How Long To Bake Meatballs At 375℉ (Full Guide)

Lindsey, do you know how long should I bake meatballs at 375 degrees Fahrenheit? This is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Meatballs can be a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table in around 30 minutes, plus they can be a healthy source of protein if you use lean meats.

In addition, you can add whatever fillers and sauces you like, so you can please even picky eaters.

To make perfect meatballs every time, you will need to know how long to bake meatballs at 375℉. If you are baking fresh meatballs in the oven at 375℉, cook for 20-24 minutes or until the meatballs are uniformly browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 165℉.

There are so many delicious ways to make meatballs. Read on for some tips and tricks to baking great meatballs at 375℉ and serving a terrific meal.

Table of Contents

What Ingredients Do I Need for Meatballs?

You can tweak this recipe to your taste or make substitutions based on what you have available. Meatballs are a flexible and easy dish to make.

Many chefs like to use a blend of meats, most often beef, pork, and veal. You can use any mixtures of meats you want or just go with all beef. Look for around 90% lean beef if using a mix, or 70% lean if just using beef.

If you want to change it up a few nights of the week, you can also make meatballs with chicken or turkey.

Ground Meat-1.5 lbs total.

2 large eggs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup breadcrumbs (store bought or homemade)

4 cloves garlic, diced

¼ cup fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Roll into balls 1”-1.5” in diameter.

That’s it! Then you move on to cooking them as you desire.

How to Bake Meatballs at 375℉

Place the meatballs on a cooking sheet (you can line it with parchment, foil, or a silicone sheet to make cleanup easier). Make sure your meatballs are not touching and spaced around ½-1” apart.

Bake uncovered for 20-24 minutes until browned.

How to Bake Frozen Meatballs at 375℉

If you are cooking raw frozen meatballs at 375℉, you will need to increase the time to around 30-35 minutes.

You can buy pre-made frozen meatballs or make your meatballs at home ahead of time and freeze them for a quick dinner.

You could also defrost in the microwave and then bake in the oven to be sure the meat doesn’t dry out during the longer baking time.

How Do I Bake Jumbo Meatballs at 375℉?

If your vision for meatballs is not so much for several small ones but rather one jumbo meatball sitting in a giant dish of spaghetti (for example), you can also cook jumbo-sized meatballs at 375℉.

Make your meatballs closer to 2 inches in diameter. Make sure you space them out on the baking sheet, and then bake at 375℉ for 30 minutes.

How Do I Know If Meatballs are Done?

Since you are cooking raw meat, food safety is important. Make sure your meat is browned through, and cooked to an internal temperature of 165℉.

How to Cook Meatballs at 375℉ in the Microwave?

Space the meatballs out on a place or microwave tray and microwave for around 3 minutes, then rotate and cook for another 2 minutes. Your meatballs should be cooked all the way through, so you don’t see any pink interior. Check and make sure the internal temperature is 165℉.

Cooking meat in the microwave will not brown the meat. If you want browned meatballs, but still want to cook them quickly in the microwave, you will need to brown your meatballs for a few minutes on the stove before you microwave.

Cook meatballs in olive oil until just browned, and then transfer to the microwave to finish cooking.

How to Cook Meatballs at 375℉ in an Air Fryer?

First, preheat your air fryer to 375℉. Arrange your meatballs in a single layer and reduce the heat to 350℉.

Cook for 12-14 minutes at 350℉, or until uniformly browned and the internal temperature is 165℉.

Should I Cook Meatballs in Sauce or in the Oven?

You can also cook meatballs on the stove in a simmering pan of sauce. You will need to make sure the temperature is high enough to cook the meat thoroughly.

One of the drawbacks of doing it this way is that the meatballs will not brown when cooked in sauce. If you want that nice browning on the meatballs, bake them in the oven first and then add to sauce.

Or you can brown the meatballs in a skillet with oil and then add to the sauce to cook fully on the stovetop.

Simmering in sauce will take around 45-55 minutes.

You can also brown meatballs a day ahead and then cook them fully in sauce the next day. Just put the browned meatballs in a ziploc bag or airtight container and store overnight to cool, then add them to your simmering sauce the next day.

Can I Cook Meatballs in the Slow Cooker?

Yes! Make sure you cover them with sauce, and then cook on low for 6-7 hours. If you don’t have time, you can switch to high heat and cook for 3-4 hours.

Just make sure your sauce doesn’t boil. If it is bubbling, you will have to reduce the heat.

Sauces for Meatballs

Many of us think of meatballs as a staple of Italian cuisine, though you can dress up meatballs any way you want!

You can make them greek style with tzatziki in a pita. Try a little Asian flair and add Korean BBQ sauce or Thai peanut sauce.

If you are using poultry, try orange chicken or buffalo sauce.

Meatballs are so versatile, you can dress them up differently every night of the week.

How to Serve Meatballs

You can serve them with anything you like. Pair them with a couple of veggie sides and a starch and you have a complete meal. Here are some ideas.

Meat and potatoes are a timeless combination. You can serve meatballs with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes and a small salad.

