Baked Italian Meatballs
Mix, shape and bake — it doesn't get much easier to make homemade meatballs. Add them to your favorite sauce and serve over pasta, or make meatball sandwiches, etc.
This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber and vitamin B6.
Recipe Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (90% to 95% lean)
1/4 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) jar pasta sauce, heated (optional)
Hot cooked pasta or crusty Italian rolls (optional)
Cooking Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, water, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into twelve 2-inch meatballs. Place on rack in broiler pan.
- Bake for 17 to 19 minutes.
- Serve with pasta sauce over hot cooked pasta, if desired. Or, as sandwiches in crusty Italian rolls, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Test Kitchen Tips:
- Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef.
- Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C).
- Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe; meatballs only): 272 calories; 11 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 115 mg cholesterol; 95 mg sodium; 14 g carbohydrate; 2.9 g fiber; 28 g protein; 5.2 mg niacin; 0.3 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 3.8 mg iron; 24.9 mcg selenium; 6.1 mg zinc.
Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.