Basic Beef Meatballs

Every homemaker should have an Italian meatball recipe like my Basic Beef Meatballs to fall back on for simple and easy weeknight meals. And this one tops it all.

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Italian Favorite – How to Make Basic Beef Meatballs

In the past, if you were to ask me, I’d say I’d choose store-bought frozen meatballs for easy meal prep over homemade ones. But not anymore. I found that I could just as easily whip up delicious family-pleasing meatballs that taste better and are more versatile for my daily and entertaining needs.

I’ve tried other recipes, some that used bread, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, etc. but none came out the way I wanted it to. That’s when I decided to go back to the basics using simple spice blends and ingredients. And, to be honest, I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this sooner!

You might wonder why I use both ground chuck and ground sirloin. The reason is that meatballs need a bit of fat and richness. That’s what these two choice meats provide. So with each bite, you’ll notice that the meatballs aren’t dried out but remarkably moist and beefy.

Also, what’s great about this recipe is that you can easily make up a couple of batches, bake and freeze them. And, when you need a quick meal or appetizer, simply pull the meatballs out of the freezer, thaw or place them in the sauce of your choice and whola! you’ve got a delicious dinner without any muss or fuss. And, because they’ve already been fully cooked, there’s no worry about having to heat them more than you need to.

Best of all, these meatballs are perfect for:

• Spaghetti and Meatballs (dinner)
• Waikiki Meatballs (dinner)
• Cranberry Meatballs (appetizer)
• Swedish Meatballs (dinner)
• Swedish Meatballs (dinner)
and more…

Plus, each batch makes approximately three dozen meatballs. Perfect for any hungry crowd!

5 from 3 votes

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Basic Beef Meatballs

Every homemaker should have an Italian meatball recipe like my Basic Beef Meatballs to fall back on for simple and easy weeknight meals. And this one tops it all. This is my go-to recipe for anything that requires meatballs. Make a batch or two up, freeze and use as needed for quick prep meals.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 45-minutes-or-less, beef recipe, meatball recipe, meatballs

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 273 kcal

Author Deborah L Melian

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 2 tsp Penzey's English Prime Rib Rub (celery powder, toasted onion powder, garlic powder, and arrowroot)
• 2 tsp Penzey's Creamy Peppercorn Dressing Base (black pepper, salt, minced garlic, thyme, and minced parsley)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients together. Mix well by hand or with a spoon.

3. Using a teaspoon, scoop out meat and roll into the shape of meatballs.

4. Place your meatballs on a sided cookie sheet, leaving approximately an inch between each meatball.

5. Put in oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and let cool.

6. Serve immediately in your favorite sauce or freeze to use later.

Nutrition Facts

Basic Beef Meatballs

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 273 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 19g 29%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 78mg 26%

Sodium 203mg 8%

Potassium 332mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 1g 0%

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin C 0.4%

Calcium 2.4%

Iron 13.7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.