Homemade beef meatballs made from beef mince, grated onion, garlic powder, mixed herbs, egg and breadcrumbs. Serve in a homemade pasta sauce on top of freshly cooked pasta for an easy and filling meal.

We are big fans of meatballs in my house. When I'm short on time I will absolutely buy pre-made meatballs from my local supermarket or butcher. But more often than not I'll make my own from scratch. This recipe for Beef Meatballs is extremely easy to prepare and full of big flavours. Welcome to your new go-to meatball recipe.
If you prefer pork meatballs, fear not, I have an excellent recipe for those on the website too. My Homemade Pork Meatballs are flavoured with ground cumin and are served with a slightly creamy tomato sauce.
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Ingredient notes:
- Mince: This recipe is designed for beef mince. A combination of beef, pork or lamb mince could be used if you prefer.
- Onion: I like to grate my onion to get it nice and small. You could also use a pull-chopper if you have one.
- BBQ sauce: The secret ingredient! This gives the meatballs a tangy, sweet flavour.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands or a wooden spoon. Shape into 20 small round meatballs. Keep in the fridge until ready to fry. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain then set aside.
In a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the meatballs, turning gently to brown on all sides, remove and cover with foil.
Add the crushed tomatoes to the frying pan along with the mixed herbs, sugar, garlic powder and salt then simmer, stirring for a few minutes. Add the meatballs back to the hot tomato sauce, and gently stir to coat. Simmer for 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
Serve the meatballs on top of the cooked pasta with grated parmesan and fresh parsley.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes they can. In fact, that's a great way to get ahead. However, make sure you are using fresh mince. If you've defrosted the mince once already, it can't be refrozen again.
Yes! Most kids love mince and these meatballs have been a hit with my boys.
Storage:
To save time in the evening you can prep the meatballs during the day and keep them in the fridge.
Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat until piping hot.
Beef meatballs in pasta sauce can also be frozen. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost completely before reheating then serve with freshly cooked pasta.
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Beef Meatballs
Homemade beef meatballs made from beef mince, onion, garlic powder, mixed herbs, egg and breadcrumbs served in a homemade pasta sauce on top of freshly cooked spaghetti.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 400g beef mince
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 small onion, grated
Pasta sauce:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 400g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
To serve:
- 400g spaghetti
- 20g parmesan
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands or a wooden spoon. Shape into 20 small round meatballs. Keep in the fridge until ready to fry.
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain then set aside.
- In a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the meatballs, turning gently to brown on all sides, remove and cover with foil.
- Add the crushed tomatoes to the frying pan along with the mixed herbs, sugar, garlic powder and salt then simmer, stirring for a few minutes.
- Add the meatballs back to the hot tomato sauce, and gently stir to coat. Simmer for 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Serve the meatballs on top of the cooked pasta with grated parmesan and fresh parsley.
Notes
To save time in the evening you can prep the meatballs during the day and keep them in the fridge.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 560Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 1110mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 38g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Maureen Norris
Hi Thankyou for your delicious recipes
Cheers Maureen
VJ cooks
Thank you, Maureen 🙂