- September 23, 2025
- 30 Minute Meals
Pork Meatballs Recipe
These juicy pork meatballs start with a simple base recipe made from ground pork, breadcrumbs, and fresh herbs. From there, you can customize them into Italian-style, Asian-inspired, or breakfast sausage-style meatballs with just a few added ingredients. Great for weeknight dinners, appetizers, or meal prep.
If you’ve been looking for a homemade meatball recipe that’s easy, versatile, and full of flavor, this pork meatball recipe is exactly what you need. With a handful of simple ingredients and a few easy steps, you can make juicy pork meatballs that work for pasta night, party appetizers, or even breakfast sliders.
Why You’ll Love This Pork Meatball Recipe
- Easy and approachable: Uses pantry staples and comes together quickly for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Juicy and flavorful: A panade (breadcrumb + milk mixture) keeps them tender, while fresh herbs and garlic build flavor.
- Endlessly customizable: Turn them into Italian pork meatballs, Asian pork meatballs, or even breakfast sausage-style meatballs with a few tweaks.
Ingredients for Pork Meatballs
When you’re gathering your meatball ingredients, think of it in categories instead of exact measurements (the full recipe card below has those details).
- Protein: Start with lean ground pork. You can swap out 1 lb for ground beef as well if you’d like a combination of the two.
- Binders: Breadcrumbs and milk create the base of the meat mixture and keep it moist. This adds moisture and texture as well.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic, onion, and fresh parsley add much flavor. If you don’t have fresh, use garlic powder or dried herbs.
- Seasoning: A mix of kosher salt and black pepper is classic, but you can layer in red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, or green onion, depending on the variation.
- Cooking fat: A drizzle of olive oil helps them brown in a skillet or keeps them from drying out when baked.
These meatball recipes work because the base is simple and flexible, and you can adjust depending on what you have on hand.
How to Make Pork Meatballs (Step-by-Step)
Making homemade meatballs isn’t complicated, but there are some tricks to getting the best meatballs every time.
- Start with the panade: In a large mixing bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk. Let it sit for a minute or two so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid. This is key to creating a tender meatball.
- Build the mixture: Add the ground pork, eggs, garlic, onion, herbs, salt, and pepper. Use your hands or a spoon to mix until combined, but don’t overwork the meat mixture. Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs.
- Shape the meatballs: A small cookie scoop or even an ice cream scoop makes it easy to portion out evenly sized 1-inch meatballs. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup.
- Cook until golden brown: Bake at 500°F under the broiler for about 12-15 minutes (this will nicely brown them and cook them through) or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also pan-fry them in a cast-iron skillet with olive oil over medium heat until browned, then simmer in the sauce.
- Serve: Enjoy as desired or freeze for later use.
Whether you’re baking, pan-frying, or even cooking them in a slow cooker or air fryer, you’ll end up with flavorful meatballs that are a great recipe for your favorite weeknight dinners.
Flavor Variations: Italian, Asian, and Breakfast Sausage Meatballs
Italian Pork Meatballs
Add dried Italian seasoning, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes to the base. Simmer in marinara sauce or homemade roasted tomato pasta sauce, then serve over pasta or in a meatball sub.
Asian Pork Meatballs
Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and green onion. Serve as Asian-inspired pork meatballs with sticky rice or toss with teriyaki BBQ sauce, sesame seeds, and sweet chili glaze for a BBQ meatball twist.
Breakfast Sausage-Style Pork Meatballs
Mix in maple syrup, sage, fennel seeds, and a little bit of red pepper flakes. These taste just like breakfast sausage and are perfect with eggs, biscuits, or as a savory side dish with roasted sweet potatoes.
Tips for Juicy Pork Meatballs Every Time
- Don’t overmix the pork mix—too much handling makes it dense.
- Use a panade (breadcrumbs + milk) to lock in moisture.
- Bake or pan-fry in a medium pan until golden brown, then finish gently over medium-low heat or simmer in sauce.
- Test the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
- If you want extra tender results, add a splash of chicken broth into the mixture.
How to Serve Pork Meatballs
- Classic: Over pasta with red sauce or creamy homemade tomato sauce.
- Party Appetizer: My favorite way is turning them into pineapple teriyaki meatballs using my homemade teriyaki BBQ sauce—perfect in a crock pot for game day or holiday parties.
- Meal Prep: Add to rice bowls, salads, or sandwiches for an easy, complete meal.
- Creative twists: Serve with sticky rice, roasted veggies, or even use them in a soup.
Storing and Freezing Pork Meatballs
- Refrigerator: Store cooled cooked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags or a freezer-safe container for longer storage (up to 3 months).
- Reheating: Warm in sauce on the stovetop, in a 350°F oven, or even the next day in the microwave. If you made a next batch for meal prep, keep some aside as frozen meatballs to use later.
Pork Meatballs Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can swap in ground turkey or ground chicken, though keep in mind lean meat tends to be drier. Add extra fat or moisture like olive oil or chicken broth.
Definitely. Shape the meatballs, place them on a baking sheet, and refrigerate overnight. Bake or cook them the next day when ready.
Yes—freezer containers or freezer bags work great. Store in a single layer before stacking for the best results.
Not at all. You can pan-fry them in a cast-iron skillet, finish cooking them by simmering them in sauce, or even cook them in a slow cooker or air fryer.
More Recipes To Try
Butter Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Homemade Spaghettios with Meatballs
Coconut Curry Soup with Thai Chicken Meatballs
Pork Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Base Meatball Recipe
- 2 lbs Ground Pork
- 1 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1/2 Onion grated or finely minced
- 4 tbsp Parsley minced
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Italian Pork Meatballs Variation
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Asian Pork Meatballs
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger minced
Breakfast Sausage-Style Pork Meatballs
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp Dried Sage
- 1 tsp Dried Fennel
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler in the oven to high (500 F).
- Start with the panade: In a large mixing bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk. Let it sit for a minute or two so the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid. This is key to creating a tender meatball.
- Build the mixture: Add the ground pork, garlic, onion, herbs, salt, and pepper. If making a different variation, add those ingredients in now as well. Use your hands or a spoon to mix until combined, but don’t overwork the meat mixture. Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs.
- Shape the meatballs: A small cookie scoop or even an ice cream scoop makes it easy to portion out evenly sized golf ball or 2-inch meatballs. Place them on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet for easy cleanup.
- Cook until golden brown: Bake at 500°F for about 12-15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also pan-fry them in a cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium heat until browned, then simmer in sauce.
- Serve: Enjoy as desired or freeze for 1 hour on a baking sheet, then add to a bag and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.