Baked Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs)

Name: Baked Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese; 2 tablespoons unsweetened ketchup; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

User Reviews

5.0

276 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings
4 servings
Calories
287 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Baked Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs)

Winston Campbell

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These juicy baked meatballs are ready fast. Made without breadcrumbs, they are low-carb and gluten-free.

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Ingredients

Servings

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef 85% lean (see notes)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated, not shredded

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsweetened ketchup
1 tablespoon maple syrup or a sugar-free syrup
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or a gluten-free alternative
1 teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, use your hands to mix together the meatball ingredients: ground beef, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and parmesan.
Form the mixture into 20 meatballs. It's easiest to shape the mixture into a log, slice it into five slices, then divide each slice into four parts and shape those into meatballs.
Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, not touching each other. Bake them until they are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients: ketchup, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Five minutes before the meatballs should be done, heat the sauce gently over medium-low heat. If it seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water.
When the meatballs are done baking, use tongs to transfer them to the sauce. Gently toss to coat.
Serve immediately.

Notes

I don't recommend using extra-lean ground beef in this recipe. It's too dry, so the meatballs won't be as juicy and could also fall apart - the fat helps keep the mixture together.
To keep the meatballs juicy, don't overbake them. 15 minutes at 400°F should be enough for them to be cooked through without becoming too dry. However, ovens vary, so to ensure they are ready, check with an instant-read thermometer.
If you need to feed a crowd, this recipe scales beautifully. I often double it to ensure I have tasty leftovers for several days.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.

Nutrition Information

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Serving 5meatballs Calories 287kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Sodium 628mg (26%) Sugar 3g (6%)