These super juicy pork meatballs served in a delicious Italian marinara sauce are perfect for any occasion and great for scaling up. This 30-minute meatball recipe is made with succulent pork meat that is baked in the oven and topped with loads of mozzarella cheese. It's an irresistible lunch or dinner.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
Me and my family are in love with this delicious meatball recipe! They are simply irresistible and can be served with a variety of Italian sauces, from creamy parmesan to a herby tomato sauce.
These tender meatballs combine ground pork with bread crumbs to keep them nice and round during the baking process. They are baked in the oven instead of being fried in a skillet and served in a shop-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
I usually double or triple this recipe so I can eat these delicious pork meatballs the next day on their own, dipped in my homemade enchilada sauce or served with zucchini noodles as a quick snack. Pork meatballs taste even better the following day and can be eaten hot or cold, making them perfect meal prep options.
The whole dish only takes 30 minutes to prepare, which is perfect for busy weekdays when I don't want to spend hours cooking, and they are great for storing and scaling up.
🍽 Key ingredients
These juicy pork meatballs are made with a few simple ingredients! The key to making juicy meatballs is a combination of ground pork and beef.
Meatball mixture - A succulent mixture of ground pork and beef combined with breadcrumbs, eggs, and cream to make your meatballs extra juicy.
For the rest of the dish - Marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese cover the meatballs to make them extra delicious.
Substitutions
Pork mixture
If you don't have ground pork and beef, you can use ground turkey or chicken as a substitute.
Mozzarella
Instead of mozzarella cheese, you can also use Parmesan or cheddar cheese for the topping.
🔪 How to make
Learn how to make pork meatballs in less than half an hour with my step-by-step instructions and top tips. These Italian meatballs with pork ground taste delicious baked with a marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) while preparing the meatballs.
Step 2
Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and roll them with the palm of your hand into round balls. There should be enough mixture to make 24 balls.
Step 3
Place the meatballs 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them for 18 minutes.
Step 4
Remove them from the oven and place them in a shallow baking dish. Cover the pork meatballs with marinara sauce.
And mozzarella cheese.
Step 5
Set the oven to broil and return the cooked meatballs to the oven for another 5 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble and the cheese melts.
Step 6
Serve immediately and ENJOY!
💭 Cooking tips
- I always garnish the baked meatballs with parmesan cheese and minced fresh herbs, like chopped fresh parsley and fresh basil leaves.
- Italian sausage, ground turkey, and ground chicken also work well for meatballs if you don't want to use ground beef.
- If you have some Italian seasoning hanging around in your cupboard, feel free to add a teaspoon of It to the mixture. It will give the meatballs a bit more flavor.
📖 Recipe Variations
This Italian meatball recipe is also delicious with a few spicy or sweet variations.
Honey garlic pork meatballs
This variation gives the meatballs some sweetness with a delicious Chinese-inspired sauce poured over the top instead of marinara sauce and cheese.
Simply boil 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, ½ cup ketchup, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sriracha sauce until thickened. Pour the sauce over the baked balls and enjoy.
Spicy pork meatballs
If you like spicy food, then add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes to your pork meatball mix. You can also add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for an extra kick!
BBQ pork meatballs
These BBQ pork meatballs are super easy to make with just a few ingredients.
Mix ¼ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in a bowl. Brush the sauce over the cooked meatballs and bake for an additional 5 minutes until golden and bubbly.
🥗 What to serve with
Although Italian pork meatballs taste great on their own, traditional meatball recipes combine with other side dishes for family dinners, like some of these easy-to-make suggestions.
Cauliflower stuffing - This gluten-free, guilt-free side dish perfectly matches with this meatball recipe. It combines lots of flavorful ingredients like celery, mushrooms, and pork rinds pan-fried with cauliflower.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus - Serve up those meatballs with tender asparagus wrapped in crispy bacon. This easy 30-minute side dish is part of my low-carb recipes to accompany main meals. You will be surprised how moreish they are considering the recipe involves 2 ingredients!
Beef empanadas - Make these delicious empanadas to serve along with this meatball recipe. You can prepare them the night before to save time, and they are 100% gluten-free as the recipe uses almond flour to make the dough.
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to season the meatballs?
Yes, you should season the pork meatball mixture with salt and pepper for added flavor. You can also add garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, or any other herbs and spices of your choice.
Do I have to use breadcrumbs?
Yes, breadcrumbs help bind the ingredients together and give them a nice texture. You can also use pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs.
How to make stovetop pork meatballs?
You can also make these pork meatballs on the stovetop. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil and cook them for about 8 minutes. Once they are golden brown, add the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes before adding the mozzarella cheese to melt.
🧊 Storage
Pork meatballs are truly one of the easiest and most delicious recipes to make in advance to refrigerate or freeze for another day.
Fridge - Once the low-carb meatballs have cooled down after being baked, simply place any leftover meatballs in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in a preheated oven or eat them cold.
Freezer - Place the cooled meatballs with or without the sauce in an airtight container and place them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Pork meatballs in advance
This recipe is awesome for preparing way in advance. You can freeze them unbaked or baked for up to 6 months.
For unbaked meatballs - Make the meatballs as instructed and place them 1-inch apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper that will fit in the freezer. Once they are frozen, remove them from the tray and place them in freezer bags.
For baked meatballs - Allow the baked meatballs to cool down completely and transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bags.
When the time comes to cook them, just preheat an oven and place them on a baking sheet from frozen for 20 minutes until piping hot.
👪 Serving size
The recipe will make approximately 24 pork meatballs, and with the sauce and cheese topping, it will serve 6 people. It's also great for scaling up and using the pork meatballs for different dishes throughout the month, rather than making 24 every time you want to eat them.
Give them a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed.
📋 Recipe
Easy Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatball mixture
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (pork rinds)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the rest of the dish
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1-½ cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) while preparing the meatballs.
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and roll them with the palm of your hand into round balls. There should be enough mixture to make 24 balls.
- Place the meatballs 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them for 18 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven and place them in a shallow baking dish. Cover the pork meatballs with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Set the oven to broil and return the cooked meatballs to the oven for another 5 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble and the cheese melts.
- Serve immediately and ENJOY!
Notes
- I always garnish the baked meatballs with parmesan cheese and minced fresh herbs, like chopped fresh parsley and fresh basil leaves.
- Italian sausage, ground turkey, and ground chicken also work well for meatballs if you don't want to use ground beef.
- If you have some Italian seasoning hanging around in your cupboard, feel free to add a teaspoon of It to the mixture. It will give the meatballs a bit more flavor.
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