Basic meatball recipe

Everyone should have a basic meatball recipe. This one utilizes ground pork, but you can customize this meatball recipe to suit your taste buds. Cook a huge batch and freeze for quick dinners. 

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In their freezer, everyone should have premade pork meatballs for quick meatball sandwiches or even a no-boil pasta bake. 

Although this basic meatball recipe uses ground pork, you can use whatever you have on hand. My current favorite is a 50/50 mix of ground beef and lamb with parsley and mint. Of course, the cooking times may vary, but a few handfuls of small frozen meatballs are usually ready to go within 15 minutes. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to make basic pork meatballs
• how to cook meatballs
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• frozen meatballs
•  The best way to reheat these pork meatballs 
• Top tip for baked meatballs
• Basic meatball recipe
• Food safety

Ingredients

Here's what I used to make this basic meatball recipe. 

• ground pork
• garlic, grated
• egg
• rolled oats
• milk 
• hard cheese (I used asiago)
• fine sea salt
• anchovy paste
• fresh herbs: basil, thyme, dill, parsley, mint, etc. 
• Freshly cracked black pepper

See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.

How to make basic pork meatballs

First, we need to make a panade. A panade is a mixture of bread and milk. I prefer to use regular oats and whatever milk I have on hand. I frequent evaporated milk, half and half, or cream because I always have one of those in my kitchen. 

In a small bowl, mix oats and milk. Let this soak for about 10 minutes or until the oats soak up almost all milk, creating a soggy, wet, paste-like consistency. Sometimes, I have to drain the excess liquid when I use cream. 

Meanwhile, combine the egg, grated cheese, anchovy paste, herbs, and spices in a large bowl, making sure to whisk the egg thoroughly. After, add the ground pork and panade to the bowl. Gently mix with your hands until just combined.

Hint:  It's important to toss the meatball mixture lightly with open hands and fingers spread apart. That way, everything gets evenly coated without packing the meat together. 

Now, form your meatballs by gently compacting in between your hands. Put a minimal amount of olive oil onto your hands to prevent sticking. It's best to make the pork meatballs on the smaller side, about the size of a golf ball. You want them to be packed kind of tightly, so they hold together during the cooking process. However, packing too tightly will result in tough meatballs. 

how to cook meatballs

To finish cooking, I think it best first to sear the meatballs exterior. Doing so gives this pork meatball recipe more flavor. After browning, to cook the pork meatballs entirely, there are a few different methods to use depending on the dish you're making. 

However, this method does have some drawbacks. Two of the most common are it creates square-shaped meatballs, and you risk creating an extra crisp exterior. Furthermore, it can take a long time, depending on how many meatballs you're making. 

Nevertheless, I would argue that par-cooking meatballs are the best action course because, most likely, they will be simmering in a sauce or broth. 

Cooking option #1:  Stovetop simmer

1. Heat an enamel cast iron pan over medium-high heat with one tablespoon of olive oil. Fry each meatball for 30-60 seconds on each side until all sides are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Simmer in sauce or broth until the internal temperature of the pork meatballs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Cooking option #2:  Pan-fry and bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Heat an enamel cast iron pan over medium-high heat with one tablespoon of olive oil. Fry each meatball for 30-60 seconds on each side until all sides are golden brown. Remove from heat and drain onto a paper towel. 
3. Wipe the cast iron pan out, then transfer the meatballs back in—bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Cooking option #3:  Baked meatballs

1.  Skip the par-cooking and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with a minimal amount of oil, just enough to make sure they don't stick. 
3. Bake meatballs until sizzling and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. After the meatballs cook through, broil until lightly brown on top, about 2 minutes. 

Cooking notes: Large meatballs can take twice as long, depending on the cooking method. Furthermore, cooking many meatballs at once will add to the cooking and reheating time. 

Substitutions

• Milk - You can use whatever milk you prefer. 
• Anchovy paste - Anchovy paste give the meatballs more umami flavor, but you can also use white miso paste. I've made these without anchovy paste, but you may have to adjust the salt. 

Variations

• Spicy - add harissa powder, chili pepper flakes to imbue heat into the dish. 
• Additional spices - Add 2-3 teaspoons of dried seasonings that complement the dish you are making. I like a teaspoon of freshly ground fennel and coriander. 
• Ground meat - You can use any combination of ground meat. I like pork meatballs or a 50/50 mixture of lamb and beef. However, I would caution against using ground chicken by itself because they are more likely to come out dry. If you want to use ground chicken, use dark meat and cook in sauce or broth. 

Equipment

I like to use a Staub enamel cast iron pan for meatballs to sear and bake. While a traditional cast iron pan can be damaged, enamel cast iron pans are safe with acidic sauces like tomato sauce. Additionally, the All-Clad All-in-One stainless steel pan is another favorite as both are oven-safe. 

When baking meatballs from their raw state, Nordicware baking sheets are some of the best ones on the market. 

Lastly, an instant-read thermometer is a must when cooking temperature-sensitive foods. 

frozen meatballs

Cook meatballs entirely before freezing. Once the meatballs completely cool, arrange them in a single layer onto a clean baking sheet and freeze. Store in a freezer-safe container or ziptop bag when the outsides are frozen. 

You can keep frozen meatballs for 1-2 months; then, the flavor and texture degrade. This basic meatball recipe is suitable for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

 The best way to reheat these pork meatballs 

Reheat in the oven:  To reheat frozen meatballs, cook in the oven on a baking sheet covered with foil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, about 15 minutes.  

Reheat on the stovetop:  Toss the frozen meatballs in sauce or broth. Gently heat to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer in liquid until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. 

Top tip for baked meatballs

To prevent dry meatballs when baking, pour ⅛ inch of broth or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. The panade helps control this, but big meatballs may need extra assurance. 

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Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.