Best Italian Oven Baked Meatballs Recipe + Video

Our oven baked meatballs are so tender and juicy – they are the best meatballs you’ll ever have! Skip the mess of pan frying make this baked meatball recipe!

There aren’t many meals that are easier to make than homemade meatballs in the oven, and there are so many ways to enjoy them!

Oven Baked Meatballs

Our family’s favorite baked meatballs are made with bread crumbs and loaded with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, and the best way to make them is the oven. 

You’ll have SO much less mess making them this way than with a skillet of oil.

For this easy meatball recipe, we make them small enough to serve as an appetizer, but flavorful enough to use in meatball subs or in my favorite meatball soup!

Or, make a simple roasted tomato sauce or quick 5-minute homemade marinara sauce to serve with them with a plate of pasta.

I really like to toss them into a skillet and cover them my favorite sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese and broil them for a few minutes. Serve this with garlic bread and you have a perfect meal.

But honestly, there is truly no need for sauce. These oven baked meatballs are tender and juicy, even without spaghetti sauce! 

This is a simple, no-fuss recipe that makes a magnificent comfort food meal. 

When I make this recipe Chad and I literally eat them off the sheet pan. We just can’t wait, they are that good!

Tips for the Best Meatballs

Don’t over mix! 

Use your hands to incorporate the ingredients into the meat mixture in a large mixing bowl until they are JUST combined. 

Over mixing will cause your baked meatballs to be tough and dry. 

You can even use a wooden spoon, some people feel that this is the perfect way to make juicy meatballs, but I am old school.

Substitute dry herbs. 
You can use dry herbs and spices in place of the fresh parsley, rosemary and basil if needed. Use the following measurements for this baked meatball recipe:

• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning for the fresh herbs
• One teaspoon garlic powder for the fresh garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon onion powder for the grated onion

• Use a scoop to portion your meatball mixture. 
  Not only does this guarantee uniform-size meatballs, but it also ensures that they cook evenly. Plus, handling them less helps to prevent dry meatballs.
• Oil your hands. 
  If you lightly coat your hands with olive oil or cooking spray before rolling the meatballs, they will form better and crack less.
• Bake meatballs on parchment paper. It makes for even cooking and easy cleanup, not to mention juicy meatballs!

Baked Meatball Recipe FAQ

Prep Ahead Instructions

To help dinner come together even faster, prep all of your ingredients in the morning and combine them when you get home.

You can also shape meatballs up to a day ahead of time and store them covered in the refrigerator. Or, freeze a batch or two for a quick and easy meal.

How To Store Oven Baked Meatballs

Allow leftover meatballs (if you have any) to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. These baked Italian meatballs will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. But mine never last that long. They have such great flavor that we can’s help eating them for every meal until they are gone.

Reheat meatballs in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350°F or in the microwave until warmed through.

You can also make a few batches of this baked meatball recipe and freeze them for a later meal! 

Oven baked meatballs can be frozen raw or cooked, depending on your preference.

• To freeze raw meatballs: Arrange the homemade meatballs in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Flash freeze them for 1 hour, until firm, then store in a freezer bag or airtight container.
  
• To freeze baked meatballs: Once cooled, divide into meal-sized portions and place each batch in a freezer-safe storage bag.
  
  You can also flash freeze them and store them all together. This way, they won’t stick together so you can grab as many (or as few) as you need next time!

No need to thaw — you can cook meatballs in the oven from frozen! Arrange on a sheet pan and bake or simmer in sauce on the stove until warmed through.

These really are our favorite meatballs. Truly the best daggum meatballs ever. I hope you love them as much as we do.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Originally published September 2013, updated and republished May 2024

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