Description
This Baked Italian Meatballs recipe is a delicious and easy-to-make dish featuring lean ground beef combined with Italian seasonings, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs, baked to perfection. Perfectly moist and flavorful, these meatballs can be served with your favorite pasta sauce over traditional noodles or low-carb zucchini noodles for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Mixture
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk (2%)
- ½ cup crushed crackers or breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Garnish & Serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Additional grated Parmesan cheese
- Any favorite pasta sauce
- Cooked pasta or zucchini noodles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for baking.
- Mix Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, minced onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Form Meatballs: Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs, roughly the size of a golf ball, to ensure even cooking.
- Arrange Meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet to allow proper heat distribution during baking.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉, indicating they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Remove from Oven: Carefully take the meatballs out of the oven once done and let them rest for a moment.
- Optional Sauce Toss: Optional – heat your preferred pasta sauce in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and gently toss to coat, heating through for a few minutes.
- Serve: Garnish the meatballs with chopped fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese, then serve over cooked pasta or zucchini noodles for a balanced and comforting meal.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
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Notes
- Using lean ground beef helps reduce excess fat for a healthier meal.
- You can substitute crushed crackers with breadcrumbs or gluten-free alternatives if preferred.
- Ensure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165℉ for safe consumption.
- Optional tossing in warmed sauce adds extra moisture and flavor.
- For a low-carb option, serve with zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
- Leftovers can be reheated gently in a skillet with additional sauce to keep them moist.
Keywords: Baked Italian Meatballs, Italian meatball recipe, easy meatballs, baked meatballs, pork-free meatballs, pasta meatballs