These baked pork meatballs include zesty pork sausage, sweet apples, savory onion, and sharp cheddar cheese for a flavorful, easy dinner in less than 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
These sweet and savory pork meatballs are the best cozy meal for a chilly evening! If you love easy meatball recipes as much as we do, be sure to try these bbq meatballs, traditional baked meatballs, classic homemade meatballs, and our popular dump-and-bake meatball casserole, too!
An Easy Recipe for Pork Meatballs
These are truly the best ground pork meatballs! They’re simple to prepare with basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen; they’re hands-off and don’t require babysitting at the stovetop; and they’re delicious on pasta, with rice, inside subs, or with a skillet of cornbread. You can’t beat a new twist on a classic family favorite!
The homemade meatballs taste like a cross between traditional Italian meatballs and a sweet and savory autumn brunch. With pork sausage, stuffing mix, cheddar cheese, grated apple, and a bit of onion, you get plenty of great flavor in convenient little meatball packages. In fact, they would be equally delicious for breakfast alongside eggs, coffee cake, or apple muffins. The recipe is quick, flexible, freezer-friendly, and most importantly…easy!
Are meatballs better baked or fried?
Browning or frying meatballs in a skillet adds color, flavor, and a seared texture to the outside — but it’s definitely not necessary. Sometimes we just don’t have the time or energy for that extra step, and baking is also healthier. Since these meatballs are already loaded with so much great flavor, no one will ever know that you took a little shortcut!
Ingredients for Juicy Pork Meatballs
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of baked pork meatballs. As always, specific measurements are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Ground pork sausage: I use Jimmy Dean brand, but any variety of ground pork sausage will work. Pick a hot or spicy sausage if you like. If using plain ground pork, you’ll want to add some additional seasoning, such as extra kosher salt, ground black pepper, scallions, and herbs (such as sage, parsley, oregano, thyme, or rosemary).
- Apple: any variety will work. We like Honey Crisp apples or Granny Smith apples in this dish.
- Onion: the recipe calls for a white onion, but you can swap that out for a yellow onion or a sweet onion, if that’s what you have on hand.
- Stuffing mix: such as Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing mix. Pick another brand or flavor of stuffing mix (such as Stove Top stuffing) if you prefer. These mixes take the place of breadcrumbs or oatmeal, giving the meatballs so much more flavor. The stuffing mix acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together, and also helps them retain moisture.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: because cheddar cheese pairs so nicely with the apples and pork. Feel free to sub with another cheese, such as Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, mozzarella, or Colby Jack.
- Egg: gives the meatballs structure.
- Kosher salt: to enhance the other ingredients. You only need a little bit, since the stuffing mix and the sausage contain salt as well.
How to Make Pork Meatballs
Skip the frozen package of prepared meatballs, because this recipe offers step-by-step instructions and a few helpful tips to show you how to make baked pork meatballs in the oven from scratch in just minutes. A hearty, cozy, and delicious supper is just minutes away — and it will make you the hero at the family table!
You will find the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Chill the meat mixture for 1 hour, if time allows. This will make it easier to roll them out.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray).
- Bake the meatballs in a 425°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
Serving Suggestions
These pork meatballs are a unique twist on classic meatballs, thanks to a slightly different flavor profile with the apples, cheddar, and onion. Serve them as great appetizers with honey mustard sauce for dipping.
The meatballs are also tasty in the morning, if you offer them like you would sausage alongside breakfast or brunch favorites like eggs, muffins, coffee cake, and pancakes.
For a main dish at supper, the sausage meatballs go well with any of these sides:
- Buttered Noodles or Rice (or added to this quick spinach tomato pasta recipe)
- Cheese Grits
- Rice Pilaf or Charleston Red Rice
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Kale Apple Salad, Southern Caesar Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Wedge Salad
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Broccoli Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks (shown here), or Honey Cornbread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Bread or Cranberry Muffins
- Honey Beer Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- A loaf of crusty Dutch Oven Bread, No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or French Baguette
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Apple and Cabbage Slaw
- Braised Cabbage with Apples and Onions or Fried Cabbage
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, Roasted Asparagus, or Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Onion
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Shape the meatballs, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you need a quick dinner, just pull them out and pop them into the oven! You can also freeze the raw meatballs to enjoy them at a later date (see the freezing instructions below).
