These oven-baked meatballs are made with ground beef and pork, Parmesan, herbs, and a simple tomato sauce, all cooked together in a roasting tin. The covered bake keeps the meatballs tender while the sauce picks up their savory flavor, making this a straightforward, comforting dinner with less stovetop work.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (35 g) plain breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) milk
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, preferably 80–85% lean
- ½ lb (225 g) ground pork
- 1 large egg (about 50 g without shell)
- ⅓ cup (30 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup (75 g) finely chopped yellow onion, divided
- 2 garlic cloves (6 g), finely minced, divided
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
- ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 can (28 oz / 794 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
- ¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ tsp (1 g) sugar, optional, to soften sharp-tasting tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Set out a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) roasting tin or baking dish. Stir the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl and leave them to absorb the milk for 5 minutes. This brief rest helps the crumbs distribute moisture through the meat mixture instead of drawing it out as the meatballs bake.
- While the crumbs soak, make the sauce directly in the roasting tin. Add the olive oil, crushed tomatoes, half of the chopped onion, half of the minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes if using, and sugar if needed. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper, then stir. Spread the sauce evenly over the base of the tin. Taste a little of the tomato mixture and add the sugar only if the tomatoes taste noticeably sharp; it is not essential.
- Add the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan, remaining onion and garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper to the bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix gently with clean hands or a fork until the ingredients are just combined. Stop as soon as there are no large streaks of unmixed meat or egg. A compact, heavily worked mixture can make dense meatballs, so avoid kneading it like dough.
- Shape the mixture into about 20 meatballs, each roughly 1½ inches (4 cm) across. A small scoop helps keep them an even size, but a spoon and your hands work just as well. Set each meatball into the sauce with a little space around it, then turn it once so the surface is lightly coated. They do not need to be completely submerged. If the mixture sticks to your hands, dampen your palms lightly with water rather than adding extra breadcrumbs.
- Cover the tin snugly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, watching for escaping steam, and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. Check a meatball near the center by inserting an instant-read thermometer sideways into its middle. Ground beef and pork meatballs must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). If they have not reached it, continue baking and check again after 3 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling around the edges and the meatballs should be cooked through.
- Take the tin out of the oven and spoon a little sauce over the meatballs. Scatter with extra parsley if you like and serve hot. The sauce will be loose and spoonable straight from the oven; if you prefer it thicker, transfer the meatballs to a warm plate and simmer the sauce in a saucepan for a few minutes while you set the table.
Tips
- Keep the mixture tender. Mix only until the ingredients come together, and shape with a light touch. Finely chopping the onion matters: large pieces can make meatballs harder to shape and may create gaps as they cook. If your onion is especially wet, blot it briefly with a paper towel before adding it.
- Choose a suitable tin. A 9-by-13-inch dish gives the meatballs room to cook in one layer. If your dish is smaller, use two tins rather than piling the meatballs up. Crowding can make cooking uneven and leave some meatballs partly steamed rather than surrounded by sauce.
- Adjust the meat or crumbs sensibly. All ground beef works if you do not have pork; the result will be a little firmer and less rich. For a pork-free version, use the same amount of beef. For a dairy-free option, replace the milk with unsweetened oat milk or water and leave out the Parmesan, adding a little extra salt to taste. The cheese adds savory depth, so its absence will be noticeable but the recipe still works.
- Do not judge doneness by color alone. Tomato sauce can stain the outside of a meatball, and browned edges do not confirm that the middle is safely cooked. Use a thermometer in the center of a larger meatball. If the meatballs vary in size, check more than one and return the tin to the oven if any tested piece is below temperature.
Serving Suggestions
For a classic, filling plate, spoon the meatballs and plenty of tomato sauce over spaghetti, linguine, or another pasta shape. Start the pasta water while the tin bakes so the two are ready around the same time. Reserve a splash of pasta water before draining; stirring a little into the sauce can help it cling to the noodles. Parmesan and chopped parsley make a simple finish, but add cheese at the table so everyone can choose their own amount.
