BEST Eggless Italian Meatballs

These Eggless Italian Meatballs are juicy, tender and full of flavor. No eggs? No problem! Here I share how to make perfect eggless meatballs every time and you won’t even notice the difference.

BEST Eggless Italian Meatballs Recipe

These Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce are a classic comfort food and everyone’s favorite. And now you can make the Best Eggless Italian Meatballs.

I make meatballs quite often at my house and lately I have getting a lot of questions about how to replace eggs in a meatball’s recipe.

The secret to make eggless meatballs without eggs is plain yogurt, which not only will act as a biding agent but also will helps to keep the meatballs tender and moist.

These eggless meatballs are tasty and juicy and pretty simple to make. This recipe is also great for meal prep since it freezes and reheats really well. 

Here’s how to make perfect eggless meatballs every time.

EGGLESS ITALIAN MEATBALLS INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs you’ll need:

• Breadcrumbs
• Plain yogurt
• Fresh parsley
• Parmesan cheese
• Onion, finely chopped
• Garlic powder
• Italian herb seasoning
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 lb ground beef
• Olive oil
• Fresh basil

For the Tomato Sauce you’ll need:

• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Water
• Tomato paste
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Italian herb seasoning (see notes)
• Salt and black pepper

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).

Can I make meatballs without eggs?

Yes, you definitely can and you won’t even notice the difference. Instead of using eggs as a binding agent I like to use a combination of fresh bread crumbs and plain yogurt.

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITHOUT EGGS

1. Place fresh breadcrumbs, yogurt, parsley, parmesan, onion, Worcestershire, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Add ground beef; mix until well combined.
2. Form beef mixture into 1″ balls.
3. In a large high-sided skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Working in batches if necessary, sear meatballs on all sides to develop a crust.
4. Return all the meatballs to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and let cook partially covered, turning the meatballs occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes. Meatballs will be tender, and sauce will be thickened.

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).

HOW LONG TO COOK MEATBALLS?

Once browned, these 1-inch meatballs will need about 15 to 20 minutes to cook in the sauce. If you want, you can check them with a digital thermometer; the meatballs should register 160°F in the center.

HOW TO STORE EGGLESS ITALIAN MEATBALLS:

Cooked meatballs can be stored with the tomato sauce in the refrigerator.

HOW TO FREEZE EGGLESS ITALIAN MEATBALLS:

These meatballs can also be frozen. Let the meatballs to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer container bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT EGGLESS ITALIAN MEATBALLS:

To reheat frozen meatballs, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

What should I serve with meatballs?

The obvious answer is spaghetti, my family’s fave btw. But these Eggless Italian Meatballs are super versatile, you can use them to make sandwiches, or serve them with mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted veggies.

Either way, they are delicious!  

LOOKING FOR MORE EGGLESS DINNER RECIPES?

• Eggless Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
• Easy Eggless Meatloaf
• Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff Meatballs
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
• Easy Ground Beef for Tacos Recipe

Best Eggless Italian Meatballs

These Eggless Italian Meatballs are juicy, tender and full of flavor. No eggs? No problem! Here I share how to make perfect eggless meatballs every time and you won't even notice the difference.

Author Oriana Romero

3.8 from 5 votes

Print Pin

Main Course

Italian

dinner, easy, eggfree, Eggless, meatballs, sauce, tomato

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 10 people (4 meatballs per serving – make 40 meatballs approx.)

Calories: 331kcal

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce (see note)

• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Meatballs

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (see notes)
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (see notes)
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb ground beef (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Tomato Sauce:

• Place all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Reserve.

Meatballs:

• Place fresh breadcrumbs, yogurt, parsley, parmesan, onion, Worcestershire, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Add ground beef; mix until well combined.
• Form beef mixture into 1″ balls.
• In a large high-sided skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Working in batches if necessary, sear meatballs on all sides to develop a crust. You can also bake the meatballs, go to notes for details.
• Return all the meatballs to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and let cook partially covered, turning the meatballs occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes. Meatballs will be tender and sauce will be thickened.
• Five minutes before meatballs are done, stir in chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt and/or pepper, if necessary.
• Serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, rice or roasted veggies. 

Notes

 

Instead of making the tomato sauce you can use 1 or 2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce.

 

If you don’t have Italian herb seasoning you can add ½ teaspoon of dried oregano + ½ teaspoon of dried basil, or 1 whole teaspoon of either.

 

I prefer using fresh breadcrumbs for this recipe. To make fresh breadcrumbs I place 2 slices of white bread and process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. 2 slices of white bread will make 1 cup of breadcrumbs.

 

Parmesan Cheese: Most fresh Parmesan cheeses contain lysozyme from egg whites, which accelerates ripening and prevents the growth of bacteria. I would recommend you substitute Parmesan cheese for Pecorino. Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese seems to be save but as always, read the labels first.

 

Meat: I always use 95 – 5 ground beef to make this recipe. However, feel free to use 1 lb ground beef + 1 lb ground pork, or 1 lb ground beef + ½ lb ground pork + ½ lb Italian sausage casings removed.

 

HOW LONG TO COOK MEATBALLS?

Once browned, these 1-inch meatballs will need about 15 to 20 minutes to cook in the sauce. If you want, you can check them with a digital thermometer; the meatballs should register 160°F in the center.

 

BAKED MEATBALLS: To bake meatballs, just spray baking tray and the meatballs generously with oil and bake at 400º F -200º C for 20 minutes. I like to use a rack placed on the tray to help keep the base of the meatballs more round.

 

STORE: Cooked meatballs can be stored with the tomato sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

 

FREEZE: These meatballs can also be frozen. Let the meatballs to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer container bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

 

REHEAT: Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

 

LOOKING FOR MORE EGGLESS DINNER RECIPES?

• Eggless Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
• Easy Eggless Meatloaf
• Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff Meatballs
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
• Easy Ground Beef for Tacos Recipe

 

★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

 

Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 977mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

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