Wondering how long to bake meatballs in the oven? Or “is it better to cook meatballs at 350 or 400?”? I tested countless batches of baked meatballs to determine which temperature and times resulted in a tender inside and golden brown outside. The sweet spot is 18-22 minutes at 425°F for medium-sized meatballs, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Keep reading for a full oven-temp chart, tips, and my tested recipe!
Keep reading to learn how long to bake meatballs to achieve the most tender and flavorful meatballs you’ll ever have. My easy baked meatballs recipe is perfect for spaghetti on a weeknight, meatballs subs, or an easy appetizer for game day.
Plus I’m sharing a recipe for everyday Italian baked meatballs that stand up alongside some of my favorite Italian recipes like Italian meatball soup, gluten-free pizza, and Instant Pot spaghetti.
Once you learn how to make meatballs you can add even more flavor with herbs, spices, and sauces like Greek chicken meatballs or buffalo chicken meatballs.
Keep reading to learn what temperature to bake meatballs, how to mix and make the best meatballs, the secrets to tender and juicy meatballs, and more. I followed these guidelines for my firecracker meatballs!
Why You’ll Love these Oven-Baked Meatballs
Baked meatballs are so popular because they’re a flavorful mixture of herbs, breadcrumbs, and spices. Plus the serving options are endless!
This simple baked meatball recipe is made with bread crumbs, fresh herbs, garlic, parmesan cheese, and ground meat. Bake them in the oven for 30 minutes and enjoy plain, with a delicious marinara sauce, or overtop your favorite pasta.
Baking them also makes prep easier! I love to serve them as an appetizer, main dish, or prep them for quick lunches. The endless flavor possibilities make baked homemade meatballs a favorite at our house, especially for weeknight dinner meal prep (so easy to freeze!).
What Temperature is Best for Baking Meatballs?
425°F is the best temperature to bake meatballs. This approach gets the outside of the meatballs crispy and the insides tender and juicy. The high heat creates a crispy crust to lock in the juices quickly while taking less time to bake. It usually takes between 30 minutes to bake chicken wings.
Pro tip: put the oven rack in the highest position to maximize the golden brown outside of the meatballs.
Like in the guide for how long to bake chicken wings, we love to bake meatballs and wings at 425°F. The cooking temperature won’t change from recipe to recipe, but the cooking time may vary based on the size of the meatballs and your particular oven.
What Internal Temp Should Meatballs Be Cooked to?
How do you know when meatballs are done baking? Always use an instant-read thermometer to determine doneness for best results. The size of the meatballs can vary and so can everyone’s oven temperature, so using a thermometer is ideal. Meatballs should be cooked to 165°F when you insert a meat thermometer into the center of the meatball.
No matter if you’re making baked chicken meatballs, or baked meatballs with a mixture of pork and/or ground beef, you’ll want to bake them to 165°F.
Is it Better to Bake Meatballs at 350 or 400?
You can bake meatballs at both 350°F and 400°F. Baking at a higher temperature (400°F) will result in a golden brown outside and juicy inside in a shorter amount of time. A 350° F oven will still result in a juicy center too, it will just take longer to cook all the way through.
In fact, I prefer to bake meatballs at a higher temperature of 425 over 350, 375, or even 400 degrees f.
How Long Does it Take to Bake Meatballs at 400?
Bake 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 inch meatballs at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit. Meatballs that are 2 inches in diameter will take about 25 minutes to bake at 400.
How Long Does it Take to Bake Meatballs at 375?
Bake 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 inch meatballs at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit. Meatballs that are 2 inches in diameter will take about 25 minutes to bake at 375.
How to Bake Meatballs in the Oven
This is an overview with step-by-step photos, to make this easy chicken wings recipe. Full printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
Make a panade: mix breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. This allows the breadcrumbs to absorb the moisture. Mixing bread and milk together to fold into a meat mixture is called a panade.
Mix the meatballs: add the ground pork, Italian sausage, garlic (or garlic powder), herbs, salt, and parmesan cheese. Use clean hands to mix everything together until all of the ingredients are well distributed.
Note: you can swap the ground pork out for lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken. The bake times and the internal temperature will stay the same.
Shape meatballs: Use a large cookie scoop or heaping Tablespoon to divide and roll the meatball mixture into about 14-16 meatballs 1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter. Place them in a single layer on a large rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake: drizzle the meatballs with olive oil and bake them on the top rack in a 425°F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Top with parsley and grated cheese and serve.
