How Do I Know When My Meatballs are Done?

Through our testing process, we’ve determined these meatballs should be baked for 18 to 22 minutes in a 400°F oven. When shaping your meatballs, try to form them to be uniform in shape and size. This will ensure they bake evenly and brown beautifully. Perfectly cooked meatballs are evenly browned and no longer pink in the center. To ensure your meatballs are thoroughly cooked and ready to come out of the oven, you can use an instant-read thermometer to check that their internal temperature has reached 160°F.

What Makes a Meatball Moist?

A good meatball is a moist meatball, so we’ve made sure we created a recipe that gives a moist, juicy result. To do this, we use ground meat with 20% fat. Extra lean ground meat can result in a dense, dry meatball. We also use just enough bread crumbs to absorb the milk in the recipe and hold the liquid inside the meatball as it cooks.

How Do I Keep My Meatballs From Falling Apart?

Both eggs and breadcrumbs, moistened with milk, are considered “binders” when it comes to making meatballs. They work to hold the meatballs together and help them retain their moisture in the cooking process. After years of testing and perfecting this recipe, we think we have found that our ultra-moist and juicy simple meatballs hold together beautifully.

Simple Meatballs

Name: Simple Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef; 1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian Style Bread Crumbs; 1/4 cup 2% milk; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup); 1 large egg; Hot cooked pasta, any shape; Pasta sauce, any variety, heated

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Prep Time 15 min
Total 40 min
Servings 4
Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 large egg

Serve with, if desired

Hot cooked pasta, any shape
Pasta sauce, any variety, heated

Instructions

Step
1

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.
Step
2

In large bowl, mix all ingredients just until combined.
Step
3

Shape mixture into 24 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs by rolling into balls between the palms of your hands, using a meat baller, or a cookie scoop.
Step
4

Place meatballs 1 inch apart on a baking sheet with sides.
Step
5

Bake uncovered 18 to 22 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F and meatballs are no longer pink in the center.
Step
6

Serve over pasta and top with your favorite sauce.

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Simple Meatballs

Ingredients

Serve with, if desired

Instructions

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

% Daily Value*:

Exchanges:

Carbohydrate Choice

Simple Meatballs

Ingredients

Serve with, if desired

Instructions

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens Show

Nutrition Show

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

% Daily Value*:

Exchanges:

Carbohydrate Choice