Best Way to Cook Meatballs (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake or pan fry meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Cooking them directly in the sauce allows them to absorb the flavors while staying moist and tender. However, if you prefer meatballs with a crusty exterior, you can lightly brown them in a separate pan before adding them to the sauce.

Baking them gives the meatballs a little more flavor without additional oil since you are searing the outside under the broiler in your oven. Just make sure you bake them on a really heavy-duty baking sheet like this one.

They are super flavorful but what makes them so so tender and moist is this: Plain Greek Yogurt. The lactic acid from the yogurt tenderizes the meat while adding subtle flavor. The addition of egg and parmesan cheese help keep the meat together so that you get delicious weeknight meatballs in minutes.

Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.

When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked. Start by thoroughly mixing all of the ingredients except for the ground meat. Once you add the meat, you want to work it only just enough so the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook? ›

Tenderizing the Meat:

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

But too much bread crumbs make them too loose, and not enough bread crumbs won't help them hold together either. Similar issues can be caused by eggs: Too many eggs, and the meatballs will be too soggy.

My favorite way to cook these meatballs is on the stovetop.

You can also bake them in the oven, simmer them in sauce (like I do with these turkey meatballs), or use a slow cooker or air fryer. I've shared tips for all these cooking methods in the recipe below.

Usually, I'm making meatballs with Sunday sauce. I simmer them in the sauce for 2-3 hours. The longer you simmer them, the softer they will be.

There is another unique benefit to baking over frying. Since frying, both deep-frying and pan-frying alike, use higher temperatures than baking, there is some loss of important nutrients.

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.