This classic baked meatball recipe is easy to make, full of great flavor, and totally versatile. Pair it with your favorite Italian marinara sauce, BBQ sauce, Swedish cream sauce…and beyond!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely-chopped fresh Italian herbs (I used half parsley, half basil)
- 1/4 cup grated yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the panade. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Combine remaining ingredients. Add the ground beef, ground pork, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, fresh herbs, onion and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.
- Chill (optional step). To make the meatballs easier to form, I recommend covering and chilling the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour. But if you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
- Prep oven and baking sheet. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form the meatballs. Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (I recommend greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)
- Bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Serve. Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!
