Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic! My recipe for oven baked meatballs is a favorite around HFO. I make them ALOT. These baked meatballs are so tender and juicy, come together super quickly, and are at the top of the request list for our guests. Just dump, mix, scoop, and bake. They can be served on their own, with traditional spaghetti and red sauce, or with low carb zucchini noodles. If you still need convincing to try these meatballs, start to finish, these take less than an hour!
These meatballs are also a fantastic way to use up the elk, venison, or other game meat in your freezer. “Gameballs,” if you will. Unlike the meatloaf recipe, I have not found the need to combine a fattier meat with lean game meats to ensure the meatballs stay structurally sound. If you choose a leaner meat, you’ll keep the calories under 200 for 4 big meatballs! I used lean ground beef in the nutrition calculation.
If you’ve tried the HIH Sheet Pan Meatloaf with Sweet and Spicy Glaze, you may be having Deja vu. The meat mixture for these meatballs is the same recipe! I just had an idea for meatloaf balls using the glaze for meatloaf as a sauce…stay tuned I’m definitely giving that a try! Isn’t it crazy how the same ingredients can be so versatile? Food is so cool.
Keys to Success
- Don’t over mix the meat mixture. Meatballs should be tender and easily cut with the side of a fork. If you over work the meat, the meatballs could become tough. I like to use clean hands (don’t forget to take your rings off, HA) to fold the bottom of the mixture to the top of the mixture and push the mixture down until just combined. Don’t forget to wash your hands after handling raw meat.
- Rustic or refined meatball? I like a rustic meatball, so I fine dice my onions. If you prefer a more refined smooth meatball texture without visible pieces of onion throughout, throw the onion, basil, and garlic into the food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Use a spring loaded scoop. A spring loaded scoop, like these, make this process so easy! In addition to ease, you get perfectly even meatballs. I like to scoop the entire mixture and then go back and roll the meatballs. A meatball assembly line, if you will.
Oven Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef elk, venison or moose also work well
- 4 tablespoons 5-7 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 small/medium yellow onion diced finely or processed in the food processor
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup 2% or whole milk
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Combine all ingredients and work together using your hands until just combined
- Roll into golf ball sized portions and place evenly spaced on a sheet pan
- Bake for 30 minutes
- Serve over your favorite pasta and plenty of marinara or alfredo sauce OR with toothpicks as an appetizer
Nutrition
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