These meatballs also work with soft polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread for catching the sauce. Add a green salad, steamed green beans, or roasted broccoli to bring a fresh, crisp contrast to the rich tomato-and-meat combination. For a sandwich, tuck two or three meatballs into a toasted roll with sauce and a little mozzarella, then melt the cheese briefly under a grill. Cut larger meatballs in half before filling the roll so they are easier to eat.
Variations
Herby version: Add 1 teaspoon (2 g) dried Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh basil to the meat mixture. Fresh basil is best added near the end or at serving, since long baking softens its aroma. A pinch of fennel seed can also add a gentle, sausage-like note without changing the method.
Spicier sauce: Increase the red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon (1 g), or serve chili flakes at the table for individual portions. For a milder, sweeter sauce, omit them and stir in a small grated carrot with the onion. The carrot softens as it bakes and adds sweetness, though it will make the sauce slightly more textured.
Turkey meatballs: Replace the beef and pork with 1½ lb (675 g) ground turkey. Turkey is leaner and can dry out if overmixed or baked too long, so keep the breadcrumbs and milk, handle the mixture gently, and check the centers with a thermometer. Poultry, including ground turkey, must reach 165°F (74°C) according to USDA FSIS guidance; this is higher than the temperature for the beef-and-pork version.
Gluten-free option: Use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs in the same quantity. If you cannot find them, finely ground rolled oats can work, but the texture will be a little softer and more noticeable. Check that packaged ingredients such as breadcrumbs and Parmesan are suitable for your needs, and do not add extra crumbs unless the mixture is genuinely too loose to shape.
Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftover meatballs and sauce to a shallow, covered container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Keeping the meatballs in their sauce helps prevent them from drying out. If you are storing pasta too, refrigerate it separately so it does not absorb all the sauce; combine the portions when reheating.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled meatballs with sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little room at the top for expansion, label the container with the date, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator for more even reheating. You can reheat from frozen, but allow extra time and stir or turn the meatballs as the sauce warms.
Reheat a portion in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently, or in a covered ovenproof dish at 325°F (163°C). Add a spoonful of water if the sauce has thickened. Heat until the center of the meatballs and sauce reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer; microwave portions can be reheated too, but pause to stir and rotate them so they heat evenly. Avoid reheating the same portion repeatedly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare the meatballs ahead of time?
Yes. Shape the raw meatballs, cover them, and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. Keep them cold, and do not leave raw ground meat at room temperature while preparing other dishes. You can also assemble the sauce in the tin separately and refrigerate it; add the meatballs just before baking. Because chilled ingredients may need a little longer in the oven, confirm doneness with a thermometer rather than relying only on the clock.
Can I brown the meatballs before baking them in the sauce?
You can, but it is not necessary for this recipe. Browning in a skillet adds a deeper roasted flavor and color, but it also adds cleanup and can make the meatballs less round as you turn them. If you do brown them, use a little oil and work in batches so the pan is not crowded, then transfer them to the sauce tin and bake until they reach the safe internal temperature.
Why are my meatballs falling apart?
The mixture may be too wet, the meatballs may have been shaped too loosely, or they may have been moved before they had time to set. Make sure the breadcrumbs have absorbed the milk, measure the ingredients, and form each portion gently into a cohesive ball. If the mixture is exceptionally soft, chill it for 15–20 minutes before shaping; that extra chilling time is optional and is not included in the recipe timing.
Can I use a different size baking dish?
Yes, as long as the meatballs fit in a single layer and the sauce covers the bottom of the dish. A slightly smaller dish will make a deeper layer of sauce, while a wider tin spreads the sauce more thinly and may cause it to reduce faster. If using a metal roasting tin, check that it is deep enough to contain bubbling sauce and cover it securely with foil during the first part of baking.
Can I freeze these meatballs before cooking?
Yes. Arrange shaped meatballs on a lined tray so they are not touching, freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. For best quality, use within 2–3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before placing them in the sauce and baking. Do not put frozen meatballs straight into this timing and assume they are done after 30 minutes; if cooking from frozen, expect a longer bake and check every meatball reaches the appropriate safe temperature.
Related
- Kinder Bueno Cheesecake: Creamy No-Bake Recipe
- Kinder Cheesecake Recipe with a Creamy No-Bake Filling
- Kilo Cupcakes Recipe: A Reliable Big-Batch Vanilla Bake
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).