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About This Recipe
If you’re looking for a simple, flavorful, and hassle-free dinner, these sheet pan meatballs are the perfect solution! This sheet pan recipe is the easiest way to cook these tender meatballs and requires the least amount of cleanup.
Plus, these mini-sized meatballs are balanced with overall great flavor so they’re super versatile and can be served over pasta and tomato sauce (highly recommend my Homemade Spaghetti O’s), in a sub sandwich, on top of greek tzatziki bowls, with a baked sweet potato, or a side of garlic bread!
With just one pan and a short ingredients list, you’ll have a delicious homemade meal on the table in no time!
And if you’re looking for meatballs with more Italian-flare, try my Healthy Italian Meatballs! Or try my Greek Meatballs full of feta cheese, red onion and baby spinach!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Meatballs
- Bite-sized and perfect for pairing with Homemade Spaghetti O’s!
- All baked on a rimmed baking sheet so no need to stand over the stove and flip individual meatballs!
- Quick and easy! Ready in just 30 minutes for a delicious meal!
- Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or meal prep!
- So many ways to enjoy! Enjoy over pasta, in a sandwich or alongside your favorite sides!
- Ground beef: I used lean 93/7 ground beef. You could also use ground turkey or ground pork.
- Egg: The large egg helps bind the ground beef and seasonings together so they stay in meatball form.
- Onion: Finely chopped or grated yellow onion.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed.
- Parmesan cheese: I highly recommend using freshly grated for the best flavor!! The pre-shredded kind in the bag just doesn’t taste or melt the same.
- Dijon mustard and worcestershire sauce: For flavoring our meatballs! You can sub for regular yellow mustard and low-sodium soy sauce if needed.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic clove or frozen garlic cubes also work great.
- Dried parsley: You can also sub for 2 tablespoons of fresh minced parsley.
- Serving ideas: spaghetti or pasta noodles, Homemade Spaghetti O’s, pesto, tzatziki, marinara or your favorite sauce to drizzle over top
- Gluten-Free: Swap the panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free bread crumbs or almond flour.
- Dairy-Free: Sub the parmesan with a dairy-free cheese substitute.
- Different protein: Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey (turkey meatballs), ground chicken (chicken meatballs) or ground pork/sausage.
- Spicy kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
- Fresh herbs: Throw any fresh herbs that sounds good to you in addition to the parsley. Try fresh basil, oregano, or rosemary.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together just until everything is combined well.
2. Pinch off meat, about 1/2 tablespoon (15g) and gently shape into balls. They don’t need to be perfectly shaped. Also if you prefer, you could make larger meatballs 1-2 tablespoons in size (about the size of golf balls). These are more bite-size and perfect for pairing with homemade spaghetti-o’s! Arrange meatballs in a single layer on the greased baking sheet so none are touching.
3. Bake meatballs for about 10 minutes, until meatballs are browned and cooked through (closer to 15 minutes for larger meatballs).
4. So many ways to enjoy meatballs…we love them with any pasta (especially Spaghetti O’s) or just with a simple sauce drizzled over top and some sides.
- Storage: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, let cool completely then put in an freezer-safe airtight container or Ziploc bag. Try to remove as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the oven, air fryer or on the stove.
Helpful Tips
- Wet hands: The meat mixture will be a lot easier to roll if your hands are slightly wet. I usually roll the meatballs next to the sink, with the faucet barely running so I can wet my hands a few times or use a little more extra-virgin olive oil in my palms to roll them.
- Extra-large baking sheet: I highly recommend this extra large baking sheet for this recipe so you can cook all the meatballs at once. You want to make sure to arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet so that none are touching (air needs rooms to circulate around each meatball to help them cook evenly). If you don’t have a large enough sheet pan, you can use two normal-sized baking sheets to ensure you have enough room between each meatball.
- Meal prep: These meatballs freeze great so I love to make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half for later! Perfect to pull out for a last minute meal or appetizer for a party!
