DIY Recipes: How to make oven-baked meatballs

They always come out amazingly tender, perfectly moistened, deliciously flavorful and they're always sure to impress.

Ingredients

2 cups (5.2 oz) fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup whole milk, then more if needed

1 lb. 85% lean ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

2 large eggs

1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano

1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil, only if using the fried method

Method

In a large mixing bowl stir together bread crumbs and milk while adding more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten bread fully. Let rest while you prep ingredients (or at least 5 minutes).

To breadcrumb mixture add beef, pork, eggs, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, parmesan and season over top of ingredients evenly with salt and pepper.

Gently toss mixture and break meat up with fingertips until ingredients are evenly mixed.

Shape mixture with greased hands into even size meatballs, about 1 1/4-inches each (or about 38g).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees before you begin preparing meatballs.

Spray two dark-coated non-stick pans well with non-stick cooking spray (see note 4), or brush with olive oil.

Place formed meatballs on baking sheets, fitting about 20 per each and spacing evenly apart. Bake in the upper and lower third of oven 10 minutes.

Remove and turn meatballs if browned already on the bottom (use a thin metal spatula to scrape from baking sheet). Transfer pans to opposite racks and bake until cooked through, about 8 - 12 minutes longer (should register 165 degrees in the center of meatballs).

Stir into warmed marinara sauce. Simmer on low heat if desired for even more tender meatballs (about 10 - 20 minutes, toss occasionally gently).

Serve.