Juicy Pork Meatballs (Oven & Air Fryer Method)

Name: Pork Meatballs With Fennel
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil (plus more to spray); 1 small onion (finely chopped (60g)); 1 lb ground pork (450g, I used 10% fat); 1.5 tsp fennel seeds (crushed); 1.5 tsp dried Italian herbs (or use thyme and oregano); 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 garlic cloves); 1 tsp flaked sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 tsp paprika (optional)

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Let me show you how I make juicy and flavorful pork meatballs in less than 30 minutes. You only need a few ingredients and best of all, they bake in the oven. A family-friendly dinner staple or party appetizer.

Roasted pork meatballs on a tray topped with chopped parsley.

This easy pork meatballs recipe is one that I come back to again and again. It requires only a few minutes of prep, and my whole family loves it.

All you need is ground pork, onion and spices. I absolutely adore the spice mix that I add to the meat. Fennel seeds make any pork recipe taste delicious, and they are divine in these tender pork balls.

Another thing I love about this recipe is that the meatballs bake in the oven. There is no need to stand by the frying pan and you are free to use your precious attention elsewhere! I have also included an air fryer method, which works equally well.

Last but not least, there is no need to add breadcrumbs to pork and fennel meatballs. With my tips they'll turn out fluffy and light. And, this way they also are gluten-free and low carb!

Also try my air fryer chicken meatballs and keto Swedish meatballs.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Serving Suggestion
Recipe FAQs
Storage
More Easy Dinners
Recipe

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients for pork mince meatballs. Check them out here:

Ground pork - Also called pork mince. I used pork with a 10% fat content. A higher fat content means better flavor.
Onion - Finely chopped. Onions don't just add taste but also make the meatballs fluffier. To save even more time, use 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
Seasoning: Fennel seeds add incredible flavor. It is the most important seasoning of the mix. I went for dried garlic. Or, use one finely minced garlic clove, which you saute with the onions.

The pepper and salt are non-negotiable. I like the flavor of the paprika and Italian herbs, but you could omit the paprika if you are not a fan and use oregano or thyme instead.

As always, I am listing ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Instructions

It is simple to make oven baked pork meatballs. Here are the basic steps.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with timings and nutrition information.

Minced onions in a frying pan and a spatula.

STEP 1

Sauté the onions in olive oil on a medium heat until soft. Towards the end, add the crushed fennel seeds and toast until fragrant.

Ground pork mixture with spices and sauteed onions.

STEP 2

In a large bowl, mix the ground pork with the onions and all the spices.

Raw pork meatballs on a parchment paper lined tray.

STEP 3

Shape the mixture into 12 pork balls weighing about 40g each. This is much easier with wet or oiled hands because the mix is sticky.

Arrange the meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Leave space around each meatball. This way, the air can circulate and they will cook evenly.

Browned pork meatballs on parchment paper after baking.

STEP 4

Spray the meatballs with olive oil, then bake them in the preheated oven until they are browned and cooked through.

Other Cooking Methods

AIR FRYER

Arrange the pork balls in the air fryer basket. Leave space around each meatball so the air can circulate. Mist them with olive oil.
Air-fry at 190C / 370F for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside. Turn them halfway through.
Note: Air fryers differ and some can take longer to cook than others.

FRYING PAN

Pan-fry pork meatballs over medium heat in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until browned all over.

Katrin's Top Tips

#1 Handle the mixture lightly when you shape the balls! This way, they don't compact and stay fluffy.

#2 Pork meatballs are done when the centre reaches a minimum temperature of 160°F (71°C).

#3 Oven-roast vegetables at the same time as making the meatballs. This way, you have a complete dinner on the table ine one go.

Variations

Here are ideas how to tweak the recipe:

Crunchy: Toss the meatballs in keto bread crumbs before baking.
Herby: Chop a handful of parsley and stir it into the mixture.
Spicy: Cumin or cayenne pepper are complementary to the seasoning mixture.
Add-ins: Crumbled feta, sun-dried tomatoes or finely chopped kale are delicious additions. Saute the kale first to soften.
Asian pork meatballs: For a completely different flavor profile, saute the onions plus 2 chopped garlic cloves in toasted sesame oil. Season the pork with 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger, chopped cilantro plus salt and pepper.

Ground pork meatballs on a plate with salad leaves and roasted vegetables.

Serving Suggestion

There are many ways to enjoy pork meatballs.

As mentioned above, they work well with roasted vegetables. This could be quartered fennel bulbs, cabbage steaks, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower or pumpkin.

You could also serve them with a crunchy green salad and air fryer radishes, steamed green beans or broccoli.

Or, put them into any tomato-based sauce such as my keto marinara and enjoy with pasta or zucchini noodles. I can also imagine that they would taste good with a creamy white whine sauce.

And last but not least, they are delicious hot or cold with dips such as blended cottage cheese.

A plate with pork meatballs, one is halved showing the inside.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make them smaller?

Of course. If you make 24 small meatballs weighing 20 grams each, bake them for 13-15 minutes.

Don't I need to add an egg?

There is no need to add an egg to pork meatballs. They hold together really well.

What's the easiest way to make pork meatballs?

For 1 ingredient pork meatballs, simply use sausage meat. If you use quality sausages, these can taste pretty good!

Does the recipe work with other meat?

Sure. You can use a mixture of pork and ground beef, only beef or even lamb.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store pork meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Freeze the meatballs in a single layer on a tray or parchment paper. This way, they do not stick together. Once they are frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: You can either defrost the meatballs overnight or reheat them straight from frozen. An easy option is to warm them in a sauce of your choice on the stovetop.

Reheating meatballs in the oven from chilled takes 5 minutes and from frozen about 13 minutes. (Air fryer: 2-3 minutes from chilled and about 10 minutes from frozen.