I love meatballs and have several recipes for fun meatball recipe variations on the website already, but I wanted to have one good basic and easy homemade meatball recipe that could be used in several different meals. That way you can keep a batch of these tasty meatballs in your freezer and use them in different quick weeknight meals later. I’m all about making things easy and uncomplicated!
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“Easy recipe and it was a hit! I made a double batch for a party and everyone loved them!”
Hunter
This homemade meatball recipe is super simple, pared-down, and basic for when you need something fast, easy, and uncomplicated. The other advantage to keeping these meatballs simple is that it makes them more versatile! Because the flavor profile is simple, you can pair this recipe with a variety of sauces and meals.
And as always, I’ve got a couple of upgrade options for you below if you do want to take this recipe up a notch and make something a little fancier.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy recipe for meatballs:
- Italian Sausage & Ground Beef: I love using a mix of ground Italian sausage and ground beef because they add so much flavor to this recipe. The sausage is already perfectly seasoned, and together, they add the right amount of fat to stay moist and juicy.
- Eggs: I mix in 2 large eggs to bind everything together. If you need to replace the eggs for dietary reasons, you can experiment with using a flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp water).
- Plain Breadcrumbs: I use both eggs and breadcrumbs to hold everything together and add a more tender texture. While I have made recipes without using either before (see my beef kofta meatballs), they don’t hold together quite as well, and the meat has a firmer texture, similar to that of a hamburger. For gluten-free, try using oatmeal, rice, or crushed gluten-free crackers in place of the breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan: I add a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese for a delicious layer of salty, umami flavor!
- Whole Milk: Adds moisture and helps stop the meat from drying out.
- Seasonings: This recipe is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, which adds a great flavor without overpowering the meat.
Can I Use Different Meat?
Yes, homemade meatballs work great with several different types of ground meat. Just keep in mind that different types of ground meat contain different amounts of fat and moisture, so substituting the meat can change the texture and flavor.
The recipe below uses Italian sausage, which has a ton of herbs and spices already in the meat. Because of that, they only needed a small amount of extra seasoning added. So if you substitute the Italian sausage with a different type of ground meat, make sure to increase the seasonings accordingly.
What Else Can I Add?
If you want to take this recipe up a notch and make it a little fancier, there are several things you can add. Try adding some fresh minced onion or garlic for an extra punch of flavor. Or try using some flavor add-ins like crumbled bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano). You can also try swapping out the milk for a different flavored liquid, like broth or even some of your red sauce. And I’m always a fan of adding a pinch of crushed red pepper to just about anything!
Variations to Try!
Like I said, I love a good meatball recipe. Here are some super easy variations you can try when making this dish:
- Switch out the seasonings in this recipe for nutmeg and allspice, and serve them with a creamy, savory sauce to make Swedish meatballs!
- Swap the breadcrumbs for rice and make porcupine meatballs (a super easy way to make this recipe gluten-free friendly)
- Following on from what I said earlier about using different meat, turkey meatballs are a tasty alternative to the beef and Italian sausage used in this recipe.
- Or, if you want to supersize this recipe AND make it in a crockpot… my giant slow cooker meatballs are a fun twist on this classic dish.
Serving Suggestions
There’s nothing easier or more satisfying than a plate of spaghetti with marinara sauce and meatballs, but that’s not the only way I enjoy this recipe! I love making meatball subs from them, but they’d also be delicious added to a simple soup, like minestrone. I’d even serve them as an easy appetizer or add them to pizzas and bowl meals with rice and veggies. And, of course, they’re absolutely delicious served with mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans, and brown gravy. Yum!!
Storing & Reheating
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat them in a skillet over medium-low heat, in the microwave, or simmered in a sauce until heated through. I’ve also included instructions for freezing in the recipe card below!
Goes great with Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (also freezer-friendly)!
Easy Homemade Meatballs
Servings 8 about 4 meatballs eachIngredients
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs ($0.32)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan ($0.88)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.03)
- 2 large eggs ($0.42)
- 1/4 cup whole milk ($0.11)
- 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage ($3.00)
- 1 lb. ground beef ($5.99)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the two eggs.
- Add the breadcrumb mixture, eggs, milk, Italian sausage, and ground beef to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until evenly combined. Avoid over mixing the meat.
