How to Make Meatballs: Your Best Guide [2022]

What is your go-to dish? Well, it differs for everybody. Also, there are so many ways to make different kinds of food. Each family has its own special recipe for every dish. Today, we will see how to make meatballs. This is an easy recipe to make tender meatballs that are inclined towards flavors without even a hint of firmness.

However, there are a few things that should be kept in mind while making meatballs. Meatballs are comfort food and hence, should be kept simple.

Although it is an easy meatball recipe, you need to have some knowledge about the basics of the same. We are sure you are going to have fun while making use of this simple recipe on how to make meatballs.

How to Make Meatballs

How to make meatballs? There is a variety of meatball recipes used by people. They make them according to how they prefer their meat cooked. So, let’s take a dive into it and know, “How to make meatballs?”

1. Cooking them on the stovetop: An easier way to swirl and turn the meatballs in the oil and check if they are golden-brown on the outside and tender on the inside. When they are cooked in a griddle on a stovetop, it gives the meatballs an almost crunchy crust.
2. Baked meatballs: Baking the meatballs at a high temperature for about 20 minutes gives them a beautiful golden crust while staying succulent inside. This way is usually used to make cheese-stuffed meatballs. Great take on how to make meatballs.
3. Simmered meatballs: To guarantee the tenderness of meatballs, they can directly be cooked in the simmering sauce. A perfect melt-in-the-mouth meatball recipe with a flavorful sauce makes the meatballs just so delicious. Just let the meatballs simmer.
4. Meatballs in a slow cooker: Dropping the meatballs in the sauce that has been cooking for hours at a high temperature and letting them cook for about an hour in the slow cooker just makes it tasty. But, the slow cooker method is often avoided. However, you can always use it if you please.
5. Pressure cooker meatballs: Slowly adding the meatballs to the simmering sauce and letting it cook for about 8 minutes in the covered container is also a way to make meatballs. Let the cooker release the pressure naturally before opening the lid, and your meatballs are ready.

These are just a few ways to make meatballs. You choose whether how you want them to be. A slow-cooked meal or a fast and easier way to make meatballs. Well, it also depends on what ground meat mix do you prefer while making meatballs. Let us know more about the essentials to understand how to make meatballs.

The Ground Meat/ Mix of the Ground Meat

The ground meat or the mix of meat is to be used. It can be a mixture of any meat that you like. The mixture of ground beef and pork is usually loved by people. You can use either just the ground beef or just the pork. Other kinds of meat that can be used are ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or veal. It depends on what you are more inclined to do.

Pay attention to the amount of fat the meat has. The more the meat is on, the fattier side, the more tender the meatballs are. While cooking meatballs made of the leaner ground mix of meat, there is a chance that they can overcook and become firm.

Therefore, have a keen eye while cooking meatballs made of chicken or turkey. The mixture available in the market is the ‘meatloaf mix.’

Use of Breadcrumb and Milk Binder

Use a binder in order to be sure if your meatballs are tender on the inside. The breadcrumbs are put in milk and soaked for some time. Once the breadcrumbs become soggy, the binder is added to the meat. The addition of the binder makes the mixture of meat full of moisture and makes it tender. You can also add eggs to the mixture if you want.

If breadcrumbs are not available, you can use panko, a slice of bread, or crumbled saltine crackers. Whatever is available and handy to you. To substitute milk, yogurt, or buttermilk that is thinned in water can also be used. It is an important step to keep in mind to know how to make meatballs.

To avoid overworking the meat, you can use your hand to mix the meat with the binder. Use of hands can feel discomfiting, but that is the best way to understand if the meat is mixed properly and is not overworked. This is a very important trick that you can use while making guaranteed tender meatballs. A great move on how to make meatballs.

Storing the meatballs

Meatballs are one of those dishes that can be stored for a while after they are cooked. You can also store the raw meatball mixture.

Uncooked meatballs (Raw) mixture

Raw meatball mixture can be kept in an air-tight container and be frozen for 3 months to the most. You can just shape the meatballs and align them on a baking sheet that has parchment paper lined on a baking tray. Freeze them and transfer them into a container and freeze them for up to 3 months. You can bake these frozen meatballs anytime, please.

