How Long to Bake Meatballs at 350? Use easy oven-baked meatballs for classics like spaghetti and marinara, meatball subs, or meatballs with beef gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. Baking homemade meatballs in the oven at 350°F (176°C) requires a slightly longer cooking time, but the result is tender, juicy meatballs with a beautifully crisp exterior.
How Long to Bake Meatballs at 350 ℉?
Cooking 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 depends on a few things: the size of the meatballs and the temperature of the oven. For 1-1½-inch meatballs, bake them at 350℉ (176℃) for 25-30 minutes and increase the baking time for 2-inch meatballs, cooking them for 30-35 minutes.
| 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 |
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 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: Bind the ingredients with one egg.
- 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
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl, careful not to over mix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Remove the mixture from the refrigerator; roll it into 1-1½-inch balls and line them onto the baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on the strength of your oven), flipping the meatballs halfway through.
Step 4: Broil on high for 2 minutes, flip and broil for another 2 minutes. Let the meatballs rest for 10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Increase the moisture in the meatballs by incorporating onions, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. However, I recommend fine-dicing the vegetables so they don’t cause the meatballs to come apart.
- Eggs act as a natural binder, but you can include 1/4 cup of panko if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- When combining the ingredients, avoid over-mixing, as this can result in tough meatballs.
- When baking meatballs at this temperature, avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Placing them too close together causes them to release moisture, resulting in steamed meatballs instead of the golden-baked texture we are going for and a sloppy wet mess in the bottom of the baking dish.
- If you prefer a more golden and crispy exterior, broil the meatballs for 1-2 minutes after they have baked, but keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
- Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute and firm slightly.
If you enjoy this article, try one of these oven-baked favorites!
Meatball Recipe Ideas
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Meatball Curry
- Korean Meatballs
- Meatball Subs with Sugo al Pomodoro
- Swedish Ikea Meatballs
- Meatball Skewers on a wooden skewer with Skhug, Chimichurri or your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Moroccan Meatballs
- Albondigas Soup
- Italian Meatball Dip
- Homemade Beef Gravy
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the meatballs cool, then portion them into freezer-safe containers or bags. Cooked meatballs will keep for 2-3 months.
- Thaw – Thaw frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Microwave individual leftovers or warm them in the oven for 20 minutes at 350°F (165°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
What temp should meatballs be when cooked?
Beef meatballs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat. To accurately measure the internal temperature, use a food thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball.
How long to cook frozen meatballs in the oven at 350?
It should take 12-15 minutes for pre-cooked frozen meatballs to come to temperature, but follow the instructions on the packaging for the best results.
Why are my meatballs coming out crumbly?
1. If your meatballs are a crumbly mess, a few factors may be contributing to the issue.
2. First, too little moisture will result in dry, crumbly meatballs, so include onions, garlic, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce in the meatball mixture. I like to use one egg for every pound of ground meat.
3. Did you use ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef? Leaner meat with a lower fat content can cause your meatballs to crumble and break apart.
4. Over-mixing can also lead to denser, crumbly meatballs, so combine the ingredients until they are evenly incorporated, and not a bit more.
5. The size and shape of the meatballs can affect their texture. If you roll them too large or they have an uneven shape, it can result in uneven cooking and crumbly meatballs.
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.
How long to cook meatballs in sauce in the oven?
I mentioned that searing the meatballs before baking them isn’t necessary. However, if you plan to bake meatballs in a sauce, I recommend frying the meatballs in oil to create a nice crust on the outside since that won’t happen naturally in the oven once you cover the meatballs with sauce.
Once the meatballs have a nice color (they don’t need to be cooked through), add the sauce and bake them in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350℉ (176℃).
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 egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl, careful not to over-mix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Remove the mixture from the refrigerator; roll it into 1-1½-inch balls and line them onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on the strength of your oven), flipping the meatballs halfway through.
- Broil on high for 2 minutes, flip and broil for another 2 minutes. Let the meatballs rest for 10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
- Increase the moisture in the meatballs by incorporating onions, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. However, I recommend fine-dicing the vegetables so they don’t cause the meatballs to come apart.
- Eggs act as a natural binder, but you can include 1/4 cup of panko if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- When combining the ingredients, avoid over-mixing, as this can result in tough meatballs.
- When baking meatballs at this temperature, avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Placing them too close together causes them to release moisture, resulting in steamed meatballs instead of the golden-baked texture we are going for and a sloppy wet mess in the bottom of the baking dish.
- If you prefer a more golden and crispy exterior, broil the meatballs for 1-2 minutes after they have baked, but keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
- Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute and firm slightly.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.