How to Bake Meatballs
You’ll love this little trick for how to bake meatballs that are just as crispy and amazing as pan fried.
There’s something familiar and happy about making meatballs. They don’t call them comfort food for nothing, right? Baking flavorful meatballs is on today’s to-do list but there are a few important things you need to know before we get started so make sure you check out this post on how to make meatballs for those tips. Once you follow the steps for making and shaping the (very best) meatballs, we’ll show you how to bake the best meatballs.
How to Bake Perfect Meatballs
Pop them in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 400°F, then broil them for another 5-10 minutes to make sure they get that deliciously crispy crust like pan frying gives them. Baking them gives the meatballs a little more flavor without additional oil since you are searing the outside under the broiler in your oven. Just make sure you bake them on a really heavy-duty baking sheet like this one.
Bonus Tip: After you add the salt and pepper and mix, take a bit of the mixture (like the size of a quarter) and put it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it until no longer pink, about 20-30 seconds. Taste it to find out if you have enough seasoning in your mixture.
Meal Prep Meatballs
I like to bake extra batches of meatballs and freeze them in resealable bags once they’ve cooled. They’ll keep for up to six months which means your family can satisfy that meatball craving any time, any day with very little work. Spaghetti and Meatballs, Meatball Subs, you’ll be ready for anything.
How to Bake Meatballs
You’ll love this little trick for making baked meatballs just as crispy and amazing as pan fried.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 15 meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In bowl, combine ground meats, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until no longer pink inside, about 18-20 minutes.
- Turn on the broiler. Place the pan of meatballs 6-8 inches from the heat source and broil until brown and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Flip and brown the other side also. Remove from oven.
This post originally appeared in January 2018 and was revised and republished in January 2021.
I want to know if you bake the meatballs in your oven wi) it splatter grease thru out your oven
No, Sam, this shouldn’t make a mess of the oven.
I’m sorry, but my nonna would never bake meatballs!
While I’ve tasted good baked meatballs, there’s a sear you don’t get unless you fry them in some olive oil. Grandma knew best, if she remembered to tell you in English.
★★★
We love pan fried meatballs too, Marie! That’s how we show how to prepare them in this post – https://thecookful.com/how-to-make-meatballs/ Sometimes people need a more hands off approach though, especially if they need to make large quantities which is why we show how to bake them as well.