowl. I like to use my hands for best mixing, but you can use a spoon instead if you want! Just don't overmix.
- Form however many meatballs you want and roll them to form smooth balls. I like to make 16 meatballs with this recipe for a medium meatball. However, you can also make 10 or 12 depending on the size you want the finished meatball to be.
- In a hot skillet with a little butter or oil of your choice, brown the meatballs on all sides.
- Remove the meatballs from the skillet and place them in an oven-safe dish. Pour your favorite pasta sauce over the top, cover, and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.
- At this point, your meatballs are ready! You can serve them right away, or freeze them for later.
- If you're going to freeze them, line a baking dish with wax paper and place the cooked meatballs in a single layer on the tray. Freeze until hard and then place in a freezer bag for later.
- To reheat from frozen, place your desired number of meatballs in a skillet with some butter or oil and heat until warm. You can also heat them in the microwave for a few minutes, or in the oven in a dish of sauce!
Notes
Best Tips For The Perfect Meatballs Recipe
If you've never made meatballs before, rest assured, this recipe is so simple! But there are a few things that I like to do to take the finished meatballs to the next level.- Choose the Right Meat - I use ground beef most frequently, as we raise our own beef and that's what we have on hand. However, you can also use pork, Italian sausage, or a mix of meats. A popular combination is beef, pork, and veal, known as "meatloaf mix" in many grocery stores. The beef provides a strong flavor, the pork adds fat and tenderness, and the veal offers a delicate texture!
- Mix Gently - When combining your ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs, so just mix until your ingredients are combined. This will ensure that your meatballs are tender and light.
- Browning - Before adding them to your sauce, brown the meatballs on all sides. This step adds a depth of flavor and texture to the meatballs that you can’t get from just simmering them in sauce. I like to pan-sear them in a skillet before I finish cooking them in the sauce to let them absorb all those delicious flavors. This can be done on the stove top, or in the oven (which is what I prefer).
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Classic Meatball Recipe
Amount Per Serving (4 meatballs)
Calories 390
Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Trans Fat 2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 12g
Cholesterol 136mg45%
Sodium 1256mg55%
Potassium 697mg20%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 748IU15%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 69mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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I believe that choosing the right meat, to me, means something with an 80/20 or 86/14 mix because to make a meatball taste perfect, it must have a bit of fat. I used to buy a whole cow, raise it and have it butchered but we moved and I haven’t gone back yet. I also feel that if it’s an organic meat you will not get the flavor like you will from a store bought brand. I’ve been making meatballs for 50+ years and made up the recipe myself all those years ago and almost everyone that eats them seriously tells me these should be marketed. I just don’t feel that if these were made in mass quantities that the quality would be there so I’ve never pursued it.
Your meatballs are much different than what I make but I have to say, I’m intrigued and I am going to give them a try. They absolutely look yummy and I’m excited to give it go!
This recipe looks great, and I’m planning making it, however, where you say 1 tsp garlic, is that minced garlic, or garlic powder, or garlic salt? I never assume in a recipe. Thanks!
Oh, thanks for asking! I’ll clarify that in the recipe now. I use garlic powder. Thanks for pointing that out!