Simply Perfect Meatballs

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/19/22
Simply Perfect Meatballs

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
333 Calories
22g Fat
2g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 29%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 131mg 44%
Sodium 331mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 420mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Juicy and flavorful meatballs are so easy with this mixture of beef, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese.

We used seasoned breadcrumbs in this recipe because we were using the meatballs in a spaghetti sauce, but they would be great with other seasonings if you're making cocktail meatballs or using them in another type of recipe. Use them in pasta sauce, cheese sauce, a stroganoff sauce, or put them in the crockpot with barbecue sauce for a party.

Feel free to add a little extra grated Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture for rolling the shaped mixture.

Double this mixture for a large family meal or for serving many guests.

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/4 pounds ground beef

  • 1/4 cup seasoned or plain dry breadcrumbs, more as needed

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup milk or light cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Simply Perfect Meatballs ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. Heat oven to 350 F. Line a large jelly roll or a baking or roasting pan with foil and place a cooling rack in the pan. Spray the rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

    cooling rack on top a of an aluminum foil lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Combine the ground beef, 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, egg, and milk. Mix until ingredients are well blended.

    Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, egg, and milk in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Put 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs in a plate or shallow bowl.

    breadcrumbs in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  5. Shape the ground beef mixture into meatballs about 3/4 to 1 ounce in weight or about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll in the breadcrumbs to coat lightly.

    meatball in a bowl with breadcrumbs

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  6. Arrange the meatballs on the rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are cooked through and browned.

    Simply Perfect Meatballs on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Tips

  • Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to mix ground beef for meatloaf or meatballs. Alternatively, put the ingredients in a food storage bag, seal it, and mix it without getting your hands dirty.
  • Blend the meat mixture well but don't overmix or overwork the mixture, or the meatballs might become too packed and dense.
  • Latex or other plastic gloves could also be used to mix meatloaf, and they're a great no-mess, no-stick way to shaping the meatballs.
  • Moistening your hands with a little water as you work also helps to keep the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands.
  • If you don't have a scale to measure the meatballs, roll the meat mixture into long logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cut the meatballs into 1 1/2-inch lengths and then shape them into balls.