Easy Baked Italian Meatballs

A super easy way to make delicious Italian meatballs. No need for frying as these are baked in the oven. Ready in 30 minutes!

These Baked Italian Meatballs are perfect with pasta or to make meatballs subs. And they are super easy to make! Ready in about 30 minutes.

If you've never made homemade meatballs before, you will be surprised at just how easy it is. Very similar to making meatloaf and who hasn't made meatloaf before?

The important thing to remember is to not overmix the meat mixture. You want to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated but if you handle the meat too much the meatballs may turn out tough.

You can use whatever kind of ground sausage you have on hand. I like to mix it up so sometimes I use a mild Italian sausage while other times I will use a sweet or hot Italian sausage.

While the meatballs should be ready in approximately 20 minutes, it is important to check that the internal temperature of each meatball reaches 160°F. A digital food thermometer will tell you if they are done.

You can use these meatballs for just about anything. I like to have them with some pasta but you can also make a delicious meatball sandwich packed with melted cheese and marinara sauce.

While I usually recommend using Lean Ground Beef for many of my recipes, I suggest using ground beef with a little more fat content for these meatballs. You don't want to end up with some dried-out meatballs!

Another great meatball recipe is my Traditional Cuban Meatballs (Albondigas) with a tasty red sauce. Yummy!

🐄 How to Handle Raw Beef

Thaw raw ground beef on a plate on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator, to avoid dripping onto other foods.
Keep raw and ready-to-eat meats separate.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw ground beef. Wash cutting boards, bowls, and utensils used to prepare raw ground beef with hot soapy water and rinse well.
Use separate plates to carry raw ground beef patties to the cooking area and cooked patties to the serving area.
Use a Thermometer to ensure Ground Beef Reaches the Safely Cooked Internal Temperature of 160°F.

Recipe Video

📋 Gather your Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make this Baked Italian Meatballs recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Ground Beef, Italian Sausage, Evaporated Milk, Seasoned Bread Crumbs, Parmesan Cheese, Dried Parsley Flakes, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Basil, Ground Thyme, Salt and Ground Black Pepper.

🥣 How to Make Baked Italian Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients thoroughly using your hands. Do not overmix.
Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs. This should yield about 24 meatballs.
Place the meatballs on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes until browned and the internal temperature is 160°F.

📖 Recipe