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Easy Baked Meatballs

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These Easy Baked Meatballs come together in just 10 minutes and then are baked to perfection in the oven.  No oil splatters or manning a frying pan required! #meatballs #beeffoodrecipes #beef #easyrecipe #baked #easydinner

These Easy Baked Meatballs come together in just 10 minutes and then are baked to perfection in the oven.  No oil splatters or manning a frying pan required!  

A white casserole dish of Easy Baked Meatballs with a serving spoon and fork.

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Original content posted September 2014.  Updated December 2020.

These Easy Baked Meatballs are a family oldie but a goodie that I’m finally getting around to sharing with you.  Shame on me!  Hopefully you won’t hold it against me but start making them for your own family instead!  

I looked in the binder I wrote this recipe originally in and apparently we’ve been enjoying these since 2003.  Proof that they’re most definitely a keeper!

Easy Baked Meatballs in a white dish rest on a grey napkin with two glasses of wine.

We’re quite the meatball loving family.  You can often find on our weekly menu my Slow Cooker Thai Chili Peanut Meatballs, my childhood favorite Porcupine Meatballs and even these kid friendly Peanut Butter Pasta and Jelly Meatballs.

Bu these Easy Baked Meatballs?  They’re the real deal!  We actually enjoy them so much that they’ve become our traditional Christmas dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.  Everyone loves them, they can be prepped ahead of time and they allow us to enjoy the day together rather than worrying about cooking an elaborate meal.

WINNING.

A close up view of an Easy Baked Meatball.

Can You Bake Meatballs?

Absolutely!  What puts the easy in these Easy Baked Meatballs?  First, I’m taking the less messy way of mixing the ingredients by taking them for a short spin in the bowl of my electric mixer.  By doing this, all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly but more importantly, they aren’t over mixed.  

Second, forget the frying!  By baking these meatballs instead of frying them, there is no spattering mess created and each and every meatball is cooked evenly.  Have I convinced you yet?

A casserole dish of Easy Baked Meatballs garnished with parsley with a serving fork and spoon.

How Do You Keep Meatballs Moist?

Ready to make these Easy Baked Meatballs?  You’ll want to insure that you follow a few guidelines to make sure your meatballs are moist and delicious instead of dry and disgusting.

Select the right meat.  This isn’t the time to use a lean type of ground meat.  Fattier meats will yield a tender and more moist meatball.  I like to use 85/15 labeled ground beef.  This means that the beef is 85% lean and 15% fat.

Keep your meatball mixture cold.  Don’t dilly dally while forming the meatballs, the warmer the mixture becomes, the less moist your meatballs will be.

Be gentle!  Don’t overwork the meat mixture when mixing or when forming the meatballs themselves.  The less handling they receive, the better.

Bake.  And of course, instead of frying, bake your meatballs instead!

How to create Easy Baked Meatballs, steps 1-4.

How to Bake Meatballs

[1]  In the bowl of an electric mixer, add all ingredients.

[2]  Using a paddle attachment, mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

TIP:  You want to mix only until you no longer see any dry ingredients.  Over mixing will result in tough meatballs – YUCK!

[3]  Using a medium cookie scoop, form meatballs.

TIP:  Using a cookie scoop will insure all of your meatballs are of a uniform size and cook evenly.

[4]  Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

TIP: I love to use these precut parchment sheets when I’m baking to make my time in the kitchen super easy and less messy.

A white dish of Easy Baked Meatballs garnished with parsley and resting on a grey napkin.

Can Baked Meatballs Be Frozen?

These Easy Baked Meatballs also freeze well and are awesome to have on hand for a quick and easy meal.  Simply prepare and bake as directed.  Let cool completely and then store in a zip top bag in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy.  They simply need to warm through and they’re ready to go!

Preparing these meatballs ahead of time means you’ve got a jumpstart on dinner like my Meatball Pizza Soup and Four Cheese Meatball and Sweet Pepper Lasagna.  A great way to meal prep!

Easy Baked Meatballs in a white dish.

If you’ve tried these Easy Baked Meatballs or any other recipe on Melanie Makes, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  I love hearing from you and respond to each and every comment! 

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Easy Baked Meatballs | Melanie Makes
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4.79 from 14 votes

Easy Baked Meatballs

These Easy Baked Meatballs come together in just 10 minutes and then are baked to perfection in the oven. No oil splatters or manning a frying pan required!  
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 28 meatballs
Calories: 91kcal
Author: Melanie Bauer | Melanie Makes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, add all ingredients.
  • Using a paddle attachment, mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
    TIP:  You want to mix only until you no longer see any dry ingredients.  Over mixing will result in tough meatballs - YUCK!
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, form meatballs.
    TIP:  Using a cookie scoop will insure all of your meatballs are of a uniform size and cook evenly.
  • Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
    TIP: I love to use these precut parchment sheets when I’m baking to make my time in the kitchen super easy and less messy.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 96mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.7mg

 

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Comments

  10. Karen says

    I always bake my meatballs, as you said, less mess! I am going to try your recipe using marjoram. It sound like it will make them even more delicious.
    Reply

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