Easy Oven Baked Meatballs
Quick and easy dinners don’t get better than these Oven Baked Meatballs! They’re tender and juicy with no breadcrumbs, so they’re a great low carb and gluten-free dinner option. There’s no browning required, and they’re ready in about 30 minutes!
When I go out to dinner, I typically order dishes that I love to eat but hate making myself. That used to include risotto because I couldn’t stand all the stirring, but then I discovered how easy it was to make it in my Instant Pot. Now I make it all the time!
Meatballs and polenta have been one of my favorite dishes to order out for years because I’ve never enjoyed rolling and browning meatballs, and making polenta requires a lot of hands on time as well.
I created this Instant Pot polenta for a fuss-free way to prepare it, and these Oven Baked Meatballs are so easy that I make them at home now all the time.
There are no breadcrumbs or panade, so they’re low carb and gluten-free. And like my baked turkey meatballs, they don’t need to be browned in the pan prior to placing in the oven, which saves a ton of time and effort.
Nothing makes me happier than finding easier ways to prepare some of my favorite foods, and make them a bit healthier in the process. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These baked meatballs are tender, juicy and packed with flavor, and they’re beyond easy to make.
- They take 5 minutes of prep and they’re ready in about 30 minutes.
- They don’t include breadcrumbs, so they make a delicious low carb, gluten-free dinner.
- The ground beef meatballs may be prepped 1-2 days in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe ingredients
The ingredients for this baked meatball recipe are fairly basic, and may be customized a number of ways as outlined in the ingredient notes below.
I chose not to include breadcrumbs in this recipe, but rest assured that these low carb, gluten-free meatballs are still incredibly tender and juicy.
Ingredient notes
- Ground beef. I used 80% lean grass-fed ground beef for this recipe, which is much leaner but still includes enough fat for a juicy meatball.
- Shallot. I love shallot for its mild flavor, but you can substitute it with your favorite onion. The shallot adds flavor and moisture, and it is grated to ensure that it cooks quickly.
- Egg. The egg is a binder to hold the meatballs together.
- Milk. The milk adds moisture and richness.
- Garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Parmesan cheese. The parmesan adds a lot of flavor to the meatballs, and it may be substituted with pecorino romano or manchego. For added moisture, use ricotta, goat or feta cheese.
- Worcestershire sauce. This adds a level of umami flavor. It may be substituted with low sodium soy sauce, coconut aminos or tamari.
- Italian seasoning. You favorite dried herbs will work well in this recipe, or substitute with 2-4 tablespoons of fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme or oregano.
How to bake meatballs
Once you try this recipe, you’ll never want to make meatballs any other way. There are no frills or fancy techniques, and no browning is required which saves a ton of time and effort!
Pro tip: Prep the meatballs 1-2 days in advance or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also easily double the batch to prepare half and freeze half for later.
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
- Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until combined.
- Roll the mixture into 1 1/2″ balls and place an inch or more apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees.
Recipe FAQs
While fried meatballs have a nice crispy crust, they are higher in fat as they’re fried in oil. Baked meatballs are lower in fat, much easier to make, and are still incredibly tender and juicy.
Baked meatballs that are about 1 1/2″ in diameter take about 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
Ground beef meatballs should be cooked until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatball registers 160 degrees. From there, remove the meatballs from heat, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
To ensure that your baked meatballs don’t stick to the baking sheet, line it with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Serving suggestions
There are so many ways that you can serve these delicious baked meatballs.
- Serve as an appetizer with buffalo sauce, bbq sauce or pesto sauce.
- Toss with marinara sauce and serve over polenta or your favorite pasta. For a lower carb option, serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep the meatballs a day or two in advance and cover with plastic wrap, then allow to come to room temperature 1 hour before you plan to bake them. They may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Oven times vary, so I recommend checking the meatballs for doneness after 15 minutes. Cooking time will also vary depending on the size of your meatballs.
- This recipe is easily doubled to feed a crowd or freeze half for later.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
See all of these main dishes for dinner inspiration.
More easy dinner recipes you’ll love:
- BBQ turkey meatloaf
- Crockpot BBQ meatball subs
- Fire cracker chicken meatballs by Little Spice Jar
- Grilled hamburgers
- Skillet lasagna
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Easy Oven Baked Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. grass fed beef I used 80% lean
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium shallot grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or sub with tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon regular table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix gently to combine.
- Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoons of the ground beef mixture and form into a ball, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining meat, placing the meatballs a few inches apart.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness after 15 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from heat and cover loosely with foil and let stand for 5 minutes. Enjoy as appetizers or with your favorite sauce!
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep the meatballs a day or two in advance and cover with plastic wrap, then allow to come to room temperature 1 hour before you plan to bake them. They may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Oven times vary, so I recommend checking the meatballs for doneness after 15 minutes. Cooking time will also vary depending on the size of your meatballs.
- This recipe is easily doubled to feed a crowd or freeze half for later.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
6 Comments on “Easy Oven Baked Meatballs”
I love these meatballs! Great recipe!
I’m so glad you like them!
YUM! I did half beef/turkey and they turned out great!!
Thanks for your feedback and I’m glad you liked them! 🙂
They are delicious!  I’m going to be making them again today .  I bake mine in the oven with Marinara sauce.  I cannot have gluten so thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you like the meatballs Julie, and thank you for leaving your feedback! 🙂