Description
Savory Italian baked meatballs blend perfectly seasoned ground beef with herbs and cheese. Hearty comfort emerges from this classic dish that brings warmth to family dinners with simple, delicious ingredients you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground pork
Binding and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400F (200C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal cooking surface.
- Thoroughly blend ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, minced garlic, chopped parsley, milk, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a spacious mixing bowl until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Craft uniform spherical meatballs approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, carefully positioning them across the lined baking sheet.
- Delicately cascade olive oil over the meatball surface to enhance moisture and promote golden browning.
- Roast within the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, monitoring until the exterior turns a rich golden hue and internal temperature reaches safe cooking standards.
- Extract meatballs from the oven, allowing brief resting time to stabilize internal temperatures and maintain juiciness.
- Serve alongside preferred pasta, marinara sauce, or present as a delectable standalone appetizer for gatherings or family meals.
Notes
- Enhance moisture by using a blend of ground meats like beef and pork, which creates a more tender and flavorful texture.
- Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to prevent tough, dense meatballs; gently combine ingredients just until they’re incorporated.
- Use a light touch when forming meatballs to keep them tender and prevent compacting the meat too tightly.
- Experiment with gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour for a low-carb and gluten-free alternative that maintains the meatballs’ delicious structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg