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A bowl of spaghetti topped with ground beef meatballs, tomato sauce, grated cheese, and chopped herbs with a fork.

Ground Beef Meatballs

These ground beef meatballs are juicy, tender, and full of flavor, making them perfect for pasta dinners, sandwiches, or meal prep!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 22 meatballs
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef or a mix of ground beef and ground pork
  • ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese do not use the green can, plus additional for serving
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus additional for serving
  • Marinara pasta sauce for serving
  • Cooked pasta polenta, zucchini noodles, or crusty bread, optional or serving

Instructions
 

  • Place the beef in a large mixing bowl.
    Three rectangular chunks of raw ground beef in a white bowl on a light gray countertop.
  • In a smaller bowl, combine the Panko, milk, egg, Parm, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add it to the bowl with the beef. Add the parsley.
    A white bowl containing a panade mixture on a light gray surface.
  • With a fork or your hands, toss the beef to combine everything evenly. Be careful not to overwork it, or your meatballs will be dense.
    Ground meat mixed with herbs and spices in a white bowl on a gray surface.
  • Shape the mixture into meatballs that are around 1 1/2-inches each. You'll have approximately 22. Cook according to one of the methods below, until the meatballs reach 165°F in the center. When you slice a meatball in half, it should look cooked through.
    Uncooked ground beef meatballs arranged in rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • TO BAKE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the meatballs on a sheetpan lined with parchment paper or foil, leaving about 1/2-inch between each. Bake until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 17 to 20 minutes.
    Twenty baked ground beef meatballs arranged in rows on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
  • TO AIR FRY: Heat your air fryer to 400°F. Cook for for 7 to 9 minutes, sliding out the basket and using tongs to gently flip halfway through.
  • OPTIONAL SIMMER: Warm your desired amount of marinara sauce in a wide skillet (for a full batch of meatballs, I use a 24-ounce jar). Add the meatballs and let simmer gently for 10 minutes. Enjoy with (or without!) cooked pasta noodles, polenta, zucchini noodles, or with bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley as desired. Alternatively, you can warm the sauce in a small skillet, then serve it over the meatballs.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate cooked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Warm gently in marinara sauce on the stovetop or microwave in short intervals.
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze cooked meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They'll keep for up to 3 months.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatballCalories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 9gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 290mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
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