Mini Meatballs (Baked & Ready in 12 Minutes!)

These kid-friendly, Italian-inspired, mini meatballs are baked, not fried. Serve alongside spaghetti, in soup, or with a big salad for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will adore!

Hello, mini meatballs! These don't last very long in my house because everyone- especially my toddler- adores them. They are ready in a jiffy...just mix together all the ingredients, shape into little meatballs and bake. 12 minutes is the perfect amount of time for a crispy outside and a tender inside.

These meatballs would taste fantastic with marinara sauce, or Swedish-style meatballs sauce, but they're also quite good solo. The reason being: they are loaded with flavor thanks to parm (inside!), garlic powder, and grated onion.

Because they aren't fried, they're not greasy, not oily, and leave you feeling light as a feather. Also, there is no oil-splattered stove to deal with after the fact. Win, win!

Oh, and the other big secret here is baking the meatballs on a cooling rack (on top of a baking sheet) as opposed to directly on the baking sheet. Booya! This means circulation over and under the meat, even-cooking, and allows all the extra fat to drip off! It's a really genius tip that I learned after baking chicken wings, and have applied here too.

Let me show you how I make them.

MINI MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS:

• Ground Beef: I really like using grass-fed and grass-finished beef with a 20% fat ratio. High quality meat really does make all the difference and is worth the extra cost. Read more about grass-finished meat here.
• Egg: To hold it all together.
• Onion: Whether it's meatballs or matzo balls, grated onion is the secret ingredient for flavor and moisture. I like to use a sweet vidalia onion, but any white onion will do.
• Breadcrumbs or Panko: To bind the mixture together! I prefer panko personally, but use what you have.
• Parmesan: Adding parmesan cheese directly into the meat adds a really lovely flavor all throughout. Umami! If you are kosher and don't mix milk and meat, you can swap parmesan with nutritional yeast.
• Extra-virgin Olive Oil: I like to add 1-2 tbsp directly into the meat mixture because olive oil adds both a robust flavor and keeps the meat extra moist. Sorry for anyone who hates that word.
• Garlic Powder: Or two cloves, minced.
• Salt: Kosher please! I don't add black pepper to these meatballs b/c my daughter doesn't love the flavor, but feel free to add some pep in too!
• Oil Spray: Keeps things nice and nonstick. You can also use a pastry brush to coat the cooling rack and meatballs before baking.

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HOW TO MAKE THESE MINI MEATBALLS

1. Preheat: Your oven to 400ºF
2. Combine your meatball mixture: Add all of your ingredients (except the oil spray) to a big bowl and gently mix. Make sure you don't overdo it as that makes meatballs dense. A light touch is critical here!
3. Scoop: Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop even meatballs.
4. Shape: Wet your hands with some water and roll the meatballs so they are nice and round.
5. Prep your baking rack: Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack and spray with oil spray. Then top with your meatballs- space them as far apart as possible- and spray them again.
6. Bake: Set your timer and bake for 12 minutes! That's it!

I hope you enjoy these meatballs as much as I do! See full details below and feel free to comment with any feedback, questions, or raving reviews 😉

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