Meatballs

Marilyn's Easy Meatballs

Mom always made basic meatballs like this, most often with ground pork. My dad didn't like pasta, so she'd make meatballs with mashed or boiled potatoes, but these are good with pasta and tomato sauce too.

For classic meatballs, use ground beef or a mixture of ground beef or veal with pork.

Variations on the basic meatball are below.

In a large bowl, mix: 

• 1 lb. ground meat
• 1 peeled and chopped yellow onion
• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• a slice of white bread dampened with water or milk and crumbled
• 1 raw egg
• table salt (about the size of a dime poured into your palm) 

Shape into balls and fry in a pan (use oil if you use lean or extra-lean meat.)

Lamb: ground lamb, pressed garlic, lemon zest, oregano. Top with tzatziki.

Mexican: ground pork, chili powder, chopped jalapeno pepper and diced fresh cilantro. Top with pico de gallo sauce.

Turkey: ground turkey, fennel seeds, parsley, parmesan cheese. Top with pesto.

Ginger chicken: ground chicken, grated ginger, lime zest, fish sauce. Top with peanut sauce.

Quick Italian Meatballs

• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional--or use 1/3 cup more bread crumbs OR use 1/3 cup grated carrot)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning (or 1/4 tsp dry oregano + 1/4 tsp dry basil)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch hot pepper flakes
• 1 lb extra-lean ground turkey OR ground chicken OR ground beef OR lean ground pork OR combination of beef and pork

1. In large bowl, stir together bread crumbs, egg, cheese (if using), garlic, herbs, salt, hot pepper flakes.
2. Mix in ground meat till combined.
3. Shape by scant 1 Tbsp into 30 small meatballs.
4. Fry in a pan in hot oil till cooked through, OR BAKE on parchment paper-lined baking sheet in preheated 375 degree oven about 15 minutes. Cut one in half to make sure they're cooked through.
5. Add cooked meatballs to prepared spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta.

Italian Rosemary Chicken Meatballs

Uses seasoned breadcrumbs, or use what you have, like Italian seasoning (oregano and basil) with  crumbled stale bread.

Rolling the raw meat into a ball around a cube of mozzarella cheese makes these meatballs a little different, but if you're in a hurry, skip that step and grate some mozzarella on top before serving.

• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1-1/4 lb. ground turkey or chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbsp loosely packed fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups tomato marinara sauce
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• chopped parsley
• grated parmesan cheese

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, salt, pepper.
2. Stir in breadcrumbs.
3. Add ground poultry meat, garlic and rosemary. Mix to combine.
4. Scoop 2 Tbsp meat mixture, shape into ball around 1 cube mozzarella, sealing meat tightly around cheese.
5. Repeat with remaining meat and cheese.
6. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high.
7. Arrange meatballs in single layer and cook until browned, turning occasionally, 4-6 minutes.
8. Add marinara sauce and reduce heat.
9. Simmer 10-12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
10. Meanwhile, cook pasta and drain.
11. Toss with meatballs and sauce and serve topped with fresh parsley and parmesan.

Calabrese Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Norm has told me about his mom spending all day making mammoth meatballs simmered in a stock pot of tomato sauce so many times, I don't need to hear it again. If you'd enjoy stirring a pot of tomato sauce and meatballs all day long, here is a recipe for you. Propetti a la Calabrese....golf-ball-sized meatballs cooked in a basic tomato sauce.

For a smaller quantity, halve the ingredients for both the sauce and the meatballs.

Tomato Sauce

• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tins tomato paste (5 1/2 oz. each)
• 2 28-oz tins whole tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• salt, pepper
• oregano, basil, bay leaf, fresh chopped parsley
• green peppers, mushrooms (optional)

1. Use a very large Dutch oven or a saucepan like a stock pot.
2. Brown garlic and onion. 
3. Add tomato paste and stir, cooking 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes and water, stirring to break up the whole tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and spices.
5. Simmer sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. In the last half hour or so add sliced green peppers and mushrooms if desired.

Meatballs

• 2 lbs lean ground pork
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 lb fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 to 1/2 lb Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup milk
• garlic powder, pepper, salt to taste
• finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl, mix well.
2. Shape into small round balls the size of golf balls
3. Drop shaped meatballs into the hot sauce that has already been on the stove a couple of hours. If the first meatball falls apart, brown the rest in oil in a pan, before dropping into the pot.
4. Cook gently (on low) for 2 hours more, stirring frequently.

Big Deli-Style Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Norm's mother Nan loved playing golf, but her meatballs were not golf-ball sized, according to Norm.

Norm says she made really big meatballs, with ground beef, chopped onion, grated carrot, and seasoned bread crumbs. After browning the meatballs in oil in a pan, she'd let them simmer all day to finish cooking in a big pot of homemade tomato sauce. Norm would really like you to make homemade meatballs like this!

