Our top fast kid and family friendly recipe below will have everyone, even you on the 5 Bite Diet, leaving the dinner table happy, healthy, and satisfied. With this basic menu you can create an amazing number of variations and pick your own top 5, 8, or 58 family friendly meal plans. Toss in some side dishes of different shaped pasta, rice, potatoes, or eat alone for a wonderful time around the table. What more could you ask for?
We can all use a win in the kitchen every now and then, especially when it comes to being able to quickly prepare meals, with small servings that our whole family will enjoy, and will make being on the 5 Bite Diet so much easier.
This Easy Meatball Recipe is the perfect staple for any kitchen! It’s easy to prep and these meatballs come out juicy and full of flavor every time.
How To Make Meatballs
Do Not Over mix:
The trick to keeping meatballs extra tender and juicy is not over mixing when you combine the ingredients. Over mixing makes them tough so when making this meatball recipe, mix just until combined!
Size Matters:
Ensuring the meatballs are the same size will ensure they cook at the same rate. I use a cookie scoop to keep them even.
Don’t be Lean:
Making sure your meat has a bit of fat helps keep them tender. If you’re using extra lean meat, a dash of olive oil or fat can be added.
Season and Flavor:
In this meatball recipe Parmesan Cheese and Italian breadcrumbs add extra seasoning and flavor. You can change the seasonings or spices based on what you have on hand or how you’ll be eating the meatballs. For example, if you’re making sweet and sour meatball dish, you might like to change the Italian seasoning for ginger and garlic.
How To Cook Meatballs
Meatballs can be cooked many different ways from pan frying to dropping them into boiling soup or sauce or baking them in the oven. My favorite way to cook them is to bake in the oven as there is no splattering, no flipping the meatballs and they come out perfect every time! Granny loves them smothered in Alfredo sauce, Mike prefers ranch dressing, marinara sauce, sarracha, or pico de gallo.
How to Bake Meatballs
Most meatballs will contain a bit of fat so lining your pan with foil is optional but makes cleanup a breeze. Preheat your oven and spray your pan (or foil) with cooking spray.
Roll the meatballs and place them on the pan about 1/2″ apart. Remember to try to keep your meatballs the same size so they all cook evenly.
How Long To Bake Meatballs
When you make this meatball recipe, bake them at 400°F for 18-20 minutes. I usually break one open to check for any pink color. A meat thermometer inserted into a meatball should read 165°F.
Meatballs are pretty forgiving when it comes to oven temperature. If you have something else in the oven at a different temperature, you can add them in and keep an eye on the meatball temperature.
How to Freeze Meatballs
Once cooked and cooled, these meatballs can be frozen for quick meals on busy weekdays! Simply place them on a baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to a few months.
Easy Meatball Recipe
PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME 20 minutes TOTAL TIME 30 minutes SERVINGS 12 servings
This easy meatball recipe is my go-to! The meatballs come out juicy every time and have the most beautiful color ever.
Ingredients
By altering the ingredients you will be creating different meatballs. Instead of 2 pounds of only ground beef you can use a combination of of various amounts of all the different meats listed or focus on only one of them. The same continues throughout the remainder of the ingredients.
2 pounds ground beef or pork/ turkey/pork/chicken
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs or Panko/corn flakes/rice crispies
⅓ cup milk or water/wine/apple juice/tomato juice
¼ cup onion diced red or yellow/white/leek/bell pepper/mushrooms
½ teaspoon garlic powder or onion/curry/ cumin/cayenne
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or basil/rosemary/
1 egg or 1/4 cup chia seeds/flax seeds
¼ cup parsley chopped or cilantro/ lovage
¼ cup parmesan shredded or pepper Jack/Monterey jack
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until just combined.
Shape mixture into 48 meatballs, approximately 1 ½ tablespoons each.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until cooked through.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Serving: 4 meatballs, Calories: 300, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 102 mg, Sodium: 301 mg, Potassium: 423 mg, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 280 IU, Vitamin C: 3.5 mg, Calcium: 136 mg, Iron: 2.6 mg
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods, types and brands of ingredients used.)
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