Definitely add these baked meatballs to your weeknight menu! We are all about the easy weeknight meals and these baked Italian meatballs are a new family favorite at our house! Just grab a jar of your favorite marinara sauce (check the ingredients if Whole30/paleo), make some simple meatballs, toss them together in a casserole pan, and voila! Plus, they are perfect for easy meal prep at the beginning of the week.
Do You Have a Smoker?
If so, then you definitely need to try our Smoked Meatballs!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- ground beef – feel free to swap for ground turkey, ground pork, or even a combination of ground beef and ground pork would be good too!
- almond flour – love using this ingredient to help hold everything together, but bread crumbs could also be used.
- marinara sauce – if you have a large amount of tomatoes on your hands, try making our homemade marinara sauce, otherwise any store-bought variety will do!
How To Make Baked Italian Meatballs
Best Ways To Serve Baked Italian Meatballs
This baked Italian meatball recipe can be enjoyed in so many different ways! Make some classic meatballs and spaghetti by serving them over your favorite noodles. Or make this main dish Whole30/Paleo compliant by serving with cooked spaghetti squash or zoodles. And if you need a delicious side dish to complete your meal, try our Roasted Broccolini, Simple Steamed Green Beans, or some Garlic Bread!
Store, Freeze, & Reheat
Cooked meatballs can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. To freeze, place the meatballs in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Should the meatballs be browned before cooking? You can if you want to, but it is not necessary! They can either be seared in a cast iron skillet before placing them in the casserole pan or brown them in the oven before adding the sauce. For this recipe, we like to keep it simple and just throw everything in the oven at the same time!
- Do these baked Italian meatballs need to be covered while baking? No, they can stay uncovered for the baking process.
- Can I prep these meatballs ahead of time? Absolutely! Feel free to form the meatballs and bake later or bake and store in the fridge to be reheated later in the week.
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Baked Italian Meatballs Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our Baked Italian Meatballs are an easy and delicious way to make amazing meatballs! Serve over spaghetti squash for a Whole30/Paleo option or with your favorite noodles!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Other ingredients:
- 1 jar marinara sauce (approx. 16oz)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Make Meatballs: Place all of the Meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest). Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20 meatballs).
- Bake Meatballs: Place meatballs in a casserole dish, approximately 1/2 – 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops lightly with salt and pepper and then pour the marinara sauce over them. Move the baking dish to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve: Enjoy any way you want – we love them with our favorite noodles or spaghetti squash!
Notes
- Whole30/Paleo: check the ingredients on the spaghetti sauce and serve over cooked spaghetti squash or zoodles.
- Storage: meal prep these meatballs ahead of time or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Nutrition information does not include noodles or spaghetti squash.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 322
- Sugar: 5.7 g
- Sodium: 921.1 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.5 g
- Protein: 41.5 g
- Cholesterol: 150.4 mg
Amy Geis says
These are absolutely delicious and are in constant rotation at our house!
Have you tried freezing them?
Kara says
I’m wondering that too. I’m going to cook them with no sauce for a few min less and see how they freeze and then thaw out.
Lisa says
Love this recipe! The only thing I do differently is sear my meatballs prior to baking them. They are delicious!!!
Paige says
I love this recipe because it’s so easy and delicious. My husband and I can both enjoy it. I made it today to meal prep for the week! So excited to taste it and see what my husband thinks!!
Erin says
Thanks, Paige!
Ariana says
We made this for dinner tonight; it’s delicious!! Thank you!!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Ariana!
Melissa says
This is the only meatball recipe we make! Amazing over your spaghetti squash. We always cook them for 5 minutes before we add the sauce and use extra lean or lean ground beef.
Erin says
So happy to hear that!!! Thanks, Melissa!
Brandy says
What can I substitute for the almond flour? We can not use nut flours. Thanks
Erin says
Hi Brandy – I generally recommend using breadcrumbs in place of the almond flour (although then it won’t be paleo if that is something you are concerned with). Hope that helps!
Nicole says
Could I substitute regular flour, or is the almond flour crucial? Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Nicole! I would use breadcrumbs in place of the almond flour!
Jess says
These were super easy and delicious! I used turkey instead of beef bc that’s what I had. Will definitely make again! Thanks!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Jess! And that’s awesome to hear it works just as well with turkey! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your review and feedback – I really appreciate it!
Erica says
Loved this recipe to meal prep for lunches at work, I used 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork and they were so delicious served with spaghetti squash and marinara sauce! I even have leftover meatballs to add to butternut squash for lunches this week!
Erin says
Yay! So happy to hear that, Erica! I love that combo as well! Thank you for taking the time to leave your review + feedback – it is so appreciated!
Grace says
This recipe comes together so quick and I so delicious!
Kaitlyn says
Delicious and so easy!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kaitlyn! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback – it is so appreciated!
Jean says
Easiest and tastiest recipe ever. Everyone loved them. Thanks
Erin says
So glad to hear that, Jean!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback – I really appreciate it!