This tomato-sauce simmered Italian meatball recipe is adapted from the one used at Toronto's Lambo Deli, published in the Bayview Post. It uses whole, canned plum tomatoes, preferably from Italy. 

After the meatballs are shaped, they are oven-roasted. Then they are added to a large pot of tomato sauce on the stove.  I add chopped onion to the meatball mixture and substitute grated carrot for the parsley.

• 769 ml can whole Italian plum tomatoes with juices
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch basil
• 500 g package ground beef AND 500 g package ground pork OR 1 kg ground beef/pork/veal mixture
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 4 slices white bread
• 1 cup homogenized milk
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 large, beaten eggs
• 1/3 cup grated carrot OR chopped parsley
• 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

1. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pot.
2. Add 1/2 sliced onion and 3 cloves minced garlic.
3. Simmer on low for 25 minutes until soft but onions haven't yet browned. 
4. Add plum tomatoes and juices turn up heat to bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to simmer, add basil. Salt to taste.
6. Cook on medium-low for 1 hour, stirring often to break up tomatoes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Crumble bread slices in a food processor.
9. Pour crumbs over 1 cup milk in a bowl and let sit 10 minutes to soak.
10. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 beaten eggs, carrot (or parsley), salt, oregano, chili flakes, chopped onion, meat.
11. Mix by hand and shape into large balls.
12. Place meatballs on a sheet pan lined with parchment and roast at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, rotating after 10 minutes. 
13. Place partially cooked balls into sauce and simmer 3 hours or at least 30 minutes, partially covered, on medium-low.

Ground Lamb Meatballs

These meatballs are oven-roasted with cherry tomatoes, then tossed with Mediterranean vegetables, oven-roasted separately.

Serve with rice, buttered noodles or a great crusty bread.

If two baking sheets fit in the oven, do all the prep and then roast the meatballs and vegetables on separate baking sheets at the same time.

Roasted Meatballs Tossed with Cherry Tomatoes:

• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
• 12 oz. ground lamb
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 12 oz. cherry tomatoes
• 3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• arugula, for serving

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together egg, water, salt and pepper.
3. Stir in breadcrumbs.
4. Add raw ground lamb, chopped onion, mint.
5. Mix to combine.
6. Shape into 1 inch balls.
7. Place on a parchment-paper lined, rimmed baking sheet.
8. Roast 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and toss meatballs with cherry tomatoes.
10. Return baking sheet to oven and roast 5-7 minutes more or until meatballs are cooked through.
11. Remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm if not platng immediately with roasted Mediterranean vegetables.
12. To serve, sprinkle with feta cheese and arugula.

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables:

• 2 small red onions, peeled
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch thick half-moons
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives

1. Finely chop half an onion.
2. Cut the rest of the onion into wedges.
3. Toss onion wedges with oil salt and pepper.
4. Place on rimmed baking sheet and roast in 400 degree F oven 5 minutes.
5. Stir in zucchini and olives.
6. Continue to roast 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

Tex-Mex Meatballs

Serve with rice or tortilla chips or warm tortillas.

• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko
• 1-1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided OR shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley OR cilantro, chopped, divided
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
• 2 Tbsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1. Whisk together in large bowl: egg, cumin, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.
2. Stir in breadcrumbs.
3. Add ground meat, garlic, jalapeno, 1 cup cheese, all but 1 Tbsp parsley or cilantro.
4. Mix, shape into 2-inch balls.
5. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high.
6. Cook meatballs in single layer until browned, turning occasionally, 4-6 minutes.
7. Transfer meatballs to plate.
8. Reduce heat to medium.
9. Saute onion in the skillet until tender, 5-7 minutes.
10. Stir in tomatoes and chiles, bring to a boil.
11. Return meatballs to skillet.
12. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through 8-10  minutes.
13. Top with remaining cheese, cover pan, cook about 2 minutes or until melted.
14. Top with 1 Tbsp parsley or cilantro.

Sriracha Pork Meatballs in a Bun

• 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves OR basil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layer discarded, sliced
• 1-1/2 Tbsp fish sauce OR soy sauce
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce, plus more for mayo
• mayonnaise
• 4 long crusty buns, split
• Cilantro sprigs and thinly sliced jalapeno pepper, for garnish

1. In small saucepan, bring vinegar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in shredded cabbage and carrots.
4. Let mixture cool completely.
5. In food processor, pulse, stopping to scrape bowl occasionally until finely chopped: mint, garlic, onion, lemongrass, fish sauce.
6. Transfer to medium bowl.
7. Add raw ground pork and sriracha and mix to combine.
8. Shape into about 16 meatballs.
9. Grill meatballs, covered, turning occasionally until cooked through 10-12 minutes.
10. Make sriracha mayo. Blend, then set aside: 2 Tbsp sriracha + 1/3 cup mayonnaise. Spread sriracha mayo on insides of rolls.
11. Drain cabbage and carrot mixture.
12. Fill rolls with meatballs, cabbage and carrot, cilantro, jalapeno.