• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Auntie's Favorites
  • Holidays
    • New Year's
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Subscribe

Crinkled Cookbook logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Everyday Meals

    Modified: Jul 21, 2023 · Published: Jul 19, 2020 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Baked Meatballs

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Baked Meatballs are the perfect, made-from-scratch meatballs. Just combine a few simple ingredients for a meatball as good as any you'll find in a restaurant. The best part of all, they bake in fewer than 30 minutes. Serve with a big plate of pasta and plenty of Sunday Gravy spaghetti sauce

    Meatballs on top spaghetti and sauce, with cheese garnish.
    The most perfect pairing right there! Meatballs on top of spaghetti. Dig in.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients to Have on Hand
    • Blend Meat with Eggs
    • Recipe FAQ
    • Shape the Meatballs
    • Made from Scratch and Fast
    • Homemade Red Sauce
    • Recipes with Beef
    • More Dinner Ideas
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • ground beef, pork and veal
    • parmesan cheese
    • dried parsley
    • eggs
    • french bread - one slice

    Ground veal is just an option, but it gives the meatballs exceptional flavor. The meatballs are also delicious using equal portions of ground beef and ground pork.

    This meat combination is similar to my recipe for No-Ketchup Meatloaf, which includes many options and combinations for ground meat.

    Cooked meatballs on a baking sheet.
    Sizzling hot and oven-baked, these meatballs are the perfect addition to your favorite red sauce.

    Blend Meat with Eggs

    I use one egg and one egg white to help tighten up the meatballs, but you can use two whole eggs and have very similar results.

    I just like the lighter texture that comes from using an egg white rather than two eggs.

    Raw ingredients in a bowl.
    The perfect mix of meats, a little cheese and spices. Maybe I should rename these, easy meatballs.

    Recipe FAQ

    How do you make meatballs so they don't fall apart?

    We can thank the slice of French bread that we crumble into the meat for holding it all together.

    That along with the eggs (one whole and one egg white) help bind the meat together so your homemade meatball maintains its shape and distinctive texture.

    A scoop of raw meat, using an ice cream scoop
    Make all of the meatballs the same size. It's easy to do using an ice cream scoop. I find making each meatball about the size of a golf ball is just about perfect.

    Shape the Meatballs

    It's important that your homemade meatballs are the same size, remember we'll be baking them in the oven and we want them all cooked at the same time.

    Pro Tip: I recommend using an ice cream scoop to scoop up the ground meat for each meatball. About the size of a golf ball is perfect.

    Twelve baked meatballs on a pan
    Bake the meatballs on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. I've tried using aluminum foil, but find the parchment paper makes for an easier clean-up.

    Made from Scratch and Fast

    It's easy to think that made-from-scratch meatballs are too much work but be assured these are so easy.

    These cook fast, in less than 30 minutes and bring out the best in your favorite red sauce, even jarred and store-bought!

    Homemade Red Sauce

    Speaking of red sauce, I think you'll love my scratch-made Tomato-Cream Sauce. It comes together really fast and is stellar with this meatball recipe.

    Meatballs on top spaghetti and sauce, with cheese garnish.
    The most perfect pairing right there! Meatballs on top of spaghetti. Dig in.

    Recipes with Beef

    If you are hungry for beef, here are a few more recipes I think you'll love.

    • Baked lazy lasagna with mozzarella cheese on top.
      Lazy Lasagna
    • A gravy bowl full of gravy with a serving spoon.
      Better Than Bouillon Gravy Recipe (Make-Ahead)
    • A pan of baked cheeseburger sliders on a baking sheet.
      Cheeseburger Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
    • Half of a French Taco held over a plate.
      French Tacos

    More Dinner Ideas

    Here are more ideas for scratch-made, fast dinners. Just like Baked Meatballs, these recipes are on the table in an hour or less:

    • Quick Cheeseburger Pie
    • Skillet Chicken Tacos
    • Baked Beef Burritos

    If you tried Baked Meatballs or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe

    Meatballs on top spaghetti and sauce, with cheese garnish.

    Baked Meatballs

    Easy to fix and baked in the oven - these are the perfect meatballs for your favorite red sauce, or any sauce.
    4.98 from 45 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 329kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • ¾ lb ground beef
    • ¾ lb ground pork
    • ¾ lb ground veal
    • ⅛ cup dried parsley
    • 1 slice french bread - torn into small pieces, no crust (any white bread works fine)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg
    • 1 egg white
    • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 425°. Mix ingredients together, use an ice cream scoop to create equal-sized meatballs. Place on parchment lined pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until browned and sizzling. Serve in pasta bowls and enjoy the rave reviews.
    • Makes 18-20 meatballs.

    Notes

    I use one egg and one egg white to help tighten up the meatballs, but you can use two whole eggs and have very similar results. I just personally prefer the lighter texture that comes from using an egg white rather than two eggs. For a unique and delicious flavor combination, serve baked meatballs with Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.
    Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 26gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 551mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 129IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 2mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

    More Everyday Meals

    • Pasta topped with white clam sauce on a plate.
      Easy White Clam Sauce
    • Yukon gold mashed potatoes in a bowl.
      Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
    • A serving of spring roll in a bowl on a table outdoors with two forks and a plate.
      Spring Roll in a Bowl
    • A serving of spicy peanut noodles on a plate with peanuts, onion and cilantro.
      Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

    Looking for something?

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.98 from 45 votes (40 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Jeri says

      June 30, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      These meatballs were so easy to make in the oven! My usual meatball recipe is so boring compared to this one! The veal added great flavor, as did the parmesan cheese! My family gobbled them right up, no leftovers! This will be my new go-to meatball recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Nora says

      June 30, 2021 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! It was perfect! Can't wait to make them again! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Amy says

      June 29, 2021 at 11:37 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious recipe! I usually only make meatballs with ground beef but never tried veal. What a great idea and totally agree it was so full of flavour! Got my butcher to mince it up for me and was fantastic. Not sure I can go back to beef and pork anymore!

      Reply
    4. Jeannie says

      June 29, 2021 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      I've never tried this before with pasta, great idea! Something to add with weekly meal prep.

      Reply
    5. Freya says

      June 29, 2021 at 11:21 pm

      5 stars
      Yum, homemade meatballs always remind me of my grandma, it was one of her favourite things to make. Your recipe was so delicious!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Melinda in the kitchen holding a plate of chocolate cake slices.

    Let's dig in!

    I'm Melinda, a self-taught recipe developer from the Pacific Northwest. My recipes have been featured on MSN, Fox News and beyond. But the best part is, I get to share them all here with you!

    Here's My Story

    Summer Recipes

    • A serving of tiramisu cake on a plate with a fork.
      Tiramisu Cake for Dessert
    • Baked beans, franks and pineapple pieces in a baking dish with a spoon.
      Easy Franks and Beans
    • A small bowl of shrimp cocktail with lettuce, lemon, celery and avocado.
      Shrimp Cocktail Cups
    • A bowl of pickle salsa with a tortilla chip on top.
      Pickle de Gallo Recipe
    Logos of media outlets where Melinda has been featured.

    Trending Recipes

    • A large spoon dishing up a serving a chicken spaghetti from a baking dish.
      Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel and Velveeta
    • Salmon patties on a plate with onion and a lemon wedge.
      Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe
    • Blue cheese crumbles on top of blended ingredients.
      Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
    • A piece of smoked salmon on the grill.
      Smoked Salmon on a Pellet Grill

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Meet Melinda

    Contact

    • Sign up for emails and recipes!
    • Contact

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy & Terms
    • Comment Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2019 - 2025 Crinkled Cookbook LLC

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • X

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.