- Let the meatball mixture rest for five minutes to allow the breadcrumbs time to soften. Divide and shape the meat into about 32 balls, approximately 2 Tbsp in volume each.
Oven Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet about one inch apart from each other.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Once browned, transfer them to a pot of red sauce and simmer for five more minutes in the sauce. If not using a red sauce, add an additional 3-5 minutes to the bake time, or until they're cooked through.
Stove Top Cooking Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, swirl the oil to coat the surface of the skillet. Add half of the meatballs to the skillet.
- Cook them, turning every couple of minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Repeat with the second batch.
- Once cooked, transfer them to a pot of red sauce and simmer for a few minutes more before serving.
Freezing instructions
- You can freeze this recipe either cooked or uncooked. I prefer freezing them already cooked so they can go straight from the freezer into a pot of red sauce and then just simmer until heated through. Cooked meatballs should be completely cooled before placing in a gallon-sized freezer bag and transferred to the freezer.
- To freeze uncooked, place the raw meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze on the baking sheet until solid (1-2 hours) before transferring to a gallon-sized freezer bag for longer storage. Thaw completely before cooking.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
How to Make Homemade Meatballs – Step by Step
Lightly whisk two large eggs in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmesan, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Pre-mixing these ingredients helps them incorporate more evenly into the meat without having to overmix the meat.
Add the whisked egg, breadcrumb mixture, ¼ cup milk, 1 lb. Italian sausage, and 1 lb. ground beef to a bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together.
Let the meatball mixture sit for five minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the moisture.
Divide and shape the meatball mixture into about 32 balls, 2 Tbsp each. I have small hands, so this may actually look bigger than they were. I used a 2 Tbsp measuring cup to portion the meat.
To bake, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet with about one inch between each.
Bake them for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Then, transfer to a pot of red sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. If not using a red sauce, bake for 3-5 minutes longer, or until cooked through.
To cook them in a skillet, heat one tablespoon cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, swirl to coat the skillet in oil, then add the meatballs. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until browned on all sides and cooked through.
Whether you cook them in the oven or on the stove top, finishing them off with a brief simmer in red sauce adds an extra dose of flavor and helps keep them nice and tender.
To freeze them once cooked, cool them completely in the refrigerator first, then place them in a freezer bag and transfer to the freezer for longer storage (about 3 months). Once frozen they can be dropped straight from the freezer into a pot of red sauce and simmered until heated through.
After reading the existing comments, I will try this recipe….but the Italian Sausage……well…iiii…..don’t know about that. I bought and tried that 3 weeks ago, and my first reaction….OMG…what is in this extruded stuff……..I made two breakfast patties, ate them, and threw the rest of that…5.00 purchase into the trash. Somebody needs to do something about that product. I could visualize all sorts of DNA in that stuff.
They are Great..
Easy to make using an equal measure; you need another person to spice up the sauce at the same time or make the sauce ahead. I made a double batch.
My family andcI loved these meatballs. They were delicious.
My family lived this recipe!
What’s the milk for?
Moisture!
BEST MEATBALLS EVER
These were SOOO great. Few ingredients, simple, but delicious – my dream recipe. Perfect for a weeknight meal and I was able to freeze more than half. I just dropped a few in my eggs this morning for a protein-filled breakfast… 10/10 as well.
Just made them! Very good. I dislike Italian Sausage so I just did ground beef instead. Tasted amazing. And very easy to make too. Recipe shared.
WOW …these meatballs are great. And so easy to make. I’m not buying frozen meatballs ever again. Thanks
I just made these! They are incredible. Very tender and so flavorful!
Can I double the ingredients for a bigger batch
Yes, you can!
Nice but where can i get all this Ingridients, i’ll definately try this thanks.
All of these ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store!
Can I replace burger instead of the Italian sausage?
There is already ground beef in the recipe, so to be clear, you want to make the meatballs with all ground beef? That would be fine, but you’ll need to add a little extra of the seasonings as the italian sausage you’re replacing is seasoned. :)
Substituted ground venison for beef and tried italian breadcrumbs from the store instead of all the seasonings. Still added salt and pepper. They turned out so yummy! Thanks!
