Easy Italian Meatballs
There are so many amazing ways to serve homemade meatballs. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have an easy Italian meatballs recipe in your weekly meal plan! Combine flavorful meatballs with tomato sauce, then store them in the freezer until you’re ready to warm them up. This simple recipe idea is perfect for a hearty meal on a busy weeknight.
Using frozen store-bought meatballs makes getting dinner on the table so fast. Some of our other easy meatball recipes include our Sheet Pan Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Asian Meatballs, Swedish Meatballs, and Honey Garlic Meatballs.
In fact, meatball meals are so popular and fast to make that we made 9 different recipes with them in the video below!
Easy Italian Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds frozen, pre-cooked meatballs
- 700 milliliters red pasta sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Dash of salt
- Dash of pepper
Assembly Instructions:
- Place the frozen meatballs, pasta sauce, rosemary, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large resealable freezer bag.
- Seal the opening of the bag and squish the ingredients together until well mixed.
- Remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and place the meatballs in the freezer until you’re ready to start cooking.
Cooking instructions:
- Transfer the meatballs to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- To cook on the stovetop: Transfer the contents of the bag into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the meatballs are warmed through.
- To cook in the slow cooker: Pour the contents of the bag into the bowl of the slow cooker and cook on low for one to two hours.
Is It Better to Fry or Bake Italian Meatballs?
There are so many different ways to heat up your Italian meatballs after they’ve thawed in the fridge! And the good news is that no one preparation method is better than another.
The way you choose to reheat your meatballs is totally up to you and your preferred method of cooking! You can reheat your meatballs:
- On the stovetop. Pour the meatballs and sauce into a large pan and cook over medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble and the meatballs are warmed through the center.
- In the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the meatballs and sauce in a baking dish. Bake for around 20 minutes, until the sauce is warmed through and the meatballs are cooked.
- In the slow cooker. Transfer the sauce and meatballs to the bowl of the slow cooker and cook on low for one to two hours, warming the sauce and cooking the meatballs.
How Do I Serve Italian Meatballs?
Once your meatballs are cooked, there are so many delicious ways to enjoy them! Try serving your meatballs in these different ways when you’re finished cooking:
- Over pasta. Serve the meatballs and sauce over your favorite cooked pasta for a quick and easy dinner.
- Sub sandwiches. Toast sub sandwich rolls and top the rolls with the cooked meatballs, then sprinkle some cheese on top.
- As appetizers. Stick toothpicks into your cooked meatballs to create a quick and easy appetizer for your next party.
- Over rice. Cook some white or brown rice, then serve the meatballs and sauce over the top of the rice to round out your meal.
- With roasted vegetables. Keep your dinner low carb by serving your cooked meatballs with your favorite roasted vegetables, like bell peppers, cauliflower, or mushrooms.
Can I Make This Easy Italian Meatballs Recipe with Homemade Meatballs?
Using frozen meatballs is the best way to speed up the prep work of this simple dinner idea. But if you have an easy meatball recipe on hand, you can substitute your favorite homemade meatballs for frozen ones. Our homemade Italian meatballs work well.
To prepare this recipe using homemade meatballs, start by following the instructions for preparing the meatballs. Then, arrange them in an even layer on a pan and freeze them until they’re solid.
After they’re frozen, you can combine the homemade meatballs with the sauce and follow the rest of this easy meatballs recipe as written.
How Do I Store Italian Meatballs?
These delicious meatballs pair perfectly with so many different meals, it’s hard to keep them on your dinner table without everyone gobbling them up! But if you do have some leftovers when dinner is through, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Your meatballs will stay good for up to four days.
You can reheat the meatballs in the oven at 350 degrees, on the stovetop over medium low heat, or in the microwave.
How Long Are Frozen Meatballs Good For?
The great thing about preparing this Italian recipe in advance and storing it in the freezer is that you have weeks before you need to reheat it! After your freeze your Italian meatballs, they’ll stay good for up to two months.
To ensure you eat your meatballs before they go bad, make sure to label the freezer bag with the name of the recipe, the date of freezing, and the expected expiration date.
- 2 lbs. frozen pre-cooked meatballs
- 700 mL red pasta sauce
- 1/2 tsp. rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- dash salt
- dash pepper
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Place the frozen meatballs, pasta sauce, rosemary, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large resealable freezer bag.
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Seal the opening of the bag and squish the ingredients together until well mixed.
-
Remove excess air from the bag, seal it, and place the meatballs in the freezer until you’re ready to start cooking.
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Thaw.
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To cook on the stovetop: Transfer the contents of the bag into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the meatballs are warmed through.
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To cook in the slow cooker: Pour the contents of the bag into the bowl of the slow cooker and cook on low for one to two hours.
