Description
Delicious and easy baked Italian meatballs made with lean ground beef, Parmesan cheese, and classic Italian seasonings. Perfect for a comforting family meal served with pasta or zucchini noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk (2%)
- ½ cup crushed crackers or breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving
- Your favorite pasta sauce
- Cooked pasta or zucchini noodles
Optional Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Additional grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. Preheat your oven to 400℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the baking sheet aside for later use.
- Mix Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers or breadcrumbs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, finely minced yellow onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until fully combined but do not overwork the mixture.
- Form Meatballs. Using your hands or a cookie scoop, shape the mixture into 12 golf ball-sized meatballs. Arrange the meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Heat Sauce (Optional). While the meatballs bake, warm your favorite pasta sauce in a skillet over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, transfer them carefully into the skillet with the sauce and gently toss to coat. Heat through thoroughly.
- Serve. Garnish the meatballs with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot over cooked pasta or zucchini noodles.
- Store Leftovers. Store any remaining meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This classic recipe yields flavorful meatballs that are perfect for meal prepping and quick weeknight dinners.
- Use 2% milk for moisture, but you can substitute with whole or plant-based milk if preferred.
- Crushed crackers can be swapped for breadcrumbs to change texture or for gluten-free options.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- If you want to add extra moisture, consider adding a tablespoon of olive oil or grated vegetables like zucchini.
- Serve with your favorite pasta sauce or try a low-carb option by serving over zucchini noodles.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 239 calories
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 594 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