Can you substitute the whole milk with 2%?
I used 2% and it turned out great!
these were a huge hit!!! cooked these tonight & my husband said to me, “when did you become such a good cook?!” ha. delicious! kids loved them too. i paired ours with alfredo sauce + mushrooms, on a bed of spaghetti noodles. boom! yummy meatball alfredo.
Where is that baking sheet from 🤩?!
We’ve had ours in the studio for a long time, but this one is similar! https://www.amazon.com/TableCraft-10347-White-Enamel-Sheet/dp/B091GPLH9Z
I cook a lot and never really thought about meatballs as my Irish mother made them for me and my 6 other siblings. She called them meatballs – we called them hardballs.
Her meatloaf was great fyi.
This recipe renews my faith in the meatball.
These babies are incredibly tasteful as well as being very, very light. Just delightfully light and delicious.
I made it per the recipe with chopped onions, diced garlic and a lot of red pepper.
Wow.
Meatballs were fabulous!!!! Easy to make, excellent instruction. Thank You :)
Wow, these are delicious! I used a Sicilian spice mix. I utilized a 1/4 cup to measure out my meatballs, I did not believe these meatballs would be done but they were perfect following the recipe.
Another great budget bytes recipe! This website never lets me down. Used heavy whipping cream since it’s what I had on hand, and it was perfect 👌Best meatballs I’ve ever made!
What is red sauce?
Any tomato-based sauce like marinara, arrabbiata, vodka sauce, etc.
Hi , what could I use instead of carbohydrate to put in with the mince to make the meatballs , as I am diabetic and try to eat a low carb diet , not keto , but low carb . Thanks .
You could use almond meal! Or I’ve also heard of people using crushed pork rinds.
Try using ground pork rinds. I use these in my turkey burgers instead of panko and they turn out very well. As a bonus, you could probably use a leaner beef with the additional fat from the pork rinds.
Can I use another kind of sausage I’m having trouble finding Italian sausage, what kind of bread crumbs do you recommend
Hi Debbie! Any grocery store should carry Italian sausage with the pork products. It usually comes in bulk or in links, you can use either but if you get links you’ll need to remove the sausage from the casing. You could also ask the butcher counter at your store as they usually have it behind the case as well. As for the bread crumbs, you’ll just need basic plain breadcrumbs, nothing fancy!
Where can I find Italian sausage or can I substitute
Can I make these without the cheese?
You can! It does help with binding a bit as well as flavor obviously, so you might need to add a touch more breadcrumbs if you find they’re not holding together in balls as well.
What if I forgot to add the milk? Will they still taste good? Lol
I found the salt wasn’t enough and the mixture too wet. I didnt use the pork, only beef. Next time I will add ¹/4 more breadcrumbs and I’m thinking of adding a pack of onion soup mix instead of the salt and onion powder. Will come back and update you all when that happens.
I will be making the meatballs today. I was wondering if I could add ground pork with beef to the recipe.
Sure thing! If you’re substituting it for the sausage I would just up the seasonings a smidge. You could also add a bit of red pepper flakes and fennel seed to get that sausagey flavor!
Made these today.
I just happened to stumble on this recipe and it did not disappoint! I did add 1 homemade link of garlic Italian sausage out of the casing. Mixed that with the 85-15 ground beef I had and a little extra of the spices. Turned out delicious! Will definitely be using this recipe again. Thx
I have made these three times now. This go around I put them in my wok and deep fried them for about 4 to 5 minutes. Long enough to brown them overall. oil was 350°. Then in the oven for 15 minutes. Other changes. Breadcrumbs made from “Fresh Gourmet Organic croutons Seasoned.” Jimmy Dean’s 3 lbs Sausage from Costco. Butcher there recommend more hamburger, So 2 lbs hamburger to 1 lb Sausage. And the are still fantastic.
Can I use italian seasoned breadcrumbs instead of plain?
Thanks!
That’s fine!
If I’m using all ground beef should I double the seasoning?
I don’t think you’ll need to fully double the spices, but I would definitely add a little extra!
Hi there
What kind of red sauce?
Our homemade marinara! https://www.budgetbytes.com/homemade-marinara/
These are now a family favorite…so easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Great! Would add more salt. For a total of 2lbs of meat 1/2 t is not enough
Wonderful…I hope to learn more from u
Delish!!
