We stripped a classic homemade meatball recipe down to its beefy core to create an easy recipe fast enough for a post-work dinner. You can use any ground meat you like; we opted for classic beef, but ground pork, ground lamb, ground turkey, or ground chicken (dark meat for the poultry, please) all work well. Roasting the meatballs in the oven instead of frying them on a stovetop reduces the active cook time and makes cleanup simple—just be sure to stick with larger meatballs as the size allows the meat to brown without overcooking.
Homemade marinara sauce is welcome and doesn’t have to take long (this one comes together in about 30 minutes), but there’s no shame in good store-bought spaghetti sauce (and it certainly cuts down on prep time). Look for jars without added sugar but with olive oil, like Rao’s, which many BA staffers keep in the pantry. Either way, finishing the dish with fresh basil and Parmesan is smart.
Serve these juicy cooked meatballs as a main dish with a good loaf of bread and a big green salad—or grab a hoagie roll and make Italian meatball subs. Craving a big pasta dinner on a leisurely Sunday? Make a full spread with spaghetti, garlic confit toast, and a crunchy deli-inspired iceberg salad.
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
3
2
1½
½
1½
1
1
2
1
Preparation
Step 1
Place rack in top third of oven; preheat oven to 425°. Lightly brush a large rimmed baking sheet with extra-virgin olive oil. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, vigorously stir 2 large eggs, 1½ cup (102 g) panko, ½ cup whole milk, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. oregano, 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), remaining 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and several cranks of freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl until nearly a smooth paste. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Mix in a quarter of 1 lb. ground beef (20% fat) or other ground meat (combining just a small amount of meat first makes it easier to incorporate the rest without overmixing). Add remaining ground beef and mix well to thoroughly combine, but don’t overwork it. Using oiled hands, divide meat mixture into eighths; form into 8 large meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet.
Step 2
Bake meatballs until well-browned underneath, about 15 minutes. Using a stiff metal spatula, pry up and turn over meatballs (they may want to stick a bit). Bake until browned on second side and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each one registers 160°, 5–7 minutes.
Step 3
Divide meatballs among plates and spoon warm tomato sauce over. Top with torn basil leaves and more Parmesan.
Do Ahead: Meatballs can be baked 3 days ahead. Cool, then chill; reheat in an oven set to 325° or simmer in sauce until warmed through, 10–15 minutes.
Editor’s note: This meatball recipe was first printed in our September 2020 issue as “Weeknight Meatballs.” Head this way for more of our best Italian recipes →
Leave a Review
Reviews (128)
Back to TopI used Italian sausage and ground beef. A lot more flavor!
Connie
Hammond, Indiana
3/24/2024
we ate these... and they were giving nothing at all
Anonymous
chicago
3/22/2024
I made these last night and found them to be pretty bad. I reduced the panko to one cup and I thought the texture was good - soft and fluffy but not too bready. But they are almost entirely flavorless. I should have fried a little test ball first but I figured all these positive reviews can't be wrong. Lesson learned. I think I can salvage the leftovers by cubing them and frying them in butter with some onions and maybe some Worcestershire before adding marinara.
Nancy
Minnesota
2/16/2024
Easy and yum yum!
Anonymous
Savannah, Georgia
2/13/2024
For those of you who used less panko did you also use less milk?
Glenn Fulton
Tampa, Florida
2/13/2024
Enjoyed trying this recipe. May use some of the suggestions below next time for less panko, more parm, and more seasoning. I like smaller meatballs, so made mine about 27/28 grams each. I cooked them in batches in my air fryer. Spray them with cooking spray, cook at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes, turn and cook 5-6 minutes more. Nice and crisp on the outside, moist on the inside.
Valerie
Catasauqua, PA
2/9/2024
This recipe will feature heavily in our favorite meals as a family. It was so easy, quick, and delicious. I only veered from the recipe by adding fresh parsley to the mixture, and I somehow forgot the cheese - didn't matter!
EmJemAnt
Brooklyn, NY
2/6/2024