- Storage: Leftover pork meatballs will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, just until warmed through.
- How to Freeze: Freeze the meatballs before or after cooking. To freeze raw meatballs that you’ll bake later, arrange the raw meatballs on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, and then transfer to a large Ziploc freezer bag. Freezing them on the baking sheet first will prevent the meatballs from sticking together or falling apart. You will need to add a few extra minutes to the total baking time if you’re baking the meatballs directly from the freezer.
- To freeze cooked meatballs, bake as instructed in the recipe, cool to room temperature, and then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. When the meatballs are frozen, transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag. The meatballs will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pork Sausage Meatballs Recipe Variations
- If you prefer to use plain ground pork rather than pork sausage, then you will need to add some extra seasoning and spices to make up for the lack of flavor. For instance, include additional kosher salt and ground black pepper, paprika, ginger, garlic powder, and herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
- Double the Recipe. Using 1 lb. of meat yields about 20-21 meatballs and serves 4-6 people. If you’d like to prepare a larger batch to feed a group or to save leftovers in the freezer for another meal, just double all of the ingredients (using 2 lbs. of ground pork sausage).
- Use Other Types of Sausage. Other good options include ground turkey sausage, Italian sausage, and ground chicken sausage.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes for spicy pork meatballs.
- For a more classic Italian flavor, use Italian sausage and serve the cooked meatballs with marinara sauce or tomato sauce.
Tips for the Best Pork Meatball Recipe
- Combine the meatball mixture with your hands — not with a wooden spoon. The more gentle you can be, the more light, moist, and tender your meatballs will stay. Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with tough, dense, and dry meatballs.
- If you have some extra time, chill the meatball mixture for at least 1 hour before shaping. I don’t always do this (it’s not necessary), but it does make the shaping easier if the mixture is more firm.
- A cookie scoop helps form even meatballs that cook in about the same amount of time. Scoop, roll gently in your hands, and then bake!
- Coat your hands with a little bit of olive oil periodically as you’re shaping the meatballs. The oil prevents the meat from sticking to your hands, and also helps the outside of the meatballs brown when they’re in the oven.
More Meatball Recipes to Try
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Pork Meatballs with Apples and Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean brand)
- 1 small apple, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
- ½ of a small white onion, grated (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup stuffing mix (I use Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing mix)
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg
- Pinch of kosher salt
- For serving: buttered noodles tossed with salt and pepper; chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine all of the meatball ingredients, being careful not to over-mix. If time allows, cover the bowl and chill for about 1 hour (this is optional, but will make the meatballs easier to shape).
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a scoop to shape the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. Tip: rub your hands with a little bit of oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown on the outside and no longer pink in the center.
Notes
- Combine the meatball mixture with your hands — not with a wooden spoon. The more gentle you can be, the more light, moist, and tender your meatballs will stay. Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with tough, dense, and dry meatballs.
- If you have some extra time, chill the meatball mixture for at least 1 hour before shaping. I don’t always do this (it’s not necessary), but it does make the shaping easier if the mixture is more firm.
- A cookie scoop helps form even meatballs that cook in about the same amount of time. Scoop, roll gently in your hands, and then bake!
- Coat your hands with a little bit of olive oil periodically as you’re shaping the meatballs. The oil prevents the meat from sticking to your hands, and also helps the outside of the meatballs brown when they’re in the oven.
look delicious and I can’t wait to try them
We hope you enjoy them, Sarah!
Sounds delicious. Willing to try! Not a way I think to use pork! Thanks!!!
Yum! Sounds delicious. Willing to try! Not a way I think to use pork! Thanks!!!
We hope you enjoy it, Claudia!