The Best Olive Garden Copycat Meatballs for Pasta Night

Craving Olive Garden meatballs without leaving the house? This easy copycat recipe gives you tender, juicy meatballs with that rich, comforting Italian flavor you love, all made with simple ingredients and a homemade touch.

Perfect for pasta night, meal prep, or an easy family dinner, these meatballs are packed with savory flavor and come together without much fuss. Serve them with marinara and your favorite pasta for a homemade dinner that tastes as if it came straight from the restaurant.

Why This Recipe for Olive Garden Meatballs?

Olive Garden Meatballs are surprisingly easy to make once you get the hang of it! I spent a lot of time in the kitchen just getting the seasoning exactly right. It really is a delicate balance between being too heavy-handed and not using enough. I had to dial it back on the oregano, for instance.

The cool part is that these meatballs pair well with many Italian recipes. If it goes well with a tomato-based sauce like marinara, then it would likely also go well with these meatballs. This recipe is one to keep in your recipe folder for whenever you want to have a homemade Italian dinner.

Equipment for Olive Garden Meatballs

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Sturdy Mixing Spoon
• Large Skillet
• Meat Thermometer

What These Ingredients Do

That’s a lot of ingredients, isn’t it? No need to be intimidated! Making these meatballs really is easier than it looks. I know some of these ingredients might be a little surprising, but each of them brings something to these meatballs that brings them close to being Olive Garden meatballs.

Ground Beef

1 pound ground beef

The ground beef is part of the blend of meats that form the base of these meatballs. I like to go for an 80% lean / 20% fat ground beef for the right balance between lean and fat.

Ground Pork

1/2 pound ground pork

Ground pork adds a little more of the meaty flavor to these meatballs. It’s a little more difficult to find “lean” ground pork, but it does add a little more fat that gives these meatballs their tender texture.

Egg

1 egg

Like many baked goods, an egg provides most of the binding power that makes sure these meatballs don’t fall apart. The proteins in eggs are structured in a way that lets them uncurl and bond with other proteins to hold these meatballs together.

Egg Yolk

1 egg yolk

An additional egg yolk contributes to the emulsification of the fats that give these meatballs a more silky texture. Without it, the meatballs could become all rubbery. Egg yolks already contain emulsified fats, as well as a lipid called lecithin.

How To Separate The Yolk from the White

This can be the tricky part! Here, Curtis Stone shows us how to separate the egg yolk from the egg white.

Fresh Minced Garlic

1/2-1 teaspoon fresh mixed garlic

Garlic begins the process of adding the Italian flavor that these meatballs are known for. It perfectly complements the savory flavor of the meats. Of course, some people like more garlic than others, so I like to stay flexible.

Breadcrumbs

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

The breadcrumbs will absorb the moisture of other ingredients, which helps keep these meatballs from drying out.

Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

The onion powder adds a subtle onion flavor to these meatballs.

Oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

With this oregano, we start seriously ramping up the Italian flavor that these meatballs are known for.

Italian Seasoning

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

This Italian seasoning is a mix of herbs that adds most of the flavor to these meatballs.

Red Chili Flakes

1/2 Red Chili Flakes

Red chili flakes add a bit of spice to these meatballs. They are optional, but they can really make these meatballs stand out from other meatball recipes!

Parsley or Coriander

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley or coriander

You could use either parsley or coriander, or you can use 1/2 teaspoon of parsley and 1/2 teaspoon of coriander if you want. They make a nice garnish.

Mint

1 tablespoon mint

This surprising ingredient adds a nice, refreshing flavor to the meatballs. You could use a little extra fresh mint as an additional garnish if you like.

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese

I often like to buy a block of cheese and grate my own to sprinkle over the top of my meatballs. Of course, you can customize the amount of cheese to your liking, just like you would at Olive Garden!

Salt and Pepper

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Adjusting salt and pepper is an easy way to add additional flavor to your meatballs and the marinara sauce.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Enough extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to cover the bottom of a large skillet

The olive oil gives you something to brown the meatballs in. Extra-virgin olive oil has a low smoke point, or the temperature at which the fats in oil start to break down and produce smoke. So it likely won’t take long for it to start to smoke in the skillet.

Tomato Paste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Tomato paste makes the marinara sauce a little thicker and adds more tomato flavor.

Tomato Puree

2 cups tomato puree

The tomato puree forms the base of the marinara sauce.

Red Wine

1 cup red wine

Red wine helps balance the tomato flavor of the marinara sauce.

Freshly Cut Basil Leaves

Freshly cut basil leaves to taste

I like to add a bit of basil flavor to the marinara sauce. Often, I’ll snip them off a potted basil plant I have sitting on my shelf of herb plants.

Method for Making Olive Garden Meatballs

Now that you have everything ready, let’s go step by step through how to make these tender, flavorful Olive Garden-inspired meatballs at home.

Step One: Preheat Oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius)

Step Two: Mix Meatballs

Mix ground beef, ground pork, egg, egg yolk, bread crumbs, minced garlic, oregano, Italian seasoning, onion powder, red chili flakes, and mint in a large mixing bowl.

