Make Ahead Meatballs

Baked and ready for the freezer. How will you use your meatballs?

Tis the season for another make ahead recipe! I'll be using my latest batch of meatballs over the holidays - most likely as an appetizer in a sweet and sour sauce and most certainly as part of the big family feast in a delicious mushroom gravy.

As always, buy the best ground beef you can get. I am fortunate that the local grocery grinds their own beef and does a good job of it, too. Thanks, Kevin, at Park Place. I like to keep these meatballs on the small size - about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. That way they're easy to pop into a sauce or enjoy in a meatball sub. If you decide to roll them into bigger balls, be sure to add some cooking time.

I use powdered onion and garlic instead of fresh in this recipe, because I can never mince the onion or garlic small enough to get the fine texture I want in the little meatballs. In this recipe, I've used only basic spices, but you can add what you like depending on how you plan to use the meatballs. For instance, throw in some basil and oregano, if your meatballs are going to have a mostly Italian future.

I've added instructions for freezing and using both non-cooked and pre-cooked meatballs. I prefer to pre-cook and then freeze them for future use as it speeds things up when I am ready to use them, but you can go either way.

MA's Make Ahead Meatballs

Get out the ingredients

6 lbs lean ground beef 

2 cups fine breadcrumbs
2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Close the door and let them cook.

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, mustard and eggs. 

Form mixture into small balls, about 1 ½” in diameter. 

MA's Tip: An extra pair of hands make fast work of forming the meatballs. If your helper's meatballs don't look exactly like yours, don't panic. They'll all be delicious.

If freezing uncooked meatballs: Place meatballs on lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 2 or more hours until meatballs are firmly frozen. Remove frozen meatballs and divide into portions for packaging. Package into plastic freezer bags or freezer containers. Label and freeze for up to six months. To use uncooked frozen meatballs, defrost and cook on lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet at 350° F. for 15 to 20 minutes.


If freezing cooked meatballs (my preference): Preheat oven to 350° F. Place meatballs on foil-lined baking sheets. Cook at 350° F. for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove meatballs to room temperature, foil-lined baking sheets, using a paper towel to gently wipe off any excess grease from meatballs. Place into freezer until meatballs are frozen through, about two hours. Remove frozen meatballs and divide into portions for packaging. Package into plastic freezer bags or freezer containers. Label and freeze for up to six months. To use cooked frozen meatballs, thaw in microwave or drop into warm sauce and allow to heat thoroughly. 

Makes about 8 1/2 dozen meatballs.

Printable Recipe for MA's Make Ahead Meatballs