Description
These Baked Italian Meatballs are a classic, delicious family-friendly recipe featuring lean ground beef mixed with savory Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese. Baked to perfection, they're quick to prepare and perfect served with your favorite pasta sauce and noodles or zucchini noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 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
For Serving and Garnish
- Any favorite pasta sauce
- Cooked pasta or zucchini noodles
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
- Optional: additional grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400℉ and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together the lean ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, minced onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 12 golf-ball-sized meatballs using your hands or a cookie scoop for uniform size and even cooking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the formed meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, ensuring they are spaced evenly.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉ indicating they are fully cooked.
- Optional – Simmer in Sauce: While the meatballs are baking, heat your choice of pasta sauce in a skillet over medium heat. Once baked, transfer the meatballs to the sauce and gently toss to coat and heat through.
- Serve: Garnish the meatballs with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve over cooked pasta or zucchini noodles for a complete meal.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This recipe yields 12 meatballs, perfect for meal prep or feeding a family of four.
- You can substitute crushed crackers with your preferred breadcrumbs.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free crackers or breadcrumbs.
- Mix meatball ingredients gently to avoid tough meatballs.
- To reheat leftovers, warm gently in pasta sauce over medium heat to keep them moist.
- Adding fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese enhances flavor and presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 239 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 594 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
