Oven Baked Meatballs
These large, moist, and flavorful meatballs are oven-baked, making them easier and less messy than fried meatballs. Double or triple this baked meatballs recipe to keep a stash in the freezer for last-minute meals.
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread broken into small pieces
- 1 TB milk
- 1 TB olive oil
- 1 medium onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound ground beef I used a 85/15 beef
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 eggs. beaten
- 1 TB dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C)
- Saute onions in 1 TB of olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat to cool.
- Soak bread in milk until it is soft, 4-5 minutes. Stir it so that all the pieces of bread are moist.
- To a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, cooled onions and garlic, soaked bread, fresh parsley, dried oregano, ricotta, and parmesan.
- I find it's easier and more efficient (if not a bit yucky) to mix all the ingredients with my hands. Feel free to put on a pair of CLEAN rubber gloves if you are squeamish that way! Mix until JUST COMBINED. The more you mix, the tougher and more compact your meatballs will be.
- Once thoroughly mixed, form meatballs and place on a parchment paper lined, rimmed baking sheet. We like our meatballs big, so I make them about 3", but you can make whatever size you want. The cooking time is for the 3", so if you make them smaller, check them 10 minutes earlier.
- Bake meatballs for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160°F (71°C). It is better to undercook than overcook if you will be adding your meatballs to cooking marinara sauce. (see note for instructions to fry your meatballs)
- Serve on a plate with Marinara Sauce, Parmesan Cheese, and a big hunk of Crusty Bread!
Notes
How to Fry Your Meatballs:
Follow the recipe through step 6. Then:
- In a large skillet or frying pan, pour in enough olive oil (or a mix of olive oil and a neutral oil like canola or vegetable) to cover the bottom by about a quarter-inch.
- Heat the oil over medium heat. To test if the oil is hot enough, you can drop a tiny piece of the meat mixture into the pan. If it sizzles upon contact, the oil is ready.
- Carefully place a few meatballs into the hot oil, ensuring they’re not crowded. Crowding can lower the oil’s temperature and result in uneven cooking.
- Fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally with tongs, until they’re browned on all sides. For 3-inch meatballs, this should take about 5-7 minutes per batch. A splatter guard is a very helpful tool when frying.
- Because of their size, after browning, you can reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid. Let them cook for an additional 10-12 minutes to ensure they’re cooked through.
- Alternatively, you can transfer the browned meatballs to a baking dish and finish cooking them in a 375°F oven for about 10-15 minutes.
- The most accurate way to ensure they’re done is by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read at least 160°F for ground beef.
- Once cooked, transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 1583kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 138gFat: 102gSaturated Fat: 38gPolyunsaturated Fat: 53gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 525mgSodium: 1403mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g
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