5-Ingredient Meatballs
October 22, 2020
EASY + VERSATILE 5 INGREDIENT MEATBALLS
Meatballs are a big hit in our home with everyone – especially my kids! (and that doesn’t happen very often) The fact that it takes only 5 Ingredients to make up these crazy delicious meatballs makes them even better. Not only are they easy to throw together, they’re so versatile when it comes to incorporating them into an easy dinner. Whether you serve them on their own, with spaghetti, or sandwiched in between a roll to make the perfect Meatball Sub, they’re big crowd pleasers! The best part is that it’s easy to double the batch and freeze the extras.
I get lots of questions about easy meals to freeze and meatballs are at the very top of that list. They’re the ultimate make-ahead meal and I always like to have a bag chock full of frozen meatballs on hand in my freezer. For the ultimate convenience, I like freezing these after they have already been baked.
Here are my best tips for freezing meatballs – while the recipe below is my family’s favorite meatball recipe, these tips apply to nearly any meatball recipe. (note – my recipe below typically feeds my family for 1 meal, so I tend to double or even triple this recipe if I’m stocking up my freezer.)
TIPS FOR FREEZING MEATBALLS
- Don’t freeze meatballs with sauce. I prefer to freeze meatballs on their own to give you more versatility to work with once you’re ready to use them.
- Once your meatballs come out of the oven, allow them to fully cool on the sheet tray, then place the sheet tray directly into your freezer until they’re frozen– about 1-2 hours.
- Once frozen, divide the meatballs among freezer bags, seal them tightly, label, and return to the freezer.
- Include the directions on your freezer bag in addition to the date they were frozen. This will make preparation easier for everyone in the household.
- When it comes to cooking frozen meatballs, I typically reheat them on a sheet tray covered with foil in a 350º F oven for 10-12 minutes. The foil helps them to hold their moisture.
5 Ingredient Meatballs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Only 5 Ingredients make up these crazy delicious meatballs. Not only are they easy to throw together, they’re so versatile when it comes to incorporating them into an easy dinner. Whether you serve them on their own, with spaghetti, or sandwiched in between a roll to make the perfect Meatball Sub, they are big crowd pleasers! The best part is that it’s easy to double the batch and freeze the extras.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground pork
- ½ white onion, grated
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to low-broil and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix to combine, but avoid over-mixing. Once combined, portion into golf ball-sized meatballs and place onto lined baking sheet. (I like to use a cookie scoop for this step so that they’re all evenly sized) Transfer to oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown.
Notes
For meatball subs: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm a 28 oz. jar of marinara sauce. Gently toss meatballs to fully coat. Brush 4 sub rolls with butter and lay sliced mozzarella in between rolls. Transfer to sheet tray and toast in oven until golden brown and bubbly. Spoon meatballs onto subs and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
For freezing: Allow meatballs to cool to room temperature on sheet tray then place directly into your freezer for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, divide meatballs among freezer bags, seal them tightly, label, and return to the freezer. To reheat, preheat oven to 350 ºF and place frozen meatballs on a sheet tray. Cover with foil to prevent them from drying out. Transfer to oven and cook for 10-12 minutes until warmed through. Enjoy on their own or toss with sauce and serve as desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: main
- Cuisine: italian
Amy Baird Says
These were so easy and super yummy. Served with chips and apple slices. They were a hit with all my kids. Thank you for the recipe.