Name: Italian Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 2 large eggs; 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs; 2 teaspoons minced onion; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt

TheseItalian Meatballsare juicy, tender, herby, and savory. Made with just four simple ingredients, these homemade meatballs can be served as an impressive appetizer or quick and easy dinner.

This recipe makes tender and crispy restaurant-quality Italian meatballs in just over 30 minutes! All you’ll need to get started is some ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, and a few spices. This easy one bowl recipe will have you wondering why you ever bought frozen meatballs! You can pair these juicy and flavorful Italian-seasoned meatballs with your favorite pasta dish or serve them on their own as a hearty appetizer. Just be sure to garnish them with lots of cheese and have plenty of sauce on hand for dipping!

Italian Meatballs

We Love This Recipe Because It…

Is a one bowl, 30-minute dinner or appetizer.
Can be used as the protein in your favorite pasta dishes or on sandwiches or pizzas.
Is bursting with classic Italian herbs and spices.
Can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer.
It’s such an easy addition to your next potluck orgame day party!

Ingredient Notes

Ground Beef—Acts as the hearty, savory base of these Italian-seasoned meatballs.
Italian Breadcrumbs—Or regular breadcrumbs mixed with an Italian seasoning blend.
Eggs—Helps the meatballs stick together and keep their spherical shape.
Spices—An aromatic and flavorful blend of dried minced onion, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt.

How to Make Classic Italian Meatballs

Use your hands to gently mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, minced onion, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt until well combined.
Shape the meat mixture into balls.
Place the meatballs over the surface of a baking sheet.
Bake until the meatballs are evenly browned and crispy.
Serve over your favorite pasta with plenty of sauce. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Italian meatballs different?

Unlike Swedish or American meatballs, these Italian meatballs are seasoned with classic Italian spices. Each bite of these juicy meatballs is bursting with flavors of basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme—not to mention garlic and onion! You can even add a bit of grated parmesan cheese to these meatballs for some extra Italian flavor.

Do you cook meatballs in sauce or separately?

This recipe calls for you to bake the meatballs separate from any sauce. However, if you’d like to cook these Italian meatballs in some marinara sauce, you absolutely can! To do this, simply brown the outside of your meatballs in a large skillet. Once a bit crispy, add the marinara sauce, cover, and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour.

Is it better to fry or bake Italian meatballs?

I like baking these Italian meatballs because it’s easy, quick, and less messy than pan frying. Although fried meatballs might be slightly juicier than their oven-baked counterparts, these Italian meatballs are still super tender and flavorful. They’re the perfect crispy and chewy addition to sandwiches and pasta dishes!

How to Serve Italian Meatballs

My favorite way to serve these classic Italian meatballs is as an appetizer! Skewer each meatball with a toothpick for easy snacking and be sure to have plenty of marinara, alfredo, and pesto available for dipping. You can also dress up this comfort dish with a garnish of parsley or freshly shredded parmesan cheese. These easy meatballs also make for a delicious addition to classic Italian entrées such as spaghetti, pizza, and sub sandwiches.

Italian meatball ingredients in portion dishes

Storage and Reheating

To Refrigerate:place any leftover Italian meatballs in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze:Allow the meatballs to cool before transferring them to a Ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Allow any frozen meatballs to thaw completely before reheating.

To Make Ahead of Time:Prepare and form the meatballs as normal before placing them on a cookie sheet. Freeze the meatballs for 15-20 minutes or until they’re firm to the touch and can hold their shape. Transfer the meatballs to a Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy some fresh meatballs, pop them back onto a cookie sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes or until no longer pink.

To Reheat:Place any chilled meatballs into the basket of an air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5 minutes or until warmed to your liking. Alternatively, you can reheat these Italian meatballs in the microwave for about 45 seconds.

Expert Tips and Tricks

You’ll know your meatballs are done baking when a thermometer inserted into the thickest one reads 160°F.
Make these Italian-style meatballs even juicier and more flavorful by swapping out half of the ground beef for ground pork or ground Italian sausage.
Don’t have an Italian seasoning mix? You can make your own by combining basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and thyme.
Give these Italian meatballs a sense of freshness by using fresh minced onion and garlic instead of the dried versions.
I recommend using 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef in these meatballs.

baked Italian meatballs on a parchment lined tray

More Recipes

If you’ve tried thisItalian Meatballsrecipe or any other recipe on Rcova, then don’t forget torate the recipeand leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

I can’t wait for you to try theseItalian Meatballs. They are simple, easy and make for a great dinner or side dish. Happy cooking!