Homemade Meatballs

Our daughter is picky – she used to be less fussy about food, but as she gets bigger, the foods she craves gets smaller – except for these Easy Homemade Meatballs! She loves meatballs so much, this is the one recipe we know she can never turn down!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

Solid Savory Meatballs

These meatballs are simple, and can be baked, pan-fried, or tossed in the slow cooker – and are totally adaptable!

Homemade Meatball Ingredients

To make from scratch meatballs, we will need the following ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef — provides the main meaty base with a tender texture and rich flavor; gives the meatballs structure.
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage — adds fat, moisture, and seasoning; boosts flavor with fennel, herbs, and natural juiciness that keeps the meatballs from drying out.
• ¼ cup onion, minced — adds sweetness, moisture, and aromatic depth as it softens inside the meatballs.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced — brings sharp, savory aroma and classic Italian flavor.
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped — adds freshness, color, and a clean herbal note to balance the richness.
• 2 eggs — act as a binder to hold the meatballs together, adding moisture and helping them stay tender.
• 1½ cups parmesan cheese, grated — adds saltiness, nuttiness, umami, and richness; helps bind the mixture and creates a savory crust as it browns.
• ½ teaspoon sea salt — seasons the meat mixture evenly and enhances the natural flavors.
• ? teaspoon fresh ground black pepper — provides subtle heat and balance.
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes — adds mild heat and complexity; enhances Italian sausage flavor.
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning — provides an herb blend of basil, oregano, and thyme that deepens the Italian profile.
• Salt and pepper to taste — final seasoning adjustment to balance the flavors before forming or cooking the meatballs.

Steps to Make Meatballs from Scratch

Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:

Mix Meat

Mix meat, breadcrumbs, egg, and herbs.

Roll Meatballs

Roll meatballs into circles until meat is used up.

Cook

Start by searing meatballs in a pan with some olive oil, to brown them. Put pan in oven to bake, or transfer to baking sheet to cook.

Toss in Sauce

Add to sauce and cook until sauce is hot and bubbly.

Serve and Enjoy!

Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley, serve, and enjoy!

Kitchen notes

Mix meatballs in large bowl by hand. While it's messier, it is best to mix and form meatballs by hand rather than by spoon or mixer – this is one recipe it is best to get your hands dirty!

Use extra parmesan cheese (grated) in place of bread crumbs for an easy low carb keto meatball recipe. While most meatball recipes call for bread crumbs to be included as a binder, we are using extra grated parmesan for a low carb, gluten free, and keto alternative. Plus it's easier – we always have grated parmesan cheese on hand but almost never have bread crumbs!

Preheat oven fully before adding meatball skillet. After pan frying / browning meatballs, the meatballs need to go right into a hot oven that has been fully preheated to keep them cooking quickly so they don't dry out.

Brown in olive oil. Browning meatballs before baking them gives a rich and good flavor you can't get any other way – heat a little olive oil on medium high heat until shimmery, place meatballs in skillet, and brown on all sides – about 6 minutes. Meat won't be fully cooked – which is fine – as it will continue cooking in the oven. Browning meatballs is essential for the best texture and flavor!

Stuff bits of mozzarella sticks into meatballs for a decadently cheesy meatball surprise! If you'd like an extra cheesy kick from this recipe, cut string cheese mozzarella sticks into 1” bites and wrap meatball around mozzarella.

Prep casserole dish or baking sheet with cooking spray. Making sure your pan is well prepared to be nonstick when baking meatballs in oven will save a lot of time and frustration later!

Finish Meatballs in Marinara Sauce. If you're making traditional meatballs (and not using these in another recipe like our creamy meatball soup) cook your meatballs to done or almost done and then ladle marinara sauce over it and stir to coat.

Keep baking meatballs in marinara sauce until it's piping hot (we also add shredded mozzarella cheese over the meatballs at this time for a cheesy one pot meatball skillet), then serve.

Slow Cooker Meatballs

If you'd like to make these easy meatballs in a slow cooker, instead of browning on the stove and then baking, please follow the directions below:

Cook on High for 3-4 hours; Low for 6-8 hours. Check meatballs as they cook to ensure they don't dry out or burn.

Brown meatballs if possible. While this is an extra step, browning meatballs in a skillet quickly before adding to a slow cooker will help keep the meatballs from cooking together, and give it a lovely rich and meaty flavor from browning in the pan first.

Cook to almost done, then add sauce. Don't add the sauce right away – or it will become oily and will likely separate a bit and over-reduce. Cook meatballs to done or almost done and then add sauce, letting sauce get to piping hot, before serving.

Add ½ cup beef stock for extra flavor and juicy, moist meatballs from the slow cooker (optional).

Serve it with

If you're looking for good easy ideas to serve with these baked meatballs, check some of our favorite recipes that pair perfectly alongside these meatballs! Also try 10 Minute Broccolini RecipeEasy No Knead Breadand The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus Recipe.

Also try The Best One Pot Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe Ever Creamy One Pot Chicken StroganoffOne Pot Creamy Meatball SoupOne Pot Cheesy Taco Skilletand Easy One Pot Authentic Hungarian Goulash.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, eggs and cheese to a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle meat mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Mix with your hands until combined.
5. Form into 1 or 2 inch meatballs – this recipe will make about 25 meatballs.
6. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large heavy pan and heat until shimmery.
7. Add meatballs and brown lightly on each side, about 6 minutes total.
8. While meatballs are browning, lightly grease a baking sheet.
9. Bake meatballs until slightly reduced with an internal temperature of 165 degrees approximately 20 minutes.
10. Add marinara sauce over dish with meatballs and continue cooking until piping hot.
11. Serve over spaghetti, over vegetables, over rice, or alongside vegetables.