Freezer Meatballs (How To Freeze + Cook)

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Homemade freezer meatballs are perfect for batch prep and bring-out on busy weeknights. You can double or triple the recipe and make a lot of veggie-loaded meatballs at once. Then, simply cook from frozen for healthy, delicious, and homemade meatballs! I’m sharing the full how-to freeze meatballs instructions and how to cook frozen meatballs as well.

Freezer meatballs are perfect to prep in advance

Prepping a big batch of frozen meatballs was an easy go-to when I was preparing freezer meals for times when I’d be bringing a baby home. And even though I don’t have a new baby, I still love the simplicity of meal prep frozen meatballs in the house!

Yes, you can absolutely find frozen meatballs at the grocery store. But now you can also make them at home!

When you make it at home, you can control what goes into them. The best part is that you can adjust seasonings for your family too. 

Can you freeze meatballs?

Absolutely! Meatballs are the perfect prep ahead and freeze food.

Once you mix up the meatball mixture and rolls them into balls, go to this next step.

Here’s how to freeze meatballs

Line one or multiple large baking sheets with parchment paper, and as you roll the balls out, place them in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet pan, making sure that they do not touch.

Freeze the raw meatballs, and when fully frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag. Label it and date it, and your meatballs are good for up to 6 months!

How to cook frozen meatballs

Frozen meatballs go great from the freezer into a crockpot.

Top with spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce, or your favorite sauce and cook on low for 5-6 hours in the slow cooker – such an easy way to enjoy this simple recipe!

I find frozen meatballs actually hold together better in the crockpot than fresh.

You can bake frozen meatballs straight from the freezer too.

Place meatballs on a large baking sheet and bake them for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F, until fully cooked through.

What you’ll need for freezer meatballs

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.

• avocado oil
• onion
• celery
• garlic
• ground beef
• egg
• oat flour
• Worcestershire sauce
• sea salt
• black pepper
• allspice

How to make this freezer meatballs recipe

1. In a large skillet, heat avocado oil on medium heat. Then add the onion and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until the onions are a little translucent. Add the garlic for 1 minute to cook and remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl combine the beef, egg, onion mixture, oat flour, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, pepper, and allspice. Mix well and form meatballs with your hands or the size of the cookie scoop (about 2-3 tbsp meat mixture for each meatball).
3. To freeze meatballs, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and as you roll the balls out, place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure that they do not touch. Freeze the meatballs, and once fully frozen, transfer them into a labeled freezer bag. Label and date it, and your meatballs are good for up to 6 months!
4. To cook from frozen: Frozen meatballs go great from the freezer into a crockpot. Top with your favorite sauce and cook on low for 5-6 hours. I find frozen meatballs actually hold together better in the crockpot than fresh. You can bake them for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F until fully cooked.

Substitutions

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this meatball recipe. 

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Avocado oil – Try extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil in the place of avocado oil. Butter would work too!

Onion – Red onion and green onion are delicious substitutes for yellow onion.

Celery – Try minced zucchini as a good alternative here.

Garlic – Don’t have fresh garlic? Use garlic powder instead.

Ground beef – Lean ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, ground lamb, or a mixture of half beef, and half another ground meat make delicious meatballs!

Oat flour – Bread crumbs and panko breadcrumbs are good substitutes for oat flour.

Worcestershire sauce – For different ways to flavor your meatballs, try soy sauce, coconut aminos, or barbeque sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce.

More meatball recipes to try

• Lamb meatballs
• Salmon pumpkin meatballs
• Adobo turkey spinach meatballs

If you try this make-ahead meatballs recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather

*Originally published in April 2012. Updated October 2022.*