Durf’s Easy Homemade Meatballs

Budget-Friendly • Freezer-Friendly • Cook Once, Eat Twice

These easy homemade meatballs are based on my mom’s meatloaf recipe and have become one of our favorite recipes to make ahead.

I usually make them with 2 pounds of ground beef, although occasionally my husband wins and we swap one pound of beef for one pound of ground sausage. Either way, they're simple, flavorful, and made with everyday ingredients.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that 2 pounds makes enough for more than one meal. I use what we need for dinner and freeze the rest. A little extra work tonight means one less thing to cook another night!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 2–3 tablespoons Italian breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup — I use my homemade ketchup
  • ½–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Optional: Substitute 1 pound of ground sausage for 1 pound of the ground beef for extra flavor.

How to Make Homemade Meatballs

Step 1: Make the Meatball Mixture

Place the ground beef in a Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl.

Add the egg, ketchup, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper if you're using it. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of Italian breadcrumbs.

Using clean hands, gently combine everything until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

If the mixture feels too wet to hold its shape, add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs.

Dinner with Durf Tip: Don't overmix the meat. Mix just until everything comes together. Overworking ground beef can make your meatballs tougher.

Step 2: Shape the Meatballs

Use your hands or a meatball scoop to form evenly sized meatballs.

Keeping them approximately the same size helps them cook at the same rate—and means you don't end up with one meatball that's overcooked while another is still cooking in the middle.

Cooking Meatballs in a Skillet

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

Add the meatballs, leaving a little space between each one.

Turn them periodically as they cook so they develop a nice brown crust on several sides.

I like to place a lid over the skillet while they're cooking. I've found that holding in some of the heat helps the centers cook more evenly.

Check the meatballs with a digital meat thermometer until they reach 160°.

Cooking Meatballs on a Griddle

You can also cook these meatballs on your outdoor griddle.

Preheat the griddle over medium heat and arrange the meatballs with a little space between them.

Turn them frequently so they brown evenly.

I like to place a  over the meatballs for part of the cooking time. It helps trap some heat around them so the centers cook more evenly.

Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

❄️ Cook Once, Eat Twice

Here's where these meatballs really earn a spot in my budget-friendly meal rotation.

Instead of making one pound of meatballs for tonight, I make two pounds at once.

Serve half with tonight's dinner and save the rest for another meal.

Once the extra meatballs have cooled, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze them.

Now you've already done part of the work for another dinner!

Use the extras for:

  • Spaghetti and meatballs
  • Meatball subs
  • Spaghetti squash and meatballs
  • Meatballs with marinara and vegetables
  • An easy appetizer
  • A quick lunch

Dinner with Durf Budget Tip: Buying ground beef when it's on sale and freezing it—or turning it into ready-to-use meatballs—is an easy way to stretch your grocery budget.

🍝 Turn Them Into Dinner

One of our favorite ways to eat these is with my Budget-Friendly Spaghetti Squash & Homemade Meatballs.

I roast the spaghetti squash while the meatballs cook, then top everything with spaghetti sauce and a little Parmesan.

The spaghetti squash dinner serves four for approximately $2.91 per serving, and half of this meatball batch goes into the freezer for another meal.

Tools I Use

This is where I'd place your four Amazon affiliate links naturally:

Meatball Scoop — Makes it easy to create evenly sized meatballs.

Cast-Iron Skillet — Great for getting a nice brown exterior on the meatballs.

Basting Cover — Helps hold heat around the meatballs when cooking on a griddle.

Digital Meat Thermometer — The easiest way to know when the meatballs have reached 160°F.

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Storage & Freezing

Refrigerator: Store cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3–4 days.

Freezer: Allow the meatballs to cool before freezing. Freeze in portions so you can pull out only what you need for your next meal.

Why Make Meatballs From Scratch?

Making meatballs at home lets you control what goes into them, adjust the seasonings to your family's taste, and make enough for more than one meal.

And for me, there's another reason I keep making them: they started with my mom's meatloaf recipe.

I've just turned that family favorite into something that works for the way we cook today.

Make a batch tonight. Eat half. Freeze half. Future you will be glad you did!

💰 DINNER WITH DURF BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Ground Beef: 2 lbs × $4.99 = $9.98
Breadcrumbs + egg + ketchup + seasonings: approximately $1 or less
Estimated Batch Cost: around $11
Bonus: Half goes in the freezer for another meal.