Egg Free Beef and Chicken Meatballs with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Name: Meatballs without Eggs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef, (96/4); 1 lb. lean ground chicken, (99/1); 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil) (50g); 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (58g); 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs (45g); 1 Tbsp. milk; 1 tsp. basil; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. salt; fresh cracked black pepper

These Meatballs without Eggs are easy to make, full of flavor, and high in protein. Made with ground chicken, ground beef and sun-dried tomatoes, there's many different ways to enjoy these. Simply bake in the oven, and put over pasta sauce and spaghetti, make into meatball subs or enjoy as is, for a delicious and easy meal the whole family will love.

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Plate full of cooked meatballs with parsley on top and a spoon for serving.

These meatballs without eggs are juicy, tender and full of flavor. Made with ground chicken, ground beef, breadcrumbs and sun-dried tomatoes, these are the perfect meatballs for fast and delicious weeknight dinners.

My favorite part is how ridiculously easy they are. Throw everything into a bowl, mix it up, roll into balls and bake. Yes, juicy meatballs are that simple.

Traditional meatballs use eggs as a binding agent, but don’t worry with the help of milk and cheese, you’ll have great meatballs in no time.

Meatballs are great for meal prep because they’re super versatile. Add them to a meatball sub, dip in marinara sauce or serve over pasta or zucchini noodles with your favorite sauce. You can add them to instant pot fettuccini alfredo, cajun meatball stew or Mediterranean meatball bowls or even chop and use as the protein on air fryer tortilla pizzas .

Close up of a meatball with a bite taken out of it, surrounded by a plate of cooked meatballs.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

53 calories and 7 grams of protein per meatball.
Simple ingredients.
Great way to meal prep.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

These are the main ingredients for these homemade meatballs. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Sun dried tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, ground beef, ground chicken, parmesan cheese, milk, onion powder and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for meatballs.

Ground Beef: use lean 96/4 ground beef or a higher fat percent or pork to balance out the no fat in the chicken.
Ground Chicken: use a lean 99/1 ground chicken for this recipe or substitute with all ground beef or pork. The chicken will up the protein with minimal fat.
Sun-dried Tomatoes: be sure to use the kind that’s not in oil.
Parmesan Cheese: I prefer buying fresh parmesan cheeses I can grate myself. This will give you the best flavor and is worth taking the extra time.
Italian Breadcrumbs: the breadcrumbs help bind everything together. I like using Italian for the extra flavor.
Milk: any type.

Variations

Use any type of ground meat. I used ground chicken and beef to keep the fat content lower but allowing the beef to bring in some fat to make them nice and juicy.
Add your favorite fresh herbs.

Dietary Modifications

For dairy-free, substitute the milk and cheese with some coconut aminos to moisture.
This recipe is gluten-free, if using gluten-free breadcrumbs.

How to make these egg-free meatballs (a visual step-by-step guide):

Step 1: preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.

Step 2: make meatball mixture

In a large bowl, combine the beef, chicken and remaining ingredients. Combine the meat mixture gently with your hands until everything is fully mixed and evenly distributed (image 1). Be sure to mix well so that you get between the meat when it clumps together.

All the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl combined.

Step 3: form meatballs

Using a 1.5 Tbsp. cookie scoop or spoon, form meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. You will have 32, approximately 1.1 oz, meatballs. Using your hands, roll the meatballs into balls and place on the baking sheet (image 2). The uncooked meatballs will be about the size of a golf ball.

32 meatballs on a foil lined baking sheet with a cookie scoop used for forming the meatballs.

Step 4: cook

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked through (image 3).

Fully baked and browned meatballs on the foiled lined sheet.

Step 5: remove and enjoy

Remove and enjoy as a protein snack, with Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo (image 4), on meatball subs, etc.

3 meatballs over instant pot fettucine alfredo.

Expert Tip!

For the most tender meatballs, mix only until everything is combined. Over-mixing will result in tough meatballs.

Recipe FAQs

How to store leftover meatballs?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze meatballs for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag.

What to serve with these meatballs?

Eat these on their own as a high protein snack, in instant pot alfredo, Cajun meatball stew or Mediterranean meatball bowls.

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