A double-sided ball end mill includes a body having a generally hemispherical forward end portion and a rearward end portion. The forward end portion includes insert-receiving pockets and chip pockets. A cutting insert can be mounted within each insert-receiving pocket. The cutting insert includes a first substantially planar surface, a second substantially planar surface, a first curvilinear side surface, a second curvilinear side surface, a first pair of cutting edges formed at an intersection between the first substantially planar surface and the first and second curvilinear side surfaces, and a second pair of cutting edges formed at an intersection between the second substantially planar surface and the first and second curvilinear side surfaces. The first and second planar surfaces are substantially parallel to each other, and the cutting insert is mirror symmetric about all three axes.