How Long to Bake Meatballs at 350? Baking meatballs at 350°F (176°C) is hot enough to cook them through evenly, but gentle enough to keep them tender and juicy. It requires a slightly longer cooking time, but you will get perfect meatballs for spaghetti, meatball subs, or meatballs and gravy with creamy jalapeño mashed potatoes.
How Long to Bake Meatballs at 350 ℉?
Baking meatballs in the oven is an easy and convenient way to get dinner on the table, especially if you’re feeding a crowd. But it can be challenging to get them just right; when deciding how long to bake meatballs in the oven, the cooking time heavily depends on a few things: the size of the meatballs and the temperature of the oven.
| 350 Degrees Fahrenheit | 400 Degrees Fahrenheit | |
| 1-1½-inch Meatballs | 25-30 minutes | 18-20 minutes |
| 2-inch Meatballs | 30-35 minutes | 25-30 minutes |
Beef and pork meatballs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat, while poultry meatballs should reach 165°F (74°C). To accurately measure the internal temperature, insert a food thermometer into the center of a meatball.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I use fatty 80/20 ground beef, but you can use ground pork or veal. Ground elk, turkey, and chicken are an excellent lower-calorie option.
- Onions: I prefer yellow or sweet onion, but you can use shallots. Finely dice them so they combine with the meatballs rather than causing them to break apart.
- Garlic: I use two fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Eggs: Use eggs to bind the ingredients together. You can add a spoonful or two of panko breadcrumbs if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Add moisture and flavor to the meatballs with umami-rich Worcestershire Sauce.
- Spices: Finish the meatball mixture with kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley.
- Olive Oil: Oil your hands before rolling the meatballs to prevent them from sticking to your hands.
How to Bake Meatballs in the Oven at 350
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl, being careful not to overmix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃) and remove the meatball mixture from the refrigerator. Roll it into 1-1½-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through.
Step 4: Broil for 2 minutes, flip, and broil for another 2 minutes. Remove the meatballs to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
How to Bake Frozen Meatballs in the Oven at 350
Bake store-bought frozen meatballs at 350°F (176°C) for 25 to 35 minutes in a single layer on a baking sheet. For faster cooking, make Instant Pot frozen meatballs and cook them in your favorite sauce.
Expert Tips
- Meat affects baking time. Not all meatballs cook the same. Beef and pork meatballs cook slightly faster than poultry. Ground turkey or chicken often needs a few extra minutes to cook.
- Consider fat content. Fattier ground meat, like 80/20 ground beef, cooks more forgivingly and tends to stay juicy, whereas leaner meats cook through faster but can dry out more easily.
- Avoid overmixing. Mix the meatball ingredients until just combined. Overworking the mixture leads to dense, tough meatballs.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. When baking meatballs at this temperature, leave space between them on the baking sheet. If you pack them too closely together, they’ll release moisture, leaving you with a watery mess at the bottom of the baking dish rather than browning.
- Broil the meatballs. For a golden brown exterior, broil the meatballs for 1–4 minutes after baking. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Let them rest. Allow the meatballs to rest for a few minutes before serving; this helps the juices redistribute, making for extra juicy, flavorful meatballs.
If you enjoy the helpful kitchen tips, try one of these oven-baked recipes!
How to Use the Meatballs
Once your meatballs are perfectly baked at 350°F, use them for classic spaghetti and meatballs, layer them into toasted hoagie rolls for meatball subs, or turn them into a Mediterranean rice bowl with chopped veggies and a drizzle of creamy tzatziki or tahini yogurt sauce.
Meatballs are also one of my go-to appetizers for entertaining. Serve them on a platter with toothpicks or make meatball skewers with your favorite dipping sauce on the side—chimichurri, skhug, Carolina gold BBQ sauce, marinara sauce, Cheerwine BBQ sauce, chimichurri aioli, or raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the meatballs cool, then divide them into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze the cooked meatballs for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Thaw frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight or cook them from frozen.
- Reheat: Microwave individual leftovers or warm them in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my meatballs dry?
If your meatballs are coming out dry and crumbly, a few factors may be contributing to the issue.
The meat was too lean. Did you use ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef or pork? Leaner meat, with a lower fat content, can cause your meatballs to crumble and break apart. I recommend adding fat to the meatball mixture to avoid this from happening.
There wasn’t enough binder. Too little moisture will result in dry, crumbly meatballs, so include finely diced onions, minced garlic, eggs, or a splash of Worcestershire sauce. I usually add one egg for every pound of ground meat.
You may have overmixed the meatball. Over-mixing can also result in denser, crumbly meatballs, so combine the ingredients until they are evenly incorporated, and no more.
Do meatballs need to be browned before baking?
Browning the meatballs in a skillet with oil before baking them is not necessary, but it will enhance their flavor and shape and reduce the cooking time.
Is 350°F better than 400°F for meatballs?
350°F (176°C) will give you softer, juicier meatballs. Cooking meatballs at 400°F (204°C) is faster and browns them better, but it can also dry them out.
More Meatball Recipes:
For more ideas for what to make with ground beef, try one of these ground beef recipes!
How Long to Bake Meatballs at 350
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium white onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl, being careful not to overmix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃) and remove the meatball mixture from the refrigerator. Roll it into 1-1½-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through.
- Broil for 2 minutes, flip, and broil for another 2 minutes. Remove the meatballs to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
- Meat affects baking time. Not all meatballs cook the same. Beef and pork meatballs cook slightly faster than poultry. Ground turkey or chicken often needs a few extra minutes to cook.
- Consider fat content. Fattier ground meat, like 80/20 ground beef, cooks more forgivingly and tends to stay juicy, whereas leaner meats cook through faster but can dry out more easily.
- Avoid overmixing. Mix the meatball ingredients until just combined. Overworking the mixture leads to dense, tough meatballs.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. When baking meatballs at this temperature, leave space between them on the baking sheet. If you pack them too closely together, they’ll release moisture, leaving you with a watery mess at the bottom of the baking dish rather than browning.
- Broil the meatballs. For a golden brown exterior, broil the meatballs for 1–4 minutes after baking. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Let them rest. Allow the meatballs to rest for a few minutes before serving; this helps the juices redistribute, making for extra juicy, flavorful meatballs.