Baked Meatballs

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These baked meatballs are tender and full of flavour, skip the hassle of pan frying but you will still have one of the best meatballs you have ever tried.

A ceramic serving bowl full of baked meatballs with a sprinkle of parsley next to a small ceramic serving dish of chutney

Why This Recipe Works

  • Bakes in the oven
  • Soft and juicy
  • Perfect for baby-led weaning
  • Can quickly be made into a family dinner by adding a sauce.


Ingredients you will need

  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Beef stock
  • Onion
  • Minced beef
  • Minced pork 
  • Eggs
  • Garlic powder
  • Parsley
  • Dijon mustard
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
All the ingredients to make the baked meatballs laid out on the bench,

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

  • Panko bread crumbs: I use Gluten-Free bread crumbs when I make these meatballs.
  • Beef stock: Many Italian meatball recipes call for milk-soaked bread. I have found using stock or broth gives the same texture, with better flavour and keeps the recipe dairy-free for those that need it.
  • Minced meat: I like to use a combination of ground beef and pork when making meatballs, but you could use all beef or all pork  
  • Flavourings: obviously you could choose to flavor the meatballs with other herbs and spices, I like this taste combination of parsley, garlic powder, Dijon mustard and nutmeg. This combination adds umami, richness earthiness and sweetness to the final meatball.
  • Salt: If you are making this recipe for baby-led weaning, leave out the salt.


Step-by-step instructions

Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Baked Meatball recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.

Prep: Place the panko breadcrumbs in a small mixing bowl, pour over the beef stock and set aside for the breadcrumbs to soften.

A small measuring of panko breadcrumbs, soaking in  beef stock in a small ceramic bowl on the bench top

Grate your onion: I do this in the food processor. 

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 F).

A food processor sitting the bench with the lid off and finely diced onions.

Step one: Place all the ingredients in a food processor (You can make your meatballs in a bowl with your hands or a wooden spoon, just be sure everything is chopped/grated very fine i.e the parsley and onion). Pulse until the ingredients are well combined. 

All the ingredients placed in a food processor with a hand tipping the panko breadcrumbs into it from a small ceramic bowl

Step two: Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to make golfball-sized meatballs, arrange your meatballs on lined baking sheet (with a rim) or large roasting pan.

Scoops of golf sized meatball mixture with a cookie scooper placing the last one down on the lined baking tray.

Step three: Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes

Baked meatballs laid out on a linebacking tray that is sitting on a bench

Enjoy!

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A bowl full of meatballs, with a hand holding up one meatball  above them with a tooth pick.

Top Tips

Here is how you can make these baked meatballs perfectly every time!

  • A combination of ground beef and ground pork makes for the tastiest meatballs!
  • Wet hands will stop the minced meat mixture from sticking to you when you are rolling the balls.
  • Enjoy these meatballs warm straight from the oven or cold from the refrigerator.
  • This recipe makes a very large batch, so you can halve the quantities. I like to make a large batch at the beginning of the week as I can then make a very quick family dinner by whipping up a marinara sauce and tossing these already-baked meatballs through it with spaghetti.
  • Storage: Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to four months.
A serving of baked meatballs and half a banana on a silicon toddlers plate with a halved meatball held up by a toddlers fork above them.

FAQs

How long do you bake meatballs?

Cooking time will depend on the size of the meatballs, meatballs should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 75 degrees Celsius.

How do I bake meatballs?

Meatballs can be baked on a lined-rimmed tray in a hot oven.

How do you tell if meatballs are done?

Meatballs are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 75 degrees Celsius.

A spoonful of baked meatballs in a soy honey glaze sauce slightly raised above the rest of the batch.
Honey Garlic Meatballs

A ceramic serving bowl full of baked meatballs with a sprinkle of parsley next to a small ceramic serving dish of chutney
A bowl of meatballs garnished with chopped parsley

Baked meatballs

Easy baked meatballs, these meatballs are soft juicy and full of flavor with none of the hassle of pan frying.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Family Dinner Ideas
Cuisine: New Zealand
Keyword: baked meatballs, baked meatballs recipe, baked meatball
Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten free
Servings: 60 meatballs
Calories: 42kcal
Author: Stacey

RATE THIS RECIPE

4.50 from 4 votes

Save This Recipe!

I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 120 milliliters beef stock ยฝ cup
  • ยฝ onion grated
  • 400 grams minced beef
  • 400 grams minced pork
  • 2 eggs
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยผ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ยผ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Prep

  • Place the panko breadcrumbs in a small mixing bowl, pour over the beef stock and set aside for the breadcrumbs to soften.
  • Grate your onion: I do this in the food processor.
  • Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 F).

Meatballs

  • Place all the ingredients in a food processor (You can make your meatballs in a bowl with your hands, just be sure everything is chopped/grated very fine i.e the parsley and onion). Pulse until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to make golfball sized meatballs, arrange your meatballs on lined baking tray or large roasting pan.
  • Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes
  • Enjoy

Video

Notes

  • A combination of ground beef and ground pork makes for the tastiest meatballs!
  • Wet hands will stop the minced meat mixture from sticking to you when you are rolling the balls.
  • Enjoy these meatballs warm straight from the oven or cold from the refrigerator.
  • This recipe makes a very large batch, so you can halve the quantities. I like to make a large batch at the beginning of the week as I can then make a very quick family dinner by whipping up a marinara sauce and tossing these already-baked meatballs through it with spaghetti.
  • Storage: Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to four months.
  • Panko bread crumbs: I use Gluten-Free bread crumbs when I make these meatballs.
  • Beef stock: Many Italian meatball recipes call for milk-soaked bread. I have found using stock or broth gives the same texture, with better flavour and keeps the recipe dairy-free for those that need it.
  • Minced meat: I like to use a combination of ground beef and pork when making meatballs, but you could use all beef or all pork ย 
  • Flavourings: obviously you could choose to flavor the meatballs with other herbs and spices, I like this taste combination of parsley, garlic powder, Dijon mustard and nutmeg. This combination adds umami, richness earthiness and sweetness to the final meatball.
  • Salt: If you are making this recipe for baby-led weaning, leave out the salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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Quick Start Guide To BLW

Baby led weaning doesnโ€™t need to be complicated, grab my quick start guide to begin your little ones food journey.

4.50 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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One Comment

  1. I made these yesterday and they turned out really well. I don't usually mix the two meats but it really added a good flavour. And the fact that you can bake them is great! Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