The Best Baked Meatballs

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

bread

🥗Healthier: whole grain bread

💰Cheaper: stale bread

Whole grain bread adds fiber, while stale bread can be used to avoid waste.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is often less expensive.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or a baking sheet and set it aside.

In a mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef and break it up slightly.

Add 3/4 cup of plain dried breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons of dried basil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (if using).

Pour in 1/3 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 large egg (if using).

Mix all the ingredients together using a rubber spatula, then use your hands to ensure even distribution.

Form the mixture into little 1 - 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place them onto the prepared pan.

Continue forming meatballs until all the ground beef is used up; you should get about 29 meatballs.

If desired, make a double batch and freeze the meatballs on the baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a gallon-size resealable plastic bag for longer-term storage.

Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking from frozen.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens