Oven-Baked Dill Meatballs are juicy and packed with vibrant dill flavour. Easy to make a big batch in the oven and then freeze. Great to add to your favourite pasta, soup, or have with mashed potatoes. Perfect for batch cooking.
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This post was originally published on October 15, 2015 and is now updated with more info.
I love autumn. I love all the different colours of deep orange, magenta, and burnt caramel against the stark blue sky with cotton white clouds. I like the light wind swirling the leaves and painting roads with them in expert Monet-like strokes.
But I also like (no, love) the gloomy fall weather. Dark and moody skies, nippy winds and light mist in the air.
Something about that weather makes me wistful. I long for big mugs of steaming tea and cozy blankets, some jazz music and good books.
I love those weekends when it’s raining and the weather gives me permission not to go anywhere, not to do anything, just sit at home and enjoy the sound of the drops on the roof of my house.
So when the dark and gloomy weather calls for something comforting, something filling and something quick to make, I tend to make these delicious Oven-Baked Dill Meatballs. They only take a few minutes to mix all the ingredients.
Once the Dill Meatballs are baked, they can be used in many different ways, so they are ideal for batch-cooking, freezing, and meal prepping.
Ingredients to make Dill Meatballs
- Lean ground beef
- Lean ground chicken
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh dill
- Seasonings (I use garlic salt and Mrs. Dash Original No Salt Seasoning Blend)
These Dill Meatballs are quite versatile as any ground meat can be used to make these little orbs. I like using a mix of pork and chicken or turkey. Sometimes I use pork and beef and occasionally I use only one type of meat.
How to make Oven-Baked Dill Meatballs
- Mix all the ingredients really well in a big bowl.
- Shape into small balls. I like using a small ice-cream scoop to measure out the mixture, this way the meatballs are all the same size and bake evenly.
- Bake.
Easy-Peasy!
Flavour variations for these Oven-Baked Meatballs
Dill technically can be omitted or substituted with other herbs, but I find that dill gives the meatballs a light and bright flavour, it cuts through the fattiness of the pork (if used) and creates a summery undertone in the meatballs.
Try using:
- flat Italian parsley + Italian seasoning
- oregano + Greek seasoning
- thyme and rosemary
- basil
- cilantro + taco seasoning
- cilantro + Khmeli-Suneli Spice mix
Using different herbs and spices will make these meatballs different every time!
How to freeze meatballs
These Oven-Baked Dill Meatballs freeze beautifully once cooked.
- Bake and fully cool the meatballs.
- Spread them on a big platter or a baking sheet in one layer without them touching.
- Place them in a freezer for 2-3 hours until they are individually frozen.
- Once frozen, transfer to a freezer ziploc or a plastic container.
They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Meal prepping with Dill Meatballs
These meatballs, once baked, will keep in the fridge for about 5 days easily. This means that if you can use them for many meal preps or just dinners throughout the week.
- Meal prep: container with cooked pasta, a few meatballs, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, hummus.
- Meal prep: meatballs, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini cheese, pita.
- Dinner idea: Instant Pot Meatball Soup.
- Dinner idea: spaghetti and meatballs.
- Lunch idea: meatball sub sandwich.
- Breakfast idea: scrambled eggs and crumbled meatballs.
For more meatball recipes try my Lentil-Turkey Meatballs.
I use these glass containers for my meal preps exclusively, both round and square/rectangular versions.
This recipe is so good that I featured it in The Ultimate One-Pan Oven Cookbook, so if you like recipes made in the oven on one pan, then this is the cookbook for you!
Dill Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 20 g finely chopped dill (a big handful, about 1/2 cup, the more the better)
- 1 tablespoon Mrs Dash Original No Salt (or your favourite spices)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (or more based on your taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Line a big sheet pan with parchment paper
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients really well.
- Shape the ground meat mixture into walnut-sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.I like using a small ice cream scoop to measure out the meat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes (or until cooked, depending on your oven).
Notes
Nutrition
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Darlene @ Dip Recipe Creations says
I love dill, but have never thought about using it in a meatball recipe. These look fabulous!
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine says
Yum! I adore meatballs and these are looking fantastic. I’m also a fan of rainy days, but only when I’m home. (Nothing worse than a rainy day in NYC if you’re out and about!)
Amaryllis @ The Tasty Other says
I love autumn and the comfort food that comes with it too! And since it’s dark, gloomy and cold in London as well, I have the perfect excuse to make these beauties. Thanks for sharing, Julia!
Imagelicious says
Amaryllis – thank you for your words. I hope you try these meatballs and like them. They are perfect for a cold and gloomy day with their bright dill flavour.
Teresa says
I love gloomy days too, only thing on a day like that I need is a blanket, hot tea and my laptop or a book 🙂 I looove your photos, you can just feel the gloomy, autumn atmosphere when you look at them! The wooden background is so beautiful – did you make it yourself? I want one now! 🙂
Imagelicious says
Thank you so much! Funny thing is that I took these pictures in July in the middle of a very hot day. What was I thinking? I couldn’t post these then, so that’s why I had to wait until October to write this post.
Claudia | GourMET Project says
I love the aroma of dill, can’t wait to try on a cozy autumn night 🙂
Imagelicious says
Thank you. I hope you try these one day!
Oriana @Mommyhood's Diary says
These look amazing! We love meatballs around here so I glad I have a new recipe to try. Beautiful images.
Imagelicious says
Thank you so much. I hope you love these.
Gloria @Homemade & Yummy says
Being Ukrainian….I totally LOVE dill…and putting it in meatballs is awesome. Perfect comfort food…not to mention the smell of dill when they are cooking. Yummy!!
Imagelicious says
Gloria, I didn’t know you had Ukrainian background! This is cool. I love dill too. My favourite is just boiled potatoes with butter, garlic and lots (lots!) of dill.
Alanna @ One Tough Cookie says
These look so delicious and the pictures are just perfect! I feel like I’ve been transported into a cozy afternoon indoors while it storms outside — you’re right, this is truly such a wonderful season! I also happen to be crazy for dill, but never thought of putting it in meatballs before. I’ll have to give this a try!
Imagelicious says
Alanna – thank you so much for your kind words 🙂 I try to put dill everywhere, it has such a beautiful flavour!
Dana says
Okay so – I used to be obsessed with dill flavor; i mean OBSESSED. And at some point…I sort of started to forget about dill. I’m not sure how that happened, but these sound awesome, and I think I need to make them to re-establish my love for dill.
Imagelicious says
I love love love dill, but I never use enough. My mom always tells me to use more! I hope you like these meatballs.
Kathrina says
I love those moody, gloomy skies in the fall. There’s something so right about cozying up staying in, especially with something yummy to eat. I’ll definitely give these a try! I like that you used dill–it’s my favorite herb!
Imagelicious says
I love herbs and dill specifically. It has such a bright flavour. Thank you!
Itty Bitty Foodies says
Oooh! I’m about to make meat balls. Just bought some beef, lamb and pork mince. This one is a great idea.
Imagelicious says
I love meatballs with a mix of various meats. I bet these with lamb would be terrific.
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
That looks amazing! 🙂 I love the flavours here and those pictures look beautiful too! I love making and eating meatballs, so this definitely is going on the menu!
Imagelicious says
Thank you. I hope you try these. They are easy, but full of flavour.
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons says
So gorgeous and OHMYGOSH I need these for dinner tonight! It’s been ages since I’ve had meatballs and I love the flavor profile!
Imagelicious says
Thank you so much. These are very easy to make too.
Justine says
Again, super stunning images. They are so tactile! The combination of dill and meatballs is so interesting! I don’t eat much meat, but I’m going to pin this to make for a day when I feel like meatballs! 🙂
Imagelicious says
Thanks, Justine! I really appreciate your kind comment!