Food database · Meat & poultry
Protein content
A 3 oz serving of meatballs contains 12.2 g of protein - a good source of protein, about 24% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Serving | 3 oz (85 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 12.2 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 14.4 g |
| Calories per serving | 243 kcal |
| Protein density | 20% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 24% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Meat & poultry |
| Food type | Prepared / processed |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #171638 |
A typical 3 oz serving of meatballs contains 12.2 grams of protein (14.4 g per 100 g), which makes it a good source of protein. That covers roughly 24% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Around 20% of the calories in meatballs come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Among the 133 meats in the database, meatballs ranks 105th by protein per serving, and 288th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against bratwurst, another meat entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g more protein (bratwurst has 11.6 g per 1 link).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by weight at 85 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Breadcrumb and egg binder dilutes the meat, so protein per ounce lands below plain ground beef.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #171638 - "Meatballs, frozen, Italian style" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Meatballs has 14.4 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 3 oz serving (85 g) provides 12.2 g.
Yes. Meatballs is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
A 3 oz serving of meatballs contains 12.2 g of protein, about 24% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Meatballs is a good source of protein, and about 20% of its calories come from protein, which makes it moderately protein-dense. Set against bratwurst, another meat entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g more protein (bratwurst has 11.6 g per 1 link).
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