Best Eggless Italian Meatballs

A plate of spaghetti and eggless 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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people (4 meatballs per serving - make 40 meatballs approx.)

Calories 331kcal

Author Oriana Romero

Equipment

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce (see note)

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
½ cup (120 ml) 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

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

Herbs: 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.

Breadcrumbs: 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 safe 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.

Baked Meatballs: To bake meatballs, just spray the 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 cool completely, then transfer to a freezer container bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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

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.

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

Nutrition