Recipe Variations
You can easily customize these baked meatballs by cooking them in different ways or using a different protein. Here are our favorite cooking and flavor variations!
- Lean meats: Use ground turkey or chicken, but reduce cook time to avoid drying.
- Air fryer meatballs: instead of baking, air fry at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, like in these air fryer meatballs.
- Pan-seared meatballs: Sear the meatballs on all sides for a few minutes in olive oil. Or you can sear them and finish baking them in the oven like these gluten-free meatballs.
- Gluten-free meatballs: use gluten-free breadcrumbs. I like Aleia’s Italian breadcrumbs.
Pro Tip for Juicy Meatballs
The breadcrumb + milk mixture (panade) is the secret to tenderness. It prevents proteins from tightening, so your meatballs stay soft and moist inside (without eggs). I use this method for my Greek chicken meatballs, Firecracker meatballs, and Korean meatballs!
FAQs
Pan searing meatballs results in more caramelization and cook more quickly while baking gives you a crunchy, golden brown exterior and juicy center. Baking takes a bit longer but is completely hands off once they go in the oven. You need to watch seared meatballs closely and turn them off.
The best way not to overcook meatballs is to use an instant read thermometer to determine the internal temperature. Yoou should remove meatballs from the heat when they reach 160-165°F (target temp is 165). Allow them to rest for 5 minutes so the juices reabsorb back into the meatballs.
Browning meatballs in a pan on the stove gives them a caramelization on the outside and locks in the juices before you transfer them to the oven. While this gives you a gorgeous crust and juicy meatballs, it’s not necessary. It’s a great option if you have an oven-safe pan. However, you can still achieve golden brown meatballs if you bake them on the top rack nearest the heat source.
Meatballs that fall apart usually have a binding problem or not enough fat to hold them together. You need the right amount of breadcrumbs and milk to hold these meatballs together. A lot of meatball recipes call for eggs as a binder or a mixture of bread and milk (called a panade).
Storage Tips
Allow the meatballs to cool to room temperature before storing. Place the leftover meatballs in an airtight container or plastic storage bag. Store the container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, preheat the oven or air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and bake the meatballs for 10-15 minutes, or until they are heated through. Alternatively, you can heat them up in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Freeze baked meatballs: allow the meatballs to cool completely then arrange them on a large baking sheet and flash freeze them in a single layer for about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Air fry or bake directly from frozen at 350 degrees f for 15-20 minutes or until heating through.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
Easy Italian Baked Meatballs
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk any kind
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage or swap for more ground beef
- 1 small shallot minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus more for topping
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese plus more for topping
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Adjust the oven rack to the top position. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Soak breadcrumbs (5-10 min): Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a large mixing bowl and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. This allows the breadcrumbs to absorb the moisture.1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup milk
- Mix meatballs (5 min): Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, shallot, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and cheese. Use clean hands to mix everything together until all of the ingredients are well distributed. Do not over mix or it can make the meatballs tough. The mixture should be wet but still hold its shape.1 lb ground beef, 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage, 1 small shallot, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ tsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
- Shape (5 min): Use a large cookie scoop or heaping Tablespoon to divide and roll the meatball mixture into about 14-16 meatballs 1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter. Place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake (15 min): Drizzle the meatballs with olive oil and bake them in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Start checking for doneness around 12 minutes if the meatballs are smaller. Cover the pan with foil if the meatballs are browning too much before the meatballs are done.2 Tablespoons olive oil
Notes
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ways to Serve Meatballs
- Add them to your favorite spaghetti sauce and pasta.
- Serve them in a meatball sub with melted mozzarella cheese.
- Serve them over tomato sauce with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
More Kitchen Tips
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Best recipe ever thanks for sharing!
These are the best meatballs I’ve ever made! Even our kids loved them. Very flavorful, easy to make and held together really well. This will be a new staple at our house.
Thank you so much!!!
Best meatballs I’ve ever made!
I’ve made homemade baked meatballs before but mine always fell apart. These were SO flavorful, and they held together like storebought meatballs. Will definitely make these again!
Best meatballs I’ve ever had! We’ll definitely be making them this way from now on!
What a long-winded recipe! Just state the facts! We don’t need to know how much your family loved the SIMPLE recipe.