Our Favorite Baked Meatballs {recipe}

Todd and I recently picked up our pork from the processor! We have been waiting (im)patiently to be able to offer pasture-raised pork from our farm, and both of us are so excited that we finally have it in stock. The pigs were so fun to raise, and everything looked great when we picked it up from the processor.

Growing up, my family didn’t eat much pork – maybe just sausage or bacon for weekend breakfasts. But since we’ve been farming, Todd and I have been buying local pork from various other farms, and I really enjoy making meatballs, pork cutlets, pork roasts, carnitas, and more! Today I want to share my favorite meatball recipe with you. It’s pretty simple, has a few shortcuts, and makes a great meal (both of my kids even eat them!) Don’t be thrown by the “ranch” in the title – it’s not like you’re eating a meatball dipped in ranch dressing! I just use a ranch seasoning packet – the dried milk helps the texture and flavor of the meatballs without adding lots of excess moisture (I like to keep the breadcrumbs in the recipe to a minimum!), and the herb blend is wonderful with the pork and beef base.

Baked Ranch Meatballs

(makes approximately 30 1-inch meatballs)

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1 packet ranch dressing mix (I use the Simply Organic brand mix)

1-2 garlic cloves, pressed

½ c. breadcrumbs (I use 4C gluten free)

2/3 c. freshly shredded parmesan cheese

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll meatball mixture in approximately 1inch balls and space evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 – 22 minutes, or until the tops get a bit crisped and brown. If you don’t want them crispy, cook for a little less time and check the temperature before removing from the oven (they should register at about 160 degrees).

(Don’t forget, you can buy pasture-raised ground pork from us using our online store. We should have more of our fan-favorite grass-fed/grass-finished ground beef later in the fall.)

That’s it! The most time-consuming part is rolling out the individual meatballs, but this recipe can easily be a weeknight meal if you don’t have a bunch of after-school activities that night. You can serve them over pasta with marinara sauce, but since our kids are giant weirdos, we usually have them with rice or mashed potatoes and a favorite vegetable. The meatballs are perfectly delicious and moist enough on their own to eat without sauce!