Step Three: Refrigerate Meatballs

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatball mix for at least one hour.

Step Four: Scoop Out Meatballs

Scoop meatballs using an ice cream scoop or a 1/3 cup measuring cup. Roll meatballs into balls, making sure they aren’t too lightly or tightly packed.

Step Five: Sear Meatballs

Cover the bottom of a pan with olive oil. Heat on high heat just until it starts to smoke. (Don’t let it smoke too much or you risk adding a bitter flavor to the outside of your meatballs!) Sear the meatballs just until they turn a light brown, turning frequently.

Step Six: Bake Meatballs

Place the skillet in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes until the meatballs are done in the middle. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of one should read 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius).

Step Seven: Reserve Grease in Skillet

Transfer the meatballs to a bowl; set aside. Reserve the grease in the skillet.

Step Eight: Make Marinara

Add more minced garlic to the grease. Sauté until golden brown. Stir in tomato puree, tomato paste, red wine, and salt. Simmer until thickened. (Most of the alcohol in the wine should evaporate in the process.) Stir in some freshly cut basil leaves.

Step Nine: Add Meatballs to Marinara

Add the meatballs to the marinara and stir to coat the meatballs. Heat through. Remove from heat promptly.

Step Ten: Top With Cheese

Grate some Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese over the top of the meatballs.

Step Eleven: Serve With Favorite Italian Dish

Add parsley or coriander as garnish. I like to serve these meatballs with spaghetti. They also go well with penne. Also, don’t forget the breadsticks!

Substitutions for Olive Garden Meatballs

If you don’t want to use pork, it’s feasible to leave it out and increase the amount of ground beef to 1 1/2 pounds. The meatballs may just be a little less fatty.

You can replace beef with ground bison or venison. Look for a good 80% lean / 20% fat mix. Just keep in mind that your meatballs may be a little gamier tasting.

Can ground turkey or chicken work? They theoretically could, but your meatballs will likely turn out drier because they tend to be lower in fat. You could compensate by adding a little olive oil to the meatball mix. Just don’t overdo it because it can make your meatballs oily.

Out of Italian seasoning? You can improvise some basic Italian seasoning by mixing 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. This recipe can be scaled up and down as needed. Store any extra Italian seasoning in your spice drawer for up to six months.

Storage Guidelines for Olive Garden Meatballs

The best thing about these meatballs is that you can store them in your freezer for a couple of months. Ensure you seal them in an airtight bag. They can last up to four days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions About Olive Garden Meatballs

We do sometimes get questions about these meatballs! I tried to answer the most common ones here. If you think of one we haven’t answered yet, feel free to ask in the comments section, and we’ll do our best to answer.

Why did my meatballs turn out too dry?

Too many breadcrumbs or too little fat are the most common reasons these meatballs turn out too dry. Breadcrumbs are surprisingly good at absorbing moisture, so you’ll want to add no more than 1/2 cup. While going low-fat is understandable if you’re watching your weight, I aim for a ground beef with at least an 80-20 blend to make sure there’s enough fat in the mix.

Why did my meatballs fall apart?

Did you remember to add the egg? Meatballs need a good binder to stick together. It might be possible to replace eggs in many baked goods, like bread or muffins, but there’s no real replacement for eggs for meatballs.

Why did my meatballs turn out tough instead of tender?

There’s a delicate balance between overmixing and undermixing the meatball mix. You should mix them just until the ingredients are evenly combined. If the meatballs are overmixed, they can turn out tough. Overpacking the ingredients when forming the meatballs can also make them too dense.

Why did my meatballs stick to the pan?

The pan may not have been hot enough, or it may not have had enough oil before searing. Let the oil heat first, and avoid moving the meatballs too soon. Once a crust forms, they release much more easily.

Why didn’t the meatballs get completely cooked on the inside?

It’s possible that they got pulled out of the oven too soon. They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. A good meat thermometer sure comes in handy!

I’m not a huge fan of tomato-based sauces. Can I use something other than marinara sauce?

Marinara sauce makes these meatballs pretty close to the Italian-themed Olive Garden meatballs. However, I do understand the temptation to go with a good mushroom sauce or savory beef-based sauce. If you have another favorite that goes well with meatballs, go for it!

Can I make the marinara sauce separately in an Instant Pot?

Sure, why not? Here, I went simple with the marinara sauce because I know people may not want to spend all day on the marinara. However, we do have a recipe for Instant Pot marinara sauce!

This simple yet delicious Olive Garden meatball recipe is a good way to show off your culinary skills. Make sure you have a luscious marinara with some perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti. 

These meatballs go well with a lot of pasta dishes. You could probably also get away with making a meatball sub if that’s your preference!

The important thing is to make them the way you like them. Maybe a little more garlic, or a little more or less Italian seasoning. This version is the closest I ever got to making Olive Garden meatballs at home. So if you like Olive Garden meatballs, you’ll likely love these!

Let’s Hear From You

Did you love these meatballs? Do you have a question or a tip for getting perfect meatballs every time? Feel free to share in the comments section below!