Ways To Enjoy
There are so many delicious ways to serve these baked meatballs! A few of my favorites include:
- Homemade Spaghetti O’s: Enjoy these bite-sized meatballs with this healthier version of a childhood classic!
- Pasta: Serve with your favorite pasta like my buttered noodles!
- Tzatziki: Homemade or store-bought both work great.
- Rice: Serve with a side of white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.
- Vegetable: These meatballs go great with any roasted vegetable. Serve with my favorite roasted sweet potatoes & green beans, broccoli, air fryer green beans, or roasted parmesan zucchini.
- Salad: Serve these meatballs with your favorite side salad or chop them up to use a a lean protein for any salad recipe.
- Potatoes: These meatballs also pair well with my favorite roasted potatoes!
Can I prep these meatballs in advance?
Yes, you can prep and roll beef mixture then store uncooked in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Do I need sauce for these meatballs?
These meatballs are delicious served with sauce but it’s not required! I enjoy pairing them with pasta sauce, tzatziki or pesto. These well-seasoned, tender meatballs will taste great however your decide to serve them for an easy dinner recipe.
How big are these meatballs?
These are smaller than traditional meatballs. They’re great for pairing with Homemade Spaghetti O’s or even serving as an appetizer! However, you can also make them into larger meatballs about 1-2 tablespoons in size if you prefer.
Can I cook these meatballs on the stovetop?
Yes, to cook in a skillet just add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and set to low-medium heat. Let the oil warm up for 1-2 minutes. Then, add half of the meatballs to the skillet. Place a lid on top and let cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Flip the meatballs to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Easy Sheet Pan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef I used 93%
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped or grated yellow onion (80g)
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (28g)
- 1 oz. finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp fresh minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Serving ideas:
- Spaghetti or pasta noodles
- Homemade Spaghettios
- Pesto, tzatziki, marinara or your favorite sauce to drizzle over top
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Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
- Grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together just until everything is combined well.
- Pinch off meat, about 1/2 tablespoon (15g) and gently shape into balls. They don’t need to be perfectly shaped. Also if you prefer, you could make larger meatballs 1-2 tablespoons in size. These are more bitesize and perfect for pairing with homemade spaghetti-o’s!
- Arrange meatballs on the greased baking sheet so none are touching.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until meatballs are browned and cooked through (closer to 15 minutes for larger meatballs).
- So many ways to enjoy meatballs…we love them with any pasta (especially Spaghetti O’s!) or just with a simple sauce drizzled over top and some sides.
Notes
How To Store
- Storage: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, let cool completely then put in an freezer-safe airtight container or Ziploc bag. Try to remove as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the oven, air fryer or on the stove.
Helpful Tips
- Wet hands: The meat mixture will be a lot easier to roll if your hands are slightly wet. I usually roll the meatballs next to the sink, with the faucet barely running so I can wet my hands a few times or use a little more extra-virgin olive oil in my palms to roll them.
- Extra-large baking sheet: I highly recommend this extra large baking sheet for this recipe so you can cook all the meatballs at once. You want to make sure to arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet so that none are touching (air needs rooms to circulate around each meatball to help them cook evenly). If you don’t have a large enough sheet pan, you can use two normal-sized baking sheets to ensure you have enough room between each meatball.
- Meal prep: These meatballs freeze great so I love to make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half for later! Perfect to pull out for a last minute meal or appetizer for a party!
Ways To Enjoy
There are so many delicious ways to serve these baked meatballs! A few of my favorites include:- Homemade Spaghetti O’s: Enjoy these bite-sized meatballs with this healthier version of a childhood classic!
- Pasta: Serve with your favorite pasta like my buttered noodles!
- Tzatziki: Homemade or store-bought both work great.
- Rice: Serve with a side of white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.
- Vegetable: These meatballs go great with any roasted vegetable. Serve with my favorite roasted sweet potatoes & green beans, broccoli, air fryer green beans, or roasted parmesan zucchini.
- Salad: Serve these meatballs with your favorite side salad or chop them up to use a a lean protein for any salad recipe.
- Potatoes: These meatballs also pair well with my favorite roasted potatoes!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
