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    Home » Main Dishes

    Oven Baked Meatballs

    Published: Sep 5, 2021 · Modified: Mar 22, 2022 by Ashley · As an Amazon affiliate, this post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    These Oven Baked Meatballs are packed with flavor & SO versatile, making them perfect for a variety of dishes. They come together in 30 minutes and are freezer-friendly. Bonus: they have some veggies hidden inside!
    Oven Baked Meatballs on a white plate
    Like many parents, I'm always looking for way to get my kids to eat more vegetables. It seems no matter how I prepare them or what I top them with, my kids won't touch a veggie with a ten-foot pole. My favorite way to get some extra veggies in is to sneak them in recipes like this, so they don't even know they are eating them! Mwah-ha-ha!
     
    With two kids in school this year and the general busyness of life, I'm also in need of recipes that help me get dinner on the table fast. These Oven Baked Meatballs are a quick & delicious recipe and also make a great freezer staple to create a variety of dishes!

    How to Make Oven Baked Meatballs

    The ingredients you'll need for Oven Baked Meatballs include:

    • Beef & pork - I love using a combo of beef and pork in meatball recipes as well as meatloaf. The combo creates a great flavor and keeps the meatballs moist. 
    • Veggies - carrot, celery & onion. These veggies are ground up in a food processor making them indistinguishable to little eyes. The veggies add great flavor and also help keep the meatballs moist.
    • Seasonings - salt, pepper & garlic powder. I don't add any other special seasonings as I want these meatballs to be versatile for a variety of dishes.
    • Binders - eggs & plain bread crumbs help hold the meatball mixture together. 
      • Want to make Italian meatballs? Use Italian seasoned bread crumbs instead of plain!
    • Milk - for extra moisture
    • Glass bowl with separate meatball ingredients
    • Raw meatball mixture in a glass bowl with spatula

    Making the meatballs is simple. Just combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I've found the best kitchen tool for mixing the meatball mixture is a pair of clean hands. This allows to you get everything combined really well. There is such a thing as overmixing meatballs, so you want to mix them just until everything is combined. 

    Form meatballs into 1-½ inch balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet (makes clean up a cinch!). Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

    Raw meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet

    What To Serve With Oven Baked Meatballs

    Almost any recipe that you'd use a meatball in will work perfectly with these Oven Baked Meatballs! Some ideas include:

    • Spaghetti & meatballs
    • Meatball subs
    • Swedish meatballs
    • BBQ meatballs
    • Sweet & Sour meatballs

    I just love the versatility of these meatballs!

    Oven Baked Meatballs in a white dish

    How To Freeze

    This Oven Baked Meatball recipe yields 48 meatballs, which unless you have a large family, will be more than enough for one meal. I love freezing any extras to use at a another time. I also like to make a full batch to freeze in portions for a great freezer staple. 

    To freeze the meatballs, make sure they cooled completely. Then place the meatballs on a new parchment lined baking sheet and pop it in the freezer. Once the meatballs are frozen solid, remove them from the baking sheet and portion them into freezer bags for storage. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

    To reheat, place meatballs in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the batch. You want to just heat the meatballs through (to 165 degrees) without drying them out so keep an eye on them. If you are using the meatballs in a sauce of gravy, it works best to reheat them on the stovetop in a saucepan along with the sauce.  This ensures they stay nice and moist. 

    Oven Baked Meatballs piled in a white dish

     

    Other freezer-friendly recipes:

    Porketta Roast

    Crispy Baked Ravioli

    Slow Cooker BBQ Ranch Chicken

    Baked French Toast Sticks

    Italian Egg Rolls

     

    Be sure to follow The Darling Apron on Facebook & Instagram along with what I’m pinning on Pinterest!

     

    Have you made one of my recipes? I’d love your feedback on the comment box and star rating below the recipe!

     

    Oven Baked Meatballs on a white plate
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    Oven Baked Meatballs

    These Oven Baked Meatballs are packed with flavor & SO versatile, making them perfect for a variety of dishes. They come together in 30 minutes and are freezer-friendly. Bonus: they have some veggies hidden inside!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Keyword: baked meatballs, meatballs, oven baked meatballs
    Servings: 48 meatballs
    Author: Ashley Leonard

    Ingredients

    • 1 # ground beef
    • 1 # ground pork
    • 1 carrot
    • 1 celery stalk
    • ½ onion
    • 2 tsp. salt
    • 1 tsp. black pepper
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup plain bread crumbs
    • 2 eggs beaten
    • ⅓ cup milk

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grind carrot, celery and onion in a food processor. Add to a large mixing bowl.
    • Add the remaining meatball ingredients using a wooden spoon or your clean hands. Mix until just combined.
    • Form meatballs into 1-½ inch balls (a #30 scoop works great) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Bake meatballs 18-20 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

    Helpful Equipment & Ingredient Links

    Sheet Pan
    Cookie Scoop

    Notes

    To freeze, place cooled meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, move the meatballs to a freezer bag for storage. 

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    Welcome to The Darling Apron! I'm a wife, mom, & chai tea latte lover who uses food as her love language. I believe some of life's best moments happen when gathered around the kitchen table. Whether making time-honored family recipes or developing new favorites, I love creating memories through delicious food. I hope this space inspires you to do the same!

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