Find out the secret to our flavorful and juicy homemade meatballs. This make-ahead, freezer-friendly, and perfect-for-meal-prep meatball recipe can be customized to your flavor preferences.
Meatballs aren’t only for Spaghetti and Meatballs. This meatball recipe is so versatile – you can serve them as an appetizer skewered on a toothpick with a variety of sauces (barbecue, sweet and sour, cream, etc.), between bread for a meatball sub at lunchtime, or served over pasta with fresh garlic bread for a classic Italian dinner. Make a big batch for game day, and bring them to your party in your slow cooker.
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The Best Meatball Recipe Video
We love meatballs and have so many great meatball recipes on our website already, but I wanted to create one recipe that could be tailored in a variety of ways that the whole family would love. Making homemade meatballs is so easy, and this recipe will have everyone asking for your recipe.
The Secret to Juicy Meatballs
Every element in this recipe helps to build a flavorful and moist meatball, but what makes them exceptionally juicy is the panade – breadcrumb and milk (or water) mixture. This simple, homemade mixture really creates a tender texture all the way through. The moist breadcrumbs also help these reheat really well.
We use a combination of ground meats in this recipe, mixing both pork and beef with an egg. This combination produces the best taste and a fork-tender meatball. The ingredients are simple and the addition of parmesan cheese, garlic, and parsley make these a delicious Italian-style meatball.
Ingredients
- White bread – with crusts removed, diced, and moistened with milk or water. Milk creates the juiciest meatballs but water will work if you prefer.
- Meat – 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground pork
- Parmesan cheese – grated, adds amazing flavor
- Egg – to help bind the meatballs
- Garlic – minced
- Parsley – I like to use fresh herbs whenever I can
- Salt and pepper – to season
- Olive oil – to sautée
How to Make Easy Homemade Meatballs
- Moisten Bread Crumbs – Remove the crusts and dice 3 slices of bread. Soak in water for 5 minutes, then mash with a fork. Do not skip this step- this ‘panade’ mixture acts as the binder to keep your meatballs together and adds moisture to create such juicy meatballs.
- Add Remaining Ingredients – Into the same bowl, add ground beef and pork, parmesan cheese, 1 egg, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to combine the ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not overmix or it will result in tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs – Portion 2 Tbsp per meatball onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (using a trigger-release cookie scoop makes portioning super easy). With wet hands, roll meatballs into 1 1/2″ diameter balls. Making evenly-sized meatballs ensures even cooking.
Pro Tip
To form perfect meatballs, keep a bowl of cold water nearby and use wet hands to roll the meatballs. Water keeps the meat from sticking to your hands and forms a smooth meatball.
How to Cook Meatballs
Sautéed Meatballs (Preferred) – Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add meatballs, one at a time. If needed, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding, adding more oil as needed. Cook for 6-8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes or until all sides are browned and until the internal temperature reaches 160˚F. Use an instant-read thermometer to prevent overcooking. Transfer your browned meatballs to a serving platter.
Baked Meatballs – Place on a lined baking sheet, about 2″ apart, and bake in a preheated oven at 400˚F for 20-23 minutes, or until the centers register 160˚F. For golden brown meatballs, broil for the last 2-3 minutes. This optional step also helps to create a crust that seals the juices in.
Pro Tip
Don’t overcrowd your meatballs, especially when baking! Leave plenty of space (approximately 2″) between the meatballs on the baking sheet. Overcrowding meatballs can cause them to steam cook instead of getting a good sear.
How to Freeze Meatballs
Meatballs are great for make-ahead dinners and meal planning because they can be frozen cooked or uncooked. This recipe is easy to double, so make a big batch to freeze and use on busy nights.
- To Freeze: Place meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and freeze for a few hours or until solid. Transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Thaw: Raw frozen meatballs can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
- To Reheat: Cooked meatballs can be thawed or reheated straight from the freezer. You can warm them in a pot of marinara sauce (see more below) or in your slow cooker.
Easy Crockpot Meatballs
Whether you are bringing meatballs to a party, or you’re looking for a quick dinner idea, consider using this slow cooker method for a set-it-and-forget-it meal.
While you can cook meatballs in your slow cooker, I prefer to brown them on the stovetop first to give them a crispier exterior. To make this meal even easier, you can use your pre-made frozen meatballs in the crockpot. After that, set your slow cooker to low heat, place your meatballs inside, cover with sauce, place the lid on top, and let the crockpot do the work. Let them simmer for about 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches the USDA’s recommended 160°F. After they are fully cooked and heated, switch your heat setting to warm to prevent overcooking.
How to Serve Meatballs
- Meatballs in Marinara– Heat 2 cups of marinara sauce in a skillet or crockpot. Next, add freshly cooked or frozen meatballs and simmer until heated through. You’re essentially making Meatball Parmesan!
