Description
Juicy, flavorful meatballs simmered to perfection in marinara sauce. Perfect for pasta, subs, or enjoying solo—comfort food done right!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon each of garlic and onion powder
- 2 teaspoons each of kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
The right mixing technique will give you perfectly seasoned meatballs. Start by mixing all dry seasonings in a small bowl and stir really well for one minute to spread everything evenly.
Blend the ground meat with seasonings using gentle hand movements. You’ll need 2 tablespoons of seasoning mix for each pound of meat. Let everything rest for 5 minutes so the flavors can develop.
Roll the seasoned meat into balls of the same size. You can cook them two ways:
To bake in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet
- Bake for 15 minutes until they’re lightly browned
To cook on stovetop:
- Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
- Cook meatballs for about 20 minutes and turn them often
- Make sure internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C)
Next, put the cooked meatballs in sauce and simmer them for 5 more minutes. Let them cool completely before freezing. You can freeze meatballs either way:
- Cooked: Cool first, then put in freezer bags
- Uncooked: Freeze on parchment paper until solid (1-2 hours), then move to freezer bags
Keep any leftover seasoning mix in an airtight container up to 6 months. These seasonings work great with Italian breadcrumbs or any breadcrumbs you prefer.
Notes
The right storage methods will keep your meatball seasoning potent and fresh. A good airtight glass container kept away from sunlight maintains freshness for 6-8 months. We labeled our containers with prep dates to track freshness better.
You can make about 18 meatballs from one pound of meat. The recipe scales up nicely, but going below one pound isn’t ideal. A better approach is to make the full pound and freeze what you don’t need.
Getting the right texture needs some thought. Softer meatballs need a splash of milk, applesauce, or tomato sauce. Adding more breadcrumbs makes them firmer. Testing is a vital step – cook a small sample to assess the flavor and adjust as needed.
Meatballs freeze really well when they’re raw. Let them freeze solid on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours and move them to resealable bags. They’ll stay good for up to four months. If you have allium sensitivity, you can skip or cut back on onion and garlic without ruining the structure, though too much can affect stability.
A quick slice through the middle shows if they’re done – you shouldn’t see any pink or red. Using a funnel to transfer seasoning mix keeps things clean and prevents waste. Making all meatballs the same size ended up giving the most even cooking results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking and Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian