Perfectly seasoned with a light outer crust and soft center, these meatballs will be the star of any meal.
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One of my favorite things about cooking is finding a recipe that is versatile – something that can work as a main dish, a side dish, or even an appetizer or snack. When it comes to versatile foods there are few items quite as versatile as a meatball, they can be a topping in the traditional spaghetti and meatballs, they can be an appetizer when covered in any number of sauces, they can be the core ingredient of a sandwich, or you can have them as your main protein on a plate. I love a good meatball, my favorite is the traditional beef meatball, but I won’t turn up my nose at the occasional turkey, pork, or chicken meatball. But when it comes to making the perfect beef meatball this is the recipe I use, it is quick, easy, and delicious.
I’m sure you’re wondering what makes this the perfect beef meatball, and the answer is twofold, flavor and texture. The flavor of these meatballs is perfect, an ideal blend of onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, and of course high-quality lean ground beef. The texture is equally matched as they brown, you get the perfect crisp outer layer of cooked beef while the center remains moist, tender, and rich. That perfect blend of flavor and texture heightens any meal, whether you add sauce or not.
I’m sure to some the idea of meatballs without sauce is crazy but if you try to trace back the origin of meatballs, the concept of blending ground meat and spices has been a part of many cultures, but they haven’t always had sauce. In fact, there is a lot of debate about where meatballs originate, some say the Middle East or Asia, while others credit the Greeks or Romans. Regardless of which you believe is true we can all agree that the blending of ground meat with herbs and spices is a tradition we can all get behind.
Are Oven-Baked Meatballs Healthy?
I know we all live with this eternal struggle; we want so badly to be healthy, but we do not want to sacrifice flavor or meals that we love. These oven-baked meatballs are a great source of protein and have a lot of health benefits. First, the recipe calls for lean ground beef – I find an 85/15 works well, second, these meatballs are baked with no additional oils for cooking, which avoids unnecessary fats. The important thing to keep in mind with any red meat dish is your personal dietary needs, you never want to overindulge on any one item and the same goes for these baked meatballs, everything in moderation.
What is the best ground beef for this recipe?
When it comes to ingredients, I always encourage you to go for the best, and if possible, buy organic. As I said earlier the ground beef for this recipe should be lean, I recommend either an 85/15 grind or 90/10 grind, which simply means 85 or 90 percent lean meat in the grind. This is determined by the pieces of meat put into the grinder when the beef is being ground, the more fat trimmed off the meat before it is ground the leaner the ground beef will be. When you get organic ground beef it means the cow was raised with no antibiotics or growth hormones. Cows raised on organic farms are generally treated more humanely so not only is the beef high quality, but you can feel good eating it.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat
Prepare oven and baking sheet.
Mix
Combine ingredients and form meat mixture.
Shape
Form and place meatballs on baking sheet.
Bake
Cook meatballs until browned and done.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
To store your oven-baked meatballs allow them to cool to room temperature and place in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze your meatballs for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until warmed all the way through.
Of course, once your meatballs are cooked you can serve them any way you want, coat them in any sauce you would like and enjoy.
This depends on how many meatballs you are making, if you can save time by cooking all your meatballs at once that is what I would recommend.
Serving Suggestions
As we have discussed multiple times, these meatballs are incredibly versatile, you can sauce them however you’d like or enjoy them on their own. You can also add them to this Rainbow Chard with Penne and Goat Cheese White Wine Sauce {Gluten Free} or serve alongside this Roasted Red Peppers And Almond Salad. However you serve them, you’ll never make another meatball recipe again!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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