- Meatball Subs – Place 3-4 warm meatballs with marinara or tomato sauce in a hoagie roll, top with mozzarella cheese, and broil for 1-2 minutes just to melt the cheese.
- Meatball Soup – Use uncooked meatballs in any soup that calls for meatballs or in this Sausage and Kale Soup.
- BBQ Meatballs – Roll cooked meatballs in warm barbeque sauce and serve on a platter with toothpicks as a party snack or appetizer.
- In Gravy – Put meatballs into your favorite Gravy and serve over rice or creamy Mashed Potatoes.
- Pizza or Calzone – Use our Pizza Dough recipe and add chopped meatballs to the top of your pizza or fold them inside a Calzone.
Common Questions
You can beef, pork, or both. I like to combine the two for the perfect texture. Using only beef creates a firmer meatball, while the higher fat content of ground pork adds a more tender texture. For a lean meat option, consider using ground turkey.
This is really a personal preference. Sautéeing the meatballs reduces cook time and creates a slightly crispier exterior. Baking does not require oil and you do not have to flip them every few minutes. Try it both ways to see which way you prefer.
Using milk adds fat and protein to your meatballs which tends to make them even softer while lending a sweet flavor to the recipe. I prefer a leaner texture without the sweetness and opt for water instead.
Of course – that’s the beauty of making meatballs from scratch. Try adding grated onion, additional fresh herbs (oregano, basil), chopped bacon, or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Arrange your meatballs in a single layer, with space between each meatball, and cook for 12-18 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Our Best Meatball Recipes
We love a good meatball recipe! These are our favorite and top-rated recipes that are easy to make and easy to serve. You’re sure to find a new favorite.
Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
How to Make Meatballs:
- Combine diced bread in a large bowl with 2/3 cup milk or water. Soak for 5 minutes then mash with a fork. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Into the bowl of mashed bread crumbs, add ground beef, ground pork, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 egg, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp parsley, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Use your hands to stir the mixture together just until well combined. Do not overmix.
- Portion onto a lined baking sheet (about 2 Tbsp per meatball – an ice cream scoop makes it easy). With wet hands, roll meatballs into 1 1/2" diameter balls.
How to Cook Meatballs:
- To Sautée: Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add meatballs to the skillet, placing them in one at a time, and cook in batches to get a good sear. Sautée, turning every 2 minutes (total 6-8 minutes), or until evenly browned and the internal temperature reaches 160˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve as is or in any recipe that calls for meatballs.
- To Bake Meatballs: Place on a lined baking sheet 2" apart and bake in a fully preheated oven at 400˚F for 20-23 minutes, or until fully cooked and the centers reach 160˚F. If you want golden brown meatballs, broil for the last 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I just made these meatballs tonight and they were delicious. This will now be my go to recipe
Great to hear that you loved this meatball recipe! I’m glad you found a new favorite.
I am always on the lookout for good meatballs for my Hubster of 50 years. I tried these and OH MY! He loved them! I cook them in my homemade sauce and you are right. The flour step helps keep them firm; however, it also thickens my sauce. So I will simply make my sauce not as thick. I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe. Very moist and yummy for us both. God bless you and your household! xo
Hello Nancy, that’s great to hear! I’m happy to know that your hubby enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review!
were you able to taste the flour in your sauce? I love a thick sauce and never thought to add flour.. thanks
did you cook them only in the sauce or saute or oven bake first? I would love to be able to only cook in sauce but afraid to try!!
Natasha, I apologize if this has already been addressed. But, can you tell me the type/name of the bread that you use please? Thank you so much! By the way…You are my hero!
Hi Bonnie! You’re so nice! I honestly don’t remember what brand of bread I used. We experiment with a variety, but possibly it was orowheat?
Just made these for the 1st time tonight…another winner from Natasha’s kitchen. Thank you for the recipe and especially the tips.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
I, too, found the recipe to be a bit on the soft side and wasn’t sure the meat would stand up to the heat of the oven without coming out looking like tiny hamburger patties. SO, a cookie scoop and a mini muffin tin later, easy breezy meatballs achieved. I grew up with breadcrumbs in the meat mixture and as an adult had been using freshly ground breadcrumbs. The bread/liquid paste is a different take on things and brings more moisture to the party.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Not sure as to why doubling the sauce is necessary. We make this all the time, and the amount of sauce is quite sufficient (I like my sauce to be very saucy). As a matter of fact, Natasha’s Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is now our goto recipe, and I have never had want for additional sauce. We have made over 500 of the meatballs over the last year, and we freeze them. When we get down to the the last 4 meatballs, we make more and freeze them. We have more sauce than the noodles can even hold.
