Fast and Easy Baked Italian Meatballs - Thriving Home (2024)

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These moist, flavor-packed Baked Italian Meatballs are a weeknight meal staple in our house. They are done in 40 minutes or less and will make everyone happy. If you prep ahead using our freezing instructions, this meal is even faster!

4 Reasons to Make This Recipe

1. Fast: Perfect for busy weeknights. If you prep them ahead of time, dinner is even quicker!
2. Moist and Delicious: My kids go gah-gah over these and many of them get eaten straight from the sheet pan before they ever make it atop whole wheat spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce or on a Meatball Sub.
3. Freezer-Friendly: This is one of the best meals to double and freeze a batch for later. Use our freezing instructions in the recipe.
4. Less Mess: We skip the messy, greasy method of searing on the stovetop. Just pop these directly in the oven for crispy, perfectly cooked meatballs every time.

Another benefit of this recipe: You likely already have most of the ingredients for these easy, baked meatballs. I’d suggest doubling this recipe, so you can make an extra batch for the freezer.

• Lean ground beef– I use grass-feed, grass-finish ground beef fromButcherBoxfor these but you could also use ground turkey.
• Panko bread crumbs– These Japanese-style bread crumbs are crispy and work well as a binder. You can use store-bought whole wheat or regular Panko breadcrumbs. If you are gluten-free, look for gluten-free Panko.
• Grated Parmesan cheese– This adds saltiness, and savoriness, and acts as a binder in addition to the bread crumbs.
• Egg– Be sure to beat this large egg before adding to the meat mixture.
• Milk – Helps to add moisture. Plain, dairy-free milk works fine.
• Tomato Paste – Adds some extra umami flavor to the meat mixture.
• Garlic powder– I use the powder form so you don’t bite into a chunk of garlic in the meatballs.
• Italian Seasoning – This dried herb blend often includes oregano, rosemary, basil, savory, thyme, marjoram, and sage…and it just smells like Italian food. 🙂
• Salt and pepper– Key to adding the right balance of flavors.

How to Make Italian Baked Meatballs

I promise, this really couldn’t be easier. I also promise that doubling this recipe and freezing one batch for later will be a really good decision. 🙂

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Using clean hands, gently combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Use a medium dough scooper or a spoon to scoop and then roll about 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Line up meatballs on the sheet pan, leaving room between each.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink inside (160°F internal temperature).

Optional: Serve with warm Marinara Sauce or Pesto on the side for dipping, over spaghetti with marinara, or on a Meatball Sub. You could also serve them alongside our Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta.

How to Freeze Meatballs

One of the best parts about this meatball recipe is that it is freezer-friendly. Meatballs work beautifully to assemble and then freeze before baking for a meal down the road.

Below is one way to freeze these meatballs, but sure to read our whole article about Freezing Meatballs: Raw or Cooked for more expert tips.

Freeze For Later:

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and line up the rolled, uncooked meatballs on the pan. Flash freeze uncooked meatballs by placing on the sheet pan (or in a baking dish) in the freezer for about an hour or so.

Once they are frozen, dump the meatballs in a gallon-sized freezer bag, seal, and place in freezer.

Prepare From Frozen:

Thaw meatballs using one of these safe thawing methods. Cook according to instructions.

The beauty of freezing meatballs is that you can now pop out as many as you need for future meals. No need to bake them all at once. These can be a great freezer meal for 1-2 people.

The length of time it takes to bake meatballs can vary depending on the size, the ingredients, and the oven temperature. As a general guideline, 1 1/2-inch round meatballs should be baked at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes. Note: Larger meatballs will likely require additional cooking time, while smaller meatballs may be done a bit quicker.

One way to make sure you bake your meatballs perfectly is to use a meat thermometer. They are done when the internal temperature is at least 165°F (74°C), which is the minimum safe temperature for ground meat according to the USDA.

Baking Italian Meatballs is a simple, healthy, and fast way to make delicious weeknight meals. Your family will love this one!

Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.