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!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Homemade Meatballs, How to Make Meatballs, Meatball Recipe, Meatballs Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings 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).

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