Cooked Meatballs

If you have already cooked the meatballs and do not know what to do with the leftover meatballs, you can store them in the fridge for 3 days. They can also be kept in an air-tight container and be frozen up to at most 3 months. You will need a freezer-friendly container for the same.

To make delicious meatballs, the flavor is needed. For the desired flavor, you can add dried herbs, parmesan cheese, and many other spices. Well, adding the perfect amount of meat is essential too.

Let us get onto this homemade meatball recipe of the very famous and tasty Italian meatballs.

Serving the Meatballs

You can savor the delicious meatballs in many ways. Let’s dive into some of those ways.

1. You can serve the meatballs as an appetizer. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce like marinara sauce, tahini sauce, or barbecue sauce.
2. You can serve them on pasta with spaghetti sauce.
3. You can serve them with mashed potatoes and any gravy that is available.

Ingredients

When making basic meatballs, the ingredients used have to be measured properly too. The right amounts of ingredients will help make the meatballs taste better and more succulent. Let’s see how to make meatballs.

Following are the ingredients needed

1. 1/2 cup milk
2. 1/2 cup finely crumbled bread crumbs/ prefer panko
3. An egg
4. Salt as per taste
5. Freshly ground black pepper.
6. 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
7. Finely chopped parsley/Dried parsley
8. One pound ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal, or a mix)
9. 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
10. Finely minced fresh garlic
11. Dry seasonings as per taste/ Fresh herbs
12. Cooking oil

Equipment required

1. A large bowl
2. Knife
3. Cutting board
4. Baking sheet
5. Parchment paper
6. Box grater

For this recipe, we are going to see how to make baked meatballs.

Directions

Meatball mixture

Take a large bowl. Add bread crumbs and milk. Let it soak for 5 to 6 minutes until it becomes soggy. Then add the egg, grated parmesan cheese, oregano/fresh herbs, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir this until it is mixed properly.

Then put the chopped onion and garlic in the bowl. Add the meat mixture of ground beef and ground pork. It should be half ground beef and half pork. Use your fingers or a fork to combine this mixture. You need to be cautious about not overworking your meat. (You can use ground turkey or any lean meat)

With the help of an ice cream scoop, gently scoop the mixture and shape it into a small ball. With the number of ingredients that we have used, you should be able to get about 35 meatballs at least. Let’s know more about how to make meatballs.

Baked Meatball Recipe

1. Firstly, heat the oven at  425°F (approximately 218°C). Next step is to line the baking sheet with oil or parchment paper.
2. After you have lined the baking sheet, place the shaped meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between the meatballs.
3. Use a cooking spray to spray oil on the meatballs. You can also use a brush and apply oil to the meatballs.
4. Bake the meatballs until the outside of them turn brown. The estimated time for that to happen is 20 minutes.
5. Serve meatballs when they are hot.

Cooked Meatballs on Stove Top

1. Take a pan. Add two tablespoons of oil and let it heat on medium heat.
2. Gently place meatballs on the pan when the oil is heated. Let it cook until the crust turns brown.
3. Serve meatballs with your preferred dips.

Often Asked Questions

1. How to make juicy and flavorful Meatballs

To make juicy and flavorful meatballs, you can use a mixture of ground beef and add ground pork to make it juicier. The ratio should be 50-50 s the fat level is balanced too. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk will also help make the meat mixture super tender.

2. What can you substitute Breadcrumbs with

You can substitute bread crumbs with finely crushed crackers. If bread crumbs are not available, you can also make them at home. Toast a few slices of bread and blend them in a food processor. Your bread crumbs are ready.

3. Can Meatballs be made in advance

Yes, meatballs can be made in advance. You can make them at least 3 days in advance. Freeze the meatballs in a freezer container or a freezer bag. Save time and hunger—another take on how to make meatballs.

Use this easy classic meatballs recipe as your go-to meatball recipe and have your taste buds experience amazing flavors. This recipe will surely be a delicious answer to the question, “How to make meatballs?”

Last Updated on September 1, 2023 by Himani Rawat