How to Bake Meatballs in the Oven

How to bake meatballs in the oven for a quick and delicious appetizer or meal. Perfect for parties and weeknight dinners.

Learn how to make meatballs in the oven to get perfectly baked meatballs each and every time with less mess and stress, compared to the pan-fried stovetop method.

Meatballs can be enjoyed in many different ways. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a hearty dish to feed a crowd, meatballs are a great option.

But, for many home cooks, the thought of making meatballs can be daunting. The stovetop method can be messy and more time-consuming, and there is always the risk of burning the meatballs or having them stick to the pan.

The oven, on the other hand, is a much simpler way to make meatballs. There is less mess and less risk of burning them. Plus, you don’t need to babysit them as they cook.

Simply place the meatballs on a baking sheet (with parchment paper for easy cleanup) and bake them to perfection. The result is evenly cooked, delicious meatballs—sure to be a huge hit with family and friends.

Ingredients for Oven Baked Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2/3 cup finely crushed crackers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredient notes

• Crackers: we love to use crushed Ritz crackers or saltine crackers, but you can use bread crumbs if you prefer. Make sure whatever you choose is finely crushed.
• Doubling the recipe: this recipe is easy to double to make about forty 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inch meatballs.
• Italian baked meatballs: add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, Italian bread crumbs instead of crackers, red pepper flakes, and substitute the onion powder for garlic powder or Italian seasoning, perfect for Italian-style dishes like spaghetti and meatballs. Stuff with mozzarella cheese for added variety.
• Ground beef: we use 85% lean 15% fat ground beef, so the meatballs are nice and juicy, and not dry. You can use 97% lean 3% fat, just be aware they will have a bit less moisture.
• Ground meat varieties: this recipe also works wonderfully for ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey. You can also use half turkey and half ground beef.
• Garnish options: garnish with fresh basil or fresh parsley.

Supplies

• Medium mixing bowl and mixing spoon
• Measure cups and spoons
• Meatball maker or ‘meat baller’
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Step-by-Step Meatball Recipe Instructions and Tips

Follow our simple steps for the best baked meatballs—it’s easier than you think!

Step 1 | Preheat oven to 400°F

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2 | Prepare a baking sheet

Then prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. This makes for easy cleanup. We love to use pre-cut parchment sheets that fit a half-baking sheet perfectly.

Step 3 | crush crackers

Next, add 20 to 24 crackers to a Ziploc bag and crush using a bowl or cup until you have finely crushed cracker crumbs.

Step 4 | Combine ground beef, egg, milk, crackers, and seasonings

Now you’re ready for the meatball mixture. Get out a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers, salt, onion powder, and pepper.

Step 5 | Knead to mix well

Mix the ground beef mixture until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. We start by mixing the ingredients with a spoon and then knead the mixture with our hands.

Step 6 | form meatballs

Now you’re ready to form the meatballs. We use a 1.78″ meatball maker to scoop uniform-sized meatballs which makes the process much quicker. And also allows the meatballs to cook evenly in the oven if they are similar in size.

Pro tip: run the meatball maker in hot water before using so the meat mixture doesn’t stick to the inside of the meatballer. (You can use cooking spray, but there’s no need to add extra oil or cooking spray to your meatballs.)

If you don’t have a meatball maker or cookie scoop – keep dividing the meat mixture in half until you have 20 equal portions or meatballs 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches in size.

Use your hands to roll the meat mixture into a round ball.

Step 7 | Arrange on baking sheet

Place the meatballs on your pre-prepared baking sheet with parchment paper. Be sure to arrange the meatballs with plenty of space in between them to be cooked evenly.

Step 8 | Bake for 18 to 22 minutes

Bake in the oven for 18 to 22 minutes at 400 degrees. The meatballs should be nicely browned and juicy. You don’t want to overcook them or they’ll end up dry.

Step 9 | Check doneness and remove from oven

Use a meat thermometer to make sure the beef is at an internal temperature of 160°F. Or cut one meatball open making sure there is no pink on the inside.

There you have it, perfectly cooked meatballs to enjoy in the dish of your choice.

How long do you bake meatballs?

How long should you bake meatballs in the oven? It depends on the size of your meatballs and the temperate of the oven. For this recipe, we are using a meatball maker that is 1.78″ inches and the oven temperature is set to 400 degrees. At this size and oven temperature, bake the meatballs for 18 to 22 minutes.

Here is a quick reference on how long to bake meatballs at various sizes and oven temperatures:

	350 degrees Fahrenheit	400 degrees Fahrenheit
1.5 to 1.75-inch meatballs	2o to 25 minutes	18 to 22 minutes
2-inch meatballs	30 to 35+ minutes	24 to 28 minutes

Keep in mind these are general baking guidelines – each oven can be slightly different, and it’s recommended by the USDA to cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F using a meat thermometer. You can also slice one meatball open to check that there is no pink on the inside of the meatball.

How long to bake meatballs at 350

At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, bake a 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inch meatball for 20 to 25 minutes or longer, reaching an internal cooking temperate of 160°F. With 2-inch meatballs, you will need to cook them longer, 30 to 35 minutes or more.

How long to bake meatballs at 400

At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, bake a 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inch meatball for 18 to 22 minutes or longer, reaching an internal cooking temperate of 160°F. With 2-inch meatballs, you will need to cook them longer, 24 to 28 minutes or more.

How long do you bake turkey meatballs?

If you decide to substitute ground turkey for the ground beef this recipe calls for and make turkey meatballs—you can use the same baking times as noted in the guide above. As a general rule, ground meat meatballs, whether ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken, cook similarly. To determine how long to bake each, you need to consider the size of your meatballs and the temperate of your oven.

So at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, cook your 1 1/2 to 1/3/4 inch turkey meatballs for 18 to 22 minutes. Make sure your meatballs reach the recommended cooking temperature of poultry, cooking your turkey meatballs to an internal temperate of 165 ºF.

Meatball Meal Ideas

• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Meatballs and gravy with mashed potatoes
• Meatball subs with marinara sauce
• Meatball marinara pizza
• Swedish meatballs
• Meatball casserole
• Barbecue meatballs with homemade bbq sauce

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