Made these meatballs and added green onions to the meat. They were great. Plus they made enough for me to freeze some for a weeknight meal. Highly recommend!!
These were the best tasting meatballs I have ever made. Nice and easy. Thanks 😊
Very easy to make and tastes delicious. Thank you. Everyone wants more.
I made these and everyone loved them! One picky kid ate 3 and the other picky one said I should make these more often! I ate mine on top of spinach and they were delicious.
They were very good, I read thru MANY recipes. And women know how “picky” their man can be @ times. He DEVOURED his this evening. And, GREAT idea Suzy, atop of spinach!
easy and wonderfully yummy. And I just used the ground beef. I did add some minced fresh parsley
Great recipe.
Easy to make, I am just baking them now.
“Such a spicy meat-a-ball!”
Such an easy and delicious recipe! Meatballs were tender and hubby loved them! I even froze the rest for repeat dinners!
I’m not a gd meatball maker. I figured I try this recipe and they smell amazing!!. I cant wait to cook them. I didn’t have pork so I just used hamburger. My mom has been bugging me about making hamburgers but I REALLY suck at that. I should’ve read thru all ur notes about the seasonings. Next time I’ll have sausage. But they still smell amazing. Can’t wait to cook them. Tomorrow .When I make my sauce. Ty
These came out amazingballs!!! I used my Meatball Maker from Bakenfry and made them perfectly shaped. Also we ate them and I stuck the other half in the freezer. It was a big hit!
I couldn’t wait to taste one!
The kitchen smells like an Italian restuarant! Thay are super easy to make and are delicious.
I love homemade meatballs!
Easy recipe and it was a hit! I made a double batch for a party and everyone loved them!
Can it be made with just ground beef as I don’t have pork on hand
Here’s our commentary on using different meat, from the blog post:
CAN I USE DIFFERENT MEAT?
Yes, meatballs work great with several different types of ground meat. Just keep in mind that different types of ground meat contain different amounts of fat and moisture, so substituting the meat can change the texture and flavor of the meatballs.
The recipe below uses Italian sausage, which has a ton of herbs and spices already in the meat. Because of that, the meatballs only needed a small amount of extra seasoning added. So if you substitute the Italian sausage with a different type of ground meat, make sure to increase the seasoning in the meatballs accordingly.
My family really liked this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
These remind me of being a kid, they are really good 😊 Thanks
Thank you for this recipe!. I’m tired of store bought meatballs 😊
Consistently a good recipe. In addition to being tasty, the prep and cook times are spot on – as are all the BB recipes. I really appreciate that feature. Been using BB as a go to recipe card for years
My husband made these and they were delicious! We intended on freezing the remaining meatballs but by the end of the evening, they were almost completely gone! I think the combination of the ground beef and Italian sausage was the key. Such a great flavor!
how long to cook in a crockpot?
I haven’t tried that, unfortunately. :)
Cut the ingredients in half with just 1lb of lean ground beef. Turned out excellent. 😋
Delicious as is! Made a lot of meatballs so I will just freeze for later. I made this in conjunction with the slow cooker spaghetti sauce from this site and it was *chef’s kiss*
Absolutely scrumptious! My family and I couldn’t get enough of these. The recipe made many meatballs for this family of 4. However, I felt more comfortable overcooking these in the oven by 10-15 minutes. They didn’t seem quite right at the 15-20 minute mark and there appeared to be some pink still in the middle. Other than that, this recipe was delicious and will now be a part of our rotation.
If you make the meatballs with just ground beef do you need to adjust the other ingredients l?
Yes, you’ll want to add a lot more seasoning to make up for the seasoning that is in the sausage. :)
Just now took them out of the oven and had to sample one because they smelled so good and found that they tasted delicious.
Very easy to make and tasted great.
Meatballs were very good, I made homemade meatballs subs with mozzarella. I used mild pork sausage to mix & also added a few of my own seasonings but in all came out fantastic
I cannot wait to tty to make this today!!!!
Worth trying. Wonderful taste. Made gravy with drippings and beef broth base and all ingredients were gluten free. Added carrots and onions and potatoes. Great meal.