I’m so glad to hear that, David! Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with me.
Also to all the potential cooks out there, you need to double your marinara sauce if you make this with pasta and mix in the meatballs. I wish I knew this when I made this recipe. Anyhow, I’ll know better next time, more sauce if you have MEAT and PASTA.
Thanks for the suggestion, Amy. Definitely double the sauce if you prefer that.
Well these didn’t turn out as meatballs. Just a mushy mess when I started pan frying these. I wasted $12 worth of ground beef. I just ended up mashing the beef and turned it into a meat sauce. Second time making this and same issue. Maybe give us more insight into what type of bread to use. If you use just regular store brand white bread it had a very wet mushy consistency.
I have trouble crushing the garlic. When I hit them they just bruise my hand and smash, How do you get them to granulate?
Hi Don, you can also use a garlic press if you have that tool.
I have another question about the juicy meatball recipe, please. Is it okay if you use the hamburger and pork after it is frozen? I, sometimes get the meat on sale, but not necessarily going to make them at that time.
So, I normally would freeze it until I want to make them. So, is this okay or does it change everything?
Hi Bonnie, that should be okay. If you try this recipe, please share with us how it turns out!
Hi. Can I use only beef as I don’t eat pork. And is there another combination I can use with beef?
Hi there, you can use all beef or ground turkey.
Hello Natasha, I do hope you are well. I was wondering if I can use your Juicy Meatball recipe for the Spaghetti & Meatballs as I don’t have any sausage on hand right now? Also, really stupid question, as you may remember I use ground chuck as my meat of choice, but, you just use regular everyday ground beef correct???? Thank you again for what you do. Have a wonderful rest of your day and I cannot wait to see what you make next!!!
Hi Bonnie! I think that will work with the spaghetti recipe! Yes, I use everyday ground beef! I bet it will be delicious with chuck, but havne’t tried it myself to advise.
Hey Natasha, our family is not into beef/pork….Can I try the recipe with turkey mince instead?
Hi Sonal, That should work. Ground turkey would make the meatballs leaner but should still work fine.
Can I put these in the air fryer.
Love all your recipes.
Hi Deborah, I honestly haven’t tested that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Natasha, After completely failing my first time with this recipe, I was bound and determined to try it again. After thinking back, I realized several things. I did follow the mixing and ingredient part of the recipe perfectly. Where I fell short as I did not get the pan nearly as hot as it should have been which in turn caused the meatballs to steam instead of sear and that caused me to overcook them. Well; that was then and this is now! I’m happy to report that I just got done making them for the second time and I asked my roommate to be brutally honest with me as to yay or nay. The first word he uttered was they are really juicy!!!! Without any prompting from me! This time, I let the pan get screaming hot and I did turn them every two minutes and I definitely did not crowd the pan!!! I’m so happy and I’m even more thankful to you for bring this recipe to all of your followers! Thank you Natasha very much!!!
I’m so glad you gave it another try, Bonnie!! Thank you for your feedback!
Can this be adjusted to use ground turkey as the protein? What changes would I use?
Hi Sharon, That should work. Ground turkey would make the meatballs leaner but should still work fine.
Can I substitute Italian breadcrumbs? If so, how much should I use?
Hi Donna, Bread crumbs give a similar effect and can be substituted. I haven’t tried that specifically to advise on the amount. Most breadcrumbs packages have a ratio on their packaging our you can do a google search for the ratio. I hope you love this recipe!
Chopped turns will make a juicy meat ball. And kick it up a notch as far as health benefit. This was a study done by some collage experiment.
Hi Natasha, I am planning on making your juicy meat ball recipe with the sauce on them this Friday July 24th, 2021. I noticed that you have two different recipes for the meatballs, one with sweet ground Italian sausage that you use with the spag and meatballs, and the other juicy meat ball recipe calls for ground pork. I just want to make the juicy meat balls with the sauce only. Which recipe do I use. Love allyour recipes and am waiting for you to do a cookbook.
Hi Rosie, they are both very good, but I think the spaghetti and meatballs recipe is my favorite.
Hello Natasha, I first want to say that I’m an avid follower of yours, I just love the everyday items that you use and how you explain every detail! Question about the meatballs. Can you use milk in place of water? Just wondering. Thank you again. Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, milk would work in place of water.
Hello Natasha, I finally tried this recipe over the weekend. I want to let you know that I followed the recipe exactly. I made no substitutions. However, they were a bit dry. Not sure what I did to cause that, maybe you can advise me. I would appreciate it so much! Thank you for all that you do and share.
Hi Bonnie, these are normally very tender and juicy – you can see the expected texture in the video. Consider if maybe a different type of meat was used, or if they were over-cooked?