How to Make Make Ahead Meatballs

You can never have enough meal ideas that are ready to go right? We love having these make-ahead meatballs in our freezer because they are fast, ready to go, and leave you with plenty of possibilities!

Make-Ahead Meatballs

Since they are already pre-cooked you can throw them in the slow cooker with various sauces and make an easy meal, or you can simply heat up and eat! We like ours warmed up on top of pasta with a simple sauce. Here’s how I make them up and store them.

Start by mixing up your meatball mix. Any meatball will work!

I generally do a basic meatball recipe with hamburger, garlic powder, minced onion, and salt. You can also always add breadcrumbs or oatmeal to make your meat stretch further.

Mix the seasonings into the meat well and roll to form your meatballs (or somewhat meatball shaped balls!) Place them in any baking dish or cookie tray with high sides. Depending on how lean your mixture is, these could cook off a lot of extra fat so there is no need to grease your pan.

Bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir around the meatballs or flip them over to another side. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Let the meatballs cool completely and then package them for the freezer.

You can either put them in individual meal serving size bags or into one large freezer bag where you can just take out the amount you need.

Want to add these make ahead meatballs to freeze to your Recipe Binder? Print the recipe  below: 

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Make Ahead Meatballs

Ingredients

• ground hamburger
• garlic powder
• minced onion
• salt
• breadcrumbs or oatmeal optional

Instructions

1. Start by mixing up your meatball mix. Any meatball recipe will work! I use a basic recipe, amount varies on taste preference and amount of ground beef you are using. Optional: Add breadcrumbs or oatmeal to make your meat stretch further.
2. Mix the seasonings into the meat well and roll to form your meatballs (or somewhat meatball shaped balls!)
3. Place them in any baking dish or cookie tray with high sides. Depending on how lean your mixture is, these could cook off a lot of extra fat so there is no need to grease your pan.
4. Bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir around the meatballs or flip them over to another side. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. Let the meatballs cool completely and then package them for the freezer.
6. You can either put them in individual meal serving size bags or into one large freezer bag where you can just take out the amount you need.

Using Meatballs from the Freezer

Now that you have a freezer full of delicious meatballs, how will you use them? Here are some recipes to add to your upcoming meal plans.

Beef Stroganoff– Beef Stroganoff with meatballs is one of my family’s favorites! Get the recipe in my book, Little House Living: The Make Your Own Guide to a Simple, Frugal, and Self Sufficient Life

Crock Pot BBQ Meatballs – These BBQ Meatballs are great on their own with some fresh vegetables on the side or on top of your favorite butter noodles.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatball Soup– This recipe is a wonderful way to use winter squash along with your meatballs to create a yummy soup that is perfect for cool winter nights!

Spaghetti – Who doesn’t love spaghetti and meatballs? Top your favorite pasta with this easy Spaghetti Sauce From Scratch and some meatballs.

Meatball Sandwich – Make a delicious sandwich with a nice hoagie roll, meatballs, Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce, and Mozzarella cheese.

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple – This easy and frugal skillet meal can be put together in a few minutes by using these frozen meatballs and Cook Ahead Freezer Rice.

Vegetable Beef Soup – Give your favorite Homemade Vegetable Soup a different twist by adding in these meatballs and using beef broth instead of vegetable broth.

Find even more recipes you can make ahead!

Trying to plan better, more frugal meals for your family so that you always have a warm meal on the table and aren’t wasting money at the grocery store? You’ve got to check out my ebook Meal Planning Made Simple. Even if you thought meal planning didn’t work for your family, this ebook will help you find the perfect fit for your family’s style.

What’s your favorite recipe that uses this baked meatball recipe?

This post on Make Ahead Meatballs was originally published on Little House Living in November 2012. It has been updated as of November 2019.