Just tried your recipe, it was great! Meatballs were tender and the meal was delicious!
These are soooo yummy! Picky kid approved, even!
This recipe makes the best meatballs and so easy! Thank you for sharing!
Best meatballs I have ever made!! I didn’t have sausage but instead used the 3 ground meats that are intended for the meatloaf mix. Followed everything else in your recipe exactly. Absolutely delicious!!! Husband thought the same too! Thank you!
Made these tonight to go with your slow cooker spaghetti sauce. I used Turkey sausage because I already had it. These were very good, and I love that I have enough leftover to freeze. I will definitely made them again.
I made these for the first time a few days ago. I doubled the recipe and used turkey instead of beef. I baked them. They were a huge hit! Flavorful and held together. I had enough to freeze for a friend with a new baby. Her 3 year old loved them and asked for meatballs for breakfast the next day!
I want to make homemade meatballs this will be my first time to make them
I tried this recipe and was very pleased. I used ritz crackers in place of breadcrumbs, real minced onion and all ground beef – 3lbs. I baked them for 15 minutes and then threw them in my favorite spaghetti sauce, simmered for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. They were the perfect texture. Not soggy or tough. It made 40 meatballs,
Very good recipe! I like to use crushed up ritz crackers to give it extra texture, but this was great. Thank you for sharing.
Could I pop these raw into your slow-cooker red sauce recipe, or would you recommend that I cook them through first?
You can put them raw into the slow cooker, but I would sear them first to develop flavor. XOXO -Monti
I used ground beef only, and Italian seasoned bread crumbs. I also didn’t measure my seasonings. It turned out great! (I’m not a fan of Italian sausage.) I love vodka sauce, so I used that and I found a great way to cook spaghetti noodles directly in the sauce. It turned out AMAZING. I love this recipe!
Better review your prices. The ingredients are a lot more now.
Hi Todd! We live in Nashville, TN. The prices in the recipe reflect exactly what we paid for the ingredients at our local stores. However, I just moved here from Los Angeles, and I know that everything there costs way more. I’m not sure where you live, but I’m sorry you seem to be in a similar situation as I found myself in California. It’s def frustrating. Thank you for being here! XOXO -Monti
Thanks for this easy recipe! The meatballs were super delicious! I didn’t have Italian sausages, so I subbed it with ground pork and doubled the seasoning. They turned out great!
These were so easy and delicious! I doubled the onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasonings. Thank you for this easy, flavorful recipe!
I came across this while searching for a recipe to make homemade meatballs. This was so easy and inexpensive!! My 4 yr old grandson absolutely loves them!!
Was just wondering how to properly store cooked meatballs in the refrigerator?
Any air-tight food storage container should work fine. :)
I never would have thought to add Parmesan to the meatball mix. I can only imagine how much flavor that adds. Delicious recipe!
Best meatballs I’ve ever made! Why did I wait so long to bake them? I was short on breadcrumbs so I put French Fried Onions in the food processor and added to the breadcrumbs! Turned out marvelous! Going to start another batch to freeze tomorrow
Ooooh, I bet those onions tasted so good in there!
If I do the recipe exactly and want to use them in stroganoff another time, will that taste good because of the Italian sausage?
I think it would be great. :)
What percent fat for the ground beef?
LOVE having meatballs in the freezer! I’ll never go back to breadcrumbs, though, after discovering some chefs’ secret of soaking a slice of bread, generally white (I use sourdough for its heft), in enough milk to make it completely soggy, for ten minutes or so. About a slice per pound of meat. If I’m making these on the fly and only have lower-fat meat(s), like ground sirloin and/or lean ground poultry, I’ll use whole milk, cream or half and half, just because I prefer the texture of a somewhat fattier meatball.
Gotta run — now I have to get some ground sirloin. If the price hasn’t made it enough to buy a car with …
This is very similar to how I make meatballs. I like the addition of cheese. I usually grate in an onion but I followed your recipe exactly. I also made some sauce from our home canned tomatoes. Tonight: meatballs subs 😋
Meatballs are freezer gold–chicken, turkey, beef, pork or mixed meats! I make mine a bit smaller, and always cook in the oven before freezing. This particular beef/sausage combo is both versatile and absolutely wonderful!