Make Tasty Homemade Meatballs, Budget, Ingredients

$10.92 RECIPE / $1.82 SERVING

I adore meatballs and have numerous recipes on the site for interesting meatball variations, but I wanted to have one nice basic and quick homemade meatball recipe that could be used in a variety of meals.

This way, you can freeze a batch of these delicious meatballs and utilize them in a variety of simple weekday meals later. I’m all in making things simple and straightforward!

When you need something quick, straightforward, and uncomplicated, this homemade meatball dish is ideal.

Another benefit of keeping these meatballs basic is that they are more adaptable! These meatballs can be paired with a number of sauces and dishes due to their simple flavor profile.

And, as always, if you want to kick these meatballs up a level and make something a bit fancier, I’ve got a few upgrade options for you below.

WHY ARE THERE EGGS AND BREADCRUMBS IN MEATBALLS?

To assist meatballs to hold together, egg and breadcrumbs are added, and the combination gives the meatballs a somewhat more soft feel.

While I’ve made meatballs without eggs or breadcrumbs before, they don’t stick together as well and the flesh has a firmer texture, comparable to a hamburger.

If you need to substitute an egg or breadcrumbs due to dietary restrictions, try a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed combined with 3 tablespoons water) for the egg and oats, rice, or crushed gluten-free crackers for the breadcrumbs.

CAN I USE ANOTHER MEAT?

Yes, meatballs can be made with a variety of different ground meats. Keep in mind that different types of ground meat have varying quantities of fat and moisture, thus changing the meatballs’ texture and flavor may be affected.

The recipe below uses Italian sausage, which already has a lot of herbs and spices. As a result, the meatballs only required a modest bit of additional spice.

If you use a different type of ground meat instead of Italian sausage, please be sure to adjust the seasoning in the meatballs accordingly.

APPLICATIONS FOR HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

Nothing beats a plate of spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs for convenience and satisfaction, but that’s not the only way to enjoy meatballs! Other things you can do with homemade meatballs include:

• Substitute meatball (hoagie rolls, red sauce, meatballs, mozzarella)
• Add the meatballs to a soup (Minestrone would be delicious).
• Stroganoff can be made with them instead of regular meat.
• Serve with brown gravy over top of mashed potatoes.
• Serve on a bed of vegetarian noodles with pesto.
• Fill a calzone or slice and use it as a pizza topping.
• Make a bowl dinner out of it (rice, veggies, any sauce)
• Toss with baked pasta (like Roasted vegetable baked ziti)

CAN I ADD ANYTHING ELSE?

There are various things you can add to your meatballs to kick them up a level and make them a little nicer. For a taste boost, try adding some fresh minced onion or garlic.

Use flavor enhancers like crumbled bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano).

You can also try substituting a different flavored liquid for the milk, such as broth or even some of your red sauce. And I’m a big admirer of a pinch of crushed red pepper in almost everything!

EASY HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

NUTRITION IN HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

• Serving: 5 meatballs
• Calories: 418 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Protein: 23 g
• Fat: 33 g
• Sodium: 691 mg
• Fiber: 1 g

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

1. In a small bowl, lightly whisk two big eggs. 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a separate small bowl. Pre-mixing these ingredients ensure that they are uniformly distributed throughout the meat without the need to overmix them.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the whisked egg, breadcrumb mixture, 1/4 cup milk, 1 pound Italian sausage, and 1 pound ground beef. Mix the ingredients together with your hands.
3. Allow five minutes for the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the moisture from the meatball mixture.
4. 2 Tbsp. each, divide and shape the meatball mixture into around 40 meatballs. Because I have small hands, this may appear to be larger than it was. To portion the meat, I used a 2 tbsp. measuring cup.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F before baking the meatballs. Using parchment paper, line a baking sheet. Place the meatballs one inch apart on the baking sheet.
6. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned, then transfer to a pot of red sauce and continue to cook for 5 minutes more. If not using a red sauce, bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until well done.
7. In a large skillet over medium heat one tablespoon of cooking oil to fry the meatballs. When the skillet is heated, swirl it to coat it in oil, then add the meatballs. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cooked through and browned on all sides.
8. Whether you cook your meatballs in the oven or on the stove, a quick simmer in red sauce at the end adds extra flavor and keeps them soft.

Cool the cooked meatballs thoroughly in the refrigerator before placing them in a freezer bag and transferring them to the freezer for extended storage (about 3 months).

They can be thrown straight from the freezer into a saucepan of red sauce and cooked until thoroughly hot.