Name: Simple and Delicious Ground Beef Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup 120 mL whole milk; 1/2 cup 120 mL beef broth; 3 eggs; 1 Tablespoon minced garlic; 1 Tablespoon salt; 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper; 2 lb ground beef; 1 cup beef broth-for pan

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Flavorful and flexible, these are sure to become your go-to basic ground beef meatballs!

ground beef meatballs mixed with marinara sauce, toasted on a bun with mozzarella cheese

Meatballs have been a comfort food staple in my kitchen since I first became interested in cooking. They’re relatively easy to make and to prep in advance, and they make for a cozy, nourishing protein source.

These basic ground beef meatballs are very frequently requested in my house. Lately, we’ve been using them to make meatball subs, with marinara and mozzarella-but the possibilities for these are endless!

Table of Contents

Tools & Equipment for Ground Beef Meatballs:

baking sheet
parchment paper
large mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
potato masher
liquid measuring cup
cookie scoop

Ingredients for Ground Beef Meatballs:

1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (120 mL) whole milk
1/2 cup (120 mL) beef broth + 1 cup for the pan
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
2 lb ground beef

ingredients photo for ground beef meatballs

How to Make Simple and Delicious Ground Beef Meatballs:

In a large mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs, milk, broth, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper.

Add the ground beef and mix thoroughly (I use a potato masher).

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.

Use a medium cookie scoop and a spoon to portion into balls; place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Cover bottom of baking sheet with 1 cup beef broth.

Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes, until well browned and cooked through.

Serve however you desire- I even tend to eat a few of these straight off the pan (they’re just really good).

Notes

I use unseasoned panko bread crumbs in this recipe. I find they work beautifully here for structure, texture and moisture. Fresh bread crumbs work too. I’ve also used gluten free panko or almond flour; you can substitute these 1:1 and they’ll still be delicious, though I find the texture isn’t quite the same.

I use whole milk here, raw or conventional, depending what I have. I imagine you could swap this out for your milk of choice, though I’ve not tested it.

Either fresh minced garlic, garlic powder, or jarred minced garlic will work.

I use a size 40/1.5T cookie scoop for these and I wind up with 36 meatballs (give or take 1-2). You can use larger or smaller per your preference, you’ll just need to adjust baking time accordingly.

mashed ground beef meatball mix in prep phase

Alternatives & Serving Suggestions for Ground Beef Meatballs:

Simmer with marinara and serve with parmesan over spaghetti.

Simmer with marinara, place on an open sub roll, smother with mozzarella and broil for the perfect meatball sub.

Mix with creamy brown gravy and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes for Swedish meatballs. For an authentic Swedish meatball taste, add 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp allspice to the meatballs with the other spices. Even better, make them with half pork/half beef.

For “Greek” meatballs, add 2tsp each dried oregano and paprika with other spices. These have a mild, smoky heat that pairs so well with the cool flavors of feta, cucumbers and tzatziki! If you want them actually spicy, add 1/2tsp cayenne as well.