Juicy, fork-tender meatballs; there’s nothing like it! This homemade meatball recipe is easy to follow, making the most delicious meatball you will ever create. Whether serving meatballs with spaghetti or an easy meatball sub, making your meatballs is worth the effort!
When making meatballs from scratch, take the extra step and bake garlic butter breadsticks. You’ll have an entire restaurant-style meal from scratch!
This homemade meatball recipe is as easy as can be! You must shape the simple meatball mixture and sear on a good crust. The best part is the homemade spaghetti sauce in which the meatballs are cooked.
Love these meatballs? Recreate our swedish meatballs in gravy to try a a different version of homemade meatballs.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Meatball Recipe
- Easy. This recipe is simple and easy to follow.
- Make it in advance. Make these meatballs in advance and freeze them for an easy meal.
- Versatile. These meatballs can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes.
Meatballs in an Instant Pot:
The best homemade food is easy, and it doesn’t get easier than using the Instant Pot to do most of the work. Enjoy these instant pot meatballs for an even easier meatball recipe!
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
The ingredients for this homemade meatball recipe are simple and easy!
- Ground beef – 85/15 ground beef is best for getting juicy meatballs.
- Meatball binder – a mixture of eggs, mayo, and bread crumbs.
- Cheese – parmesan cheese adds a great flavor to the meatballs.
- Seasoning – salt & ground black pepper.
- Sauce – a homemade tomato marinara sauce with a diced tomato base.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Protein – Swap the beef for ground turkey or chicken for a healthier meatball.
- Bring the heat – Make these meatballs spicy by adding red pepper flakes to the seasoning.
Make Meatballs Like a Pro:
- To get even-sized meatballs, use a cookie scooper or weigh them.
- Don’t overmix the meatballs – overmixing the meat mixture will cause the meatballs to be overworked and gummy.
How to Make Homemade Meatballs
Step-by-step instructions make this an easy recipe:
1 – In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients.
2 – Use your hands to mix everything into one mixture.
3 – Wet your hands and shape the meat into even-sized meatballs.
4 – Sear the meatballs on all sides to get a good crust. Place cooked meatballs in a deep casserole dish.
5 – Saute the onions, add the diced tomatoes, water, garlic, and seasoning. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then go in with an immersion blender to get a smooth consistency.
6 – Add the sauce to the casserole dish, cover the meatballs and cover with foil and bake. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
How to ensure the meatballs are fully cooked:
Determine whether the meatballs are fully cooked after baking by checking the internal temperature of the meatballs. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the meatballs reach 160°F.
Serving Suggestions
- Spaghetti and Meatballs: Top freshly cooked pasta with your homemade meatballs and spaghetti sauce for an incredible spaghetti dinner! Bonus points if you pair the meal with fresh italian bread and a homemade caesar salad.
- As a gravy: Serve the meatballs on top of homemade mashed potatoes.
- Sandwich: Load a hoagie roll with these saucy meatballs for a crave-worthy meatball sub sandwich.
- Soup: These meatballs taste great in an easy meatball soup.
Recipe FAQs
You can use 90/10 ground beef and still have incredible meatballs!
Use a combination of beef and pork, or even chicken, for a slight spin on the classic.
The meatballs need to be seared before baking them. They will likely be raw on the inside, but they will finish cooking in the oven.
This is a result of too much binder, a.k.a breadcrumbs.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm up the meatballs on a skillet over medium heat until the meatballs are warmed.
- Freeze. You can freeze a batch of the seared meatballs before adding them to the sauce. Keep them in a freezer bag lined with parchment paper for up to 3 months. Reheat: Add the frozen meatballs to a casserole dish and cover with warm tomato sauce. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until the meatballs are reheated.
More Ground Beef Recipes
If you enjoyed this beef recipe, be sure to try our other easy ground beef recipes: here’s some of my favorites.
If you tried this homemade meatball or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Easy Homemade Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
meatballs –
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 large onion finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp whole milk
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
- oil for sautéing
sauce –
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 large onion finely chopped
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp water
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried parsley
Instructions
meatballs –
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands.
- Wet your hands and shape the meat mixture into equal-sized meatballs.
- To a hot pan, add oil and sear the meatballs on all sides.
- Once the meatballs are seared, add them to a large casserole dish.
sauce –
- To a saucepan, add oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add in the chopped onion.
- Once the onion is translucent, add the canned tomatoes, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, and use an immersion blender to get your desired consistency.
- Add in fresh basil, dried oregano, and parsley. Simmer for a couple more minutes.
combine –
- Pour the sauce into the casserole dish with all the meatballs. Cover with foil.
- Bake in the oven at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 3 minutes.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm up the meatballs on a skillet over medium heat until the meatballs are warmed.
- Freeze: Freeze the seared meatballs before adding them to the sauce. Keep them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, add the frozen meatballs to a casserole dish and cover with warm tomato sauce. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until the meatballs are reheated.