If potatoes aren’t your thing, why not serve meatballs with pasta? Egg noodles or spaghetti are popular sides with meatballs.

Any type of rice dish also pairs nicely with the savory flavors of meatballs. You can use white rice if you have saucy meatballs, or you can make fried rice for something a little fancier.

If you love sandwiches, a meatball sub is the way to go. Buy some crusty Italian bread or hoagie rolls, spread some marinara sauce inside, and melt some mozzarella cheese over the top of your meatballs.

There are any number of veggie sides that can match meatballs. Try garlic roasted broccoli, power greens such as spinach or chard, roasted green beans, corn on the cob, or a beautiful salad.

How to Store Cooked Meatballs Safely

Leftover meatballs store very well in the refrigerator, making this a good recipe to make ahead and serve over the course of the week.

Make sure they are in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Cooked meatballs will also keep in the freezer for up to six months, though they retain the best flavor in the first three months or so.

Tips for Making Great Meatballs at 375℉

1. Use a Meat Blend

Using a mix of meats makes a more complex flavor, but also adds additional fats that will keep your meatballs moist.

You can experiment with your favorite blend of meats, such a veal, beef, or pork. You can also make meatballs solely out of any one of these meats.

Make sure not to overcook poultry, which is less fatty and doesn’t retain moisture as well as fattier meats. If you are using very lean meats, you may need to add more liquid or bread.

2. Do a Taste Test

Before you bake an entire batch of meatballs, you may want to fry one up or even microwave it for 2-3 minutes to do a taste test. Make sure your tester is cooked all the way through, of course.

If you think it needs more seasoning or moisture, you can add additional ingredients to your meat mixture before you have cooked all those meatballs.

It will be a lot easier to adjust your seasonings before you cook them!

3. Keep Ingredients Cold

All your ingredients should be kept refrigerated until you are ready to use them. If you are adding cooked ingredients like sauteed veggies, make sure they are completely cool when you add them to your mixture so you don’t melt the fat too early.

Mixing together in a chilled bowl will also keep the mixture cool.

4. Use an Ice Cream Scoop

You don’t want to mash your ingredients together too tightly–you need some room for flavors to blend and for fat to distribute.

In addition, you don’t want to work your meat too much, or it will make for some tough meatballs.

Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to make your meatballs. You will get a uniform size and shape every time, and you won’t end up with tough meatballs.

5. Get Creative

You may find that you can add your favorite foods to meatballs and make them all your own. Do you love pecorino romano cheese? That makes a great peppery substitute for parmesan. Or do you love Gouda? Try different cheeses and see what you like.

You can also add onions (raw or sauteed), green onions, scallions, chives, raisins, lemon zest, or pine nuts. Try seasoning with mint, oregano, or basil instead of parsley.

You can always experiment and develop your very own recipe!

Meatball Nutrition Facts

Nutrition will vary depending on your ingredients, of course.

If you use lean meats and a small amount of cheese, a serving of meatballs will run around 100 calories, 6g Carbohydrates, 7g Protein, 5g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 34g Cholesterol, 140mg Sodium, 286mg Potassium, 1g Fiber, 3g Sugar, plus Vitamin C, Iron, and Calcium.

If you are sensitive to Gluten, you can make meatballs gluten-free by omitting the breadcrumbs, or by substituting Almond flour.

Meatballs are good for a Paleo or Keto diet as well, provided you pay attention to what sauces you add.

How Long To Bake Meatballs FAQ

How long do you bake fully cooked meatballs?

If you are starting with cooked meatballs, separate them on a baking sheet about 1” apart. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

How do you fix rubbery meatballs?

If your meatballs are rubbery, you need to add more moisture to your meatball mixture. This might come in the form of a liquid–such as a little bit of water, milk, or tomato juice.

Or you can add ingredients that will retain moisture, such as more breadcrumbs, stuffing mix, soaked bread, or a little bit of flour.

Don’t skip the eggs, which also add moisture.

This will also help fix dry meatballs. You may also have dry meatballs if you are cooking them too long. Make sure you take them out when they are just browned and cooked through.

If you have a batch of dry meatball mix, you may want to brown them in a pan with oil and then simmer in sauce so they become more tender.

Do meatballs get softer the longer you cook them?

If you cook meatballs too long, all the moisture will cook out and they will actually become more dry and tough before eventually turning mushy and falling apart.

If you want softer meatballs, add more liquid or moisture-retaining ingredients such as breadcrumbs or soaked stuffing mix.

Conclusion

Meatballs are easy to make no matter what method you are using to cook them. You can also use whatever ingredients you have on hand, so they don’t require a lot of additional planning.

If you are baking meatballs at 375℉, you will probably end up with perfectly cooked meatballs. Just make sure not to overbake, which will leave you with dried meatballs.

References

https://www.thekitchn.com/6-tips-for-making-the-best-meatballs-tips-from-the-kitchn-207272

https://www.livestrong.com/article/554967-how-to-fix-dry-meatballs/