These easy, oven-baked Italian pork sausage meatballs are moist, tender and make a delicious appetizer or main course. They are ready in 25 minutes from start to finish and require only a few common ingredients.
For more juicy and flavorful appetizer meatballs, also check out these ginger garlic cilantro meatballs!
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Why make this recipe?
- These meatballs are full of delicious savory flavors and are very easy and fast to make. You simply pulse all ingredients together in the food processor for maximum convenience and minimum messiness.
- Crispy panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese loosen up the meat and keep the meatballs from getting too dense.
- A little bit of sour cream adds moisture and a tiny bit of tang that works well with the flavors of the sausage meat.
Recipe ingredients:
What is referred to as Italian sausage in the U.S. is an intensely flavorful ground pork sausage that is seasoned with various herbs and spices, including fennel seeds. What’s great about using already seasoned sausage meat for meatballs is that you don’t need much else in the way of flavorings. (That is also what makes Italian sausage great for soups, like this sausage and broccoli soup or stuffing, like in these stuffed portobello mushrooms.)
Ingredient notes:
- The coarse texture of panko bread crumbs works better than that of regular bread crumbs for this recipe.
- It’s easiest to use bulk Italian pork sausage meat (meaning loose meat, without casings) for this recipe. However, if you only have Italian pork sausage in casings on hand, you can use those and remove and discard the casings.
How to make Italian sausage meatballs:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Add all ingredients to a food processor.
Step 2. Pulse a few times until combined, scraping down the sides between pulses.
Step 3. Roll meatballs (1 tablespoon of mixture each), set on a lined baking sheet and bake.
Variations and serving ideas:
- Serve the meatballs with cocktail picks as an appetizer with a dipping sauce of your choice. (This charred scallion aioli or this spicy burger sauce work great!)
- Alternatively, make the meatballs a main course and serve them with spaghetti and tomato sauce.
- These meatballs are also great on sandwiches and even salads.
Frequently asked questions:
• The food processor does a GREAT job of breaking up the bulk sausage meat, which usually comes in one large slab.
• The food processor effortlessly mixes all ingredients well without overworking the mixture.
These meatballs taste best fresh out of the oven but you can store them, if you want. Transfer any leftover meatballs into an airtight container and store in the fridge. Reheat in the oven, the air fryer or in a cast iron or nonstick pan.
Yes, these meatballs freeze very well. Let the fully baked meatballs cool, then transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze. To reheat, transfer the frozen meatballs into a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 400-degree oven until heated through (about 20 minutes).
More delicious meatball recipes:
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Full Printable Recipe
Italian Pork Sausage Meatballs (in oven)
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- garlic press or knife and cutting board
- baking sheet
- aluminum foil or silicone baking mat
- food processor
- rubber spatula
Ingredients:
- 1 pound mild bulk Italian pork sausage meat
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times just until combined, scraping down the sides in between pulses.
- Transfer the mix onto a work surface.
- Using your hands, roll about 32 meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each)* and set onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs until they are cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. (13 – 15 minutes).
- Serve the meatballs as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, like this green onion aioli, or with spaghetti and pasta sauce.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
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