Everyone loves delicious meatballs. Try our foolproof recipes and tricks to cook the perfect meatball every time.
Meatballs are easy to make and very flexible. They are delicious and can be used as appetizers, snacks, soups or hearty sauces on pasta or rice. They can be made with any type of minced meat, herbs and seasonings, and they freeze well, so you can prepare them in advance or add a batch for emergencies.
See our cooking tips for more basic cooking guides.
Making meatballs
meat
You can use any type of ground meat, including beef, pork, veal and lamb. Lean meats (such as chicken and turkey) can be made into very healthy meatballs, but due to their lack of fat, you should avoid overcooking as they may harden.
Adhesive
Meatballs made from minced meat alone are tough and dense, so you should include binders such as eggs, crumbs (soaked in milk or dried), rice, or crackers in your recipe. These help keep the meat together, lighten and wet the mixture, and add flavor.
cooking
The meatballs taste best when they turn brown. To get delicious crusts, bake them in the oven, bake on the grill, or lightly fry them in a non-stick pan. If eaten with sauce, cooking can be done by gently dipping the meatballs into the sauce.
Seasonings and flavors
Traditional meatball seasonings include salt, black pepper, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, and dried or fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme or oregano. However, depending on the meat you use, you can try various flavors. How about Asian-style meatballs of pork, ginger, chili, and parsley, or Moroccan flavors made of mutton, cumin, mint, and roasted pine nuts? It's easy to make creative changes to the basic meatball mix. Just add enough seasonings or ingredients to flavour your meatballs without changing their consistency too much.
This is a recipe for classic meatballs made with rich tomato sauce.
See our recipes section for more delicious kitchen inspiration.
Classic Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Perfect meatballs
1. To make meatballs, first soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10 minutes. Then mix the chopped beef, pork, garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs in a large bowl until well mixed. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then add the beaten eggs and mix by hand.
tip
Test the seasoning by frying a small portion of the mixture in a pan until cooked. Then, if necessary, add more salt and pepper to the uncooked meatball mixture.
2. Use wet or slightly oiled hands to roll the meatball mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Place it on a plate or oiled baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden it. This will help them stay in shape while cooking.
3. Heat olive oil in a wok over medium heat, then add chopped onion and garlic. Fry for a few minutes until softened but not browned. Add canned tomatoes, wine or water and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and add bay leaf and oregano.
4. Boil, then reduce the heat, and cook the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the fire.
5. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok and fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes until the whole browns.
6. Pour the tomato sauce on the meatballs, cover the pot, and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked.
7. Serve meatballs and sauces with pasta, polenta or crusty bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley or a small amount of basil leaves before serving.
tip
It is best to make meatballs when mixing by hand, but avoid over-processing the meat mixture, as this will make the meatballs hard.
Make meatballs in advance
You can keep meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, the meatballs are shaped and frozen. Separate them slightly on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or greaseproof paper and freeze until solid. You can then transfer them to a freezer bag or container and freeze them for up to a month. Defrost the meatballs in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Meatballs are easy to make and very flexible. They are delicious and can be used as appetizers, snacks, soups or hearty sauces on pasta or rice. They can be made with any type of minced meat, herbs and seasonings, and they freeze well, so you can prepare them in advance or add a batch for emergencies.
See our cooking tips for more basic cooking guides.
Making meatballs
meat
You can use any type of ground meat, including beef, pork, veal and lamb. Lean meats (such as chicken and turkey) can be made into very healthy meatballs, but due to their lack of fat, you should avoid overcooking as they may harden.
Adhesive
Meatballs made from minced meat alone are tough and dense, so you should include binders such as eggs, crumbs (soaked in milk or dried), rice, or crackers in your recipe. These help keep the meat together, lighten and wet the mixture, and add flavor.
cooking
The meatballs taste best when they turn brown. To get delicious crusts, bake them in the oven, bake on the grill, or lightly fry them in a non-stick pan. If eaten with sauce, cooking can be done by gently dipping the meatballs into the sauce.
Seasonings and flavors
Traditional meatball seasonings include salt, black pepper, minced garlic, parmesan cheese, and dried or fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme or oregano. However, depending on the meat you use, you can try various flavors. How about Asian-style meatballs of pork, ginger, chili, and parsley, or Moroccan flavors made of mutton, cumin, mint, and roasted pine nuts? It's easy to make creative changes to the basic meatball mix. Just add enough seasonings or ingredients to flavour your meatballs without changing their consistency too much.
This is a recipe for classic meatballs made with rich tomato sauce.
See our recipes section for more delicious kitchen inspiration.
Classic Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Perfect meatballs
1. To make meatballs, first soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10 minutes. Then mix the chopped beef, pork, garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs in a large bowl until well mixed. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then add the beaten eggs and mix by hand.
tip
Test the seasoning by frying a small portion of the mixture in a pan until cooked. Then, if necessary, add more salt and pepper to the uncooked meatball mixture.
2. Use wet or slightly oiled hands to roll the meatball mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Place it on a plate or oiled baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden it. This will help them stay in shape while cooking.
3. Heat olive oil in a wok over medium heat, then add chopped onion and garlic. Fry for a few minutes until softened but not browned. Add canned tomatoes, wine or water and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and add bay leaf and oregano.
4. Boil, then reduce the heat, and cook the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the fire.
5. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok and fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes until the whole browns.
6. Pour the tomato sauce on the meatballs, cover the pot, and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked.
7. Serve meatballs and sauces with pasta, polenta or crusty bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley or a small amount of basil leaves before serving.
tip
It is best to make meatballs when mixing by hand, but avoid over-processing the meat mixture, as this will make the meatballs hard.
Make meatballs in advance
You can keep meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, the meatballs are shaped and frozen. Separate them slightly on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or greaseproof paper and freeze until solid. You can then transfer them to a freezer bag or container and freeze them for up to a month. Defrost the meatballs in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.