Meatballs With Any Meat Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Deb

I have adapted the Alton Brown way of baking them. Roll in fine bread crumbs, place in greased muffin tin. Forms a nice crust keeping plump and moist.

Peter

Saturate the panko (or other) breadcrumbs in milk to avoid having them dry out the meatballs, build depth, and also help bind.

Rob galiardo

Ok here are some secrets to great meatballs. One, add 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese per pound of meat. Two, mix ground veal, pork, and beef. And lastly, do not bake, fry, sauté or broil. Roll up the meatballs and allow to cook in a simmering sauce. These meat balls will be melt in your mouth soft and I guarantee the best meatballs you've ever eaten.. The author is correct on ratio.. One egg and half cup breadcrumbs per pound of meat. and 1/4 cups grated Romano. Enjoy!

Justician

I bake my meatballs, using a rack to keep them from getting greasy from melted fat. They brown all over, especially if you use a relatively high temperature--400 degrees or so. Cook your vegies before adding them to the meat mix, unless you like them crunchy. My favorite is a mix of onions and fennel. Timing depends on how big you like your meatballs and how hot your oven is.

Maureen

Baked at 425° about 10 minutes.

Ross

When using ground turkey or chicken breast I will add olive oil to the mix to up the fat content with a healthier fat. The extra fat helps captures the flavor of the spices. The other option with poultry is to use thighs that have a higher fat content to begin with.

Rita

To make the meatballs more evenly sized, I pat the meat into a rectangle and cut into even sized squares. Then roll into balls. You could also use a smallish ice cream scoop, but that involves washing it, which is devilishly difficult to do with all the moving parts.

Mara

For Gluten Free: Polenta/Chickpea Flour or a combination; works very well.

Also, try a Thai twist: add finely chopped fresh Thai/Italian Basil, Cilantro, fresh Chilies, fish sauce, bit of brown sugar. Tastes fantastic! I pop them in a Red Curry with Coconut Milk, served with Steamed (Brown) Basmati Rice or Wasabi Mashed Potatoes: Yumm!

Ccarter830

Americas Test Kitchen uses potato flakes in place of bread crumbs and it works well.

Aviva

I used oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.

LH

Another thought to add:

I've been making meatballs in the oven for decades as described below – – I'd never go back to frying them.

Baking them at 375° on convection is FAR superior to broiling them. If you have a convection feature, definitely use it for baking/browning meatballs. Broiling meatballs can go wrong in a couple of minutes if you're not careful. It can also result in a charred exterior combined with a semi-raw interior. Convection baking is easy and foolproof.

Ritch

With the black pepper, garlic and parsley options, exactly as I have made them for years, though I add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of finely grated Pecorino Romano, and can't recall when I didn't double the recipe.....the best.

Mica

Baked at 425ºF for ~10 minutes.

Peter

Uncooked and then frozen, they will stick to each other and get misshapen. Cooked and frozen, they will keep their shape, and unstick from each other more easily, and besides, they'll be so easy to use on a weeknight. I am using the micro less and less, so I heat them in a pan with just enough water to steam them a little bit.

Roz

I use panko in my turkey meatballs; it is lighter in texture than regular crumbs. Because turkey doesn't have a lot of taste I add a bit of chipotle ketchup and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to kick it up, along with minced onion.

venison adm

And 1 small yellow onion diced. Uncooked for nice crunchy texture

sharon

Bake 425 convection 7 minutes and turn for 5-7 minutes

Karen

Adding a little milk to the crumbs made them more moist, as Peter suggested 6 years ago.

Myra

I made these with Impossible plant-based meat and Just Egg. I think broiling works better than baking for Impossible - delicious and my guests didn't know they were plant-based until I said something. No slaughterhouse, no cholesterol, and a fraction of GHG emissions compared with cow or other mammal meat; awesome.

dimac

ground turkeyGround oats 1/2 cAlmond milk-1/3c?Parmesan Kraft 1/2 cupSpicesGood! Very tender maybe a little less oats and turkey

Carole

Really easy, fast and delicious. Panko and milk is key! I turn baking sheet and meatballs 1/2 through cooking time for more even browning and distribution. Learned better to undercook a little than to overcook-- can always cook more (and when reheated may cook more), but once overcooked...well, smother it in a yummy sauce. Great recipe, ENJOY!

Rebecca Brindza

Used two onions and gf bread crumbs, baked in oven and turned out great!

lg

I made it with half beef and half pork. They were great.

Hoda

Cooked on 1/20/24. I’m late to this party. The ricotta was dated, so I subbed milk. The balls were roasted in the convection oven . Addd cumin, garam masala, garlic, s and p, scallion. It tasted like the Kona from home.

Lena

Could you sub tofu?

Amy

I sub impossible burger for my vegetarian wife- works perfectly! I wouldn't try tofu, not a similar texture

Beth

These were so delicious. I made beef meatballs and used cumin and fresh basil. Since I eat GF, I put flaked oats in the food processor and ground them smaller and used them instead of breadcrumbs. They turned out great!

Lee Norris

Suggestions to drop uncooked meatballs into a sauce you are cooking work only if this is the only purpose for the meatballs. When I make meatballs I make a lot and freeze them for future meals. That means baking them (some people fry, but that's way too much work and fat), spreading them out on a baking tray, freezing, then bagging them for longer-term storage.Why would you want to do all the work of making these little balls only to plop them into a sauce meant for one or two meals?

L

Cook at 400 for about 15 minutes. Using rack.Use 1/4 cup parm.Make two pasta dishes to accompany:1. vodka sauce with big macaroni we already have2. marinara rigatoni with cheese and spinach

Tom D

Seared in a pan on medium heat until crispy. Flipped and seared the other side. Then finished in the oven at 375 for several minutes until cooked through.

natalie

Best meatballs I’ve ever made

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Meatballs With Any Meat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of a tender meatball? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

What do you put in meatballs so they don't fall apart? ›

One trick to making sure meatballs are totally tender once they're cooked is to use a binder. Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat.

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

For 1-2 inches of beef, pork, or turkey meatballs without any pre-cooking, use these guidelines for your wall oven:
  • 350°F wall oven:
  • 8–14 minutes for 1-inch meatballs.
  • 14–18 minutes for 2-inch meatballs.
  • 400°F wall oven:
  • 6–10 minutes for 1-inch meatballs.
  • 10–14 minutes for 2-inch meatballs.
  • 425°F wall oven:
Aug 16, 2023

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

What is the best binder for meatballs? ›

An egg is usually a good start, as that can help with the tenderness and texture, but the king of meatball binders is breadcrumbs soaked in milk (also known as a panade). Soaking the breadcrumbs first makes them pliable and soggy, which allows them to easily and evenly mix into the ground meat.

Why do you put milk in meatballs? ›

Milk: Adds moisture and tenderizes the meat, making our meatballs juicy and tender once cooked. Egg: Adds more moisture and helps the mixture firm up once cooked.

Why do you put baking soda in meatballs? ›

Baking soda, otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate, appears often in köfte recipes. It raises the PH level of the meat, making it harder for the meat's protein molecules to bond. This in turn allows the meat to retain water as it cooks. And more water means a moist meatball.

What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Too many breadcrumbs can ruin the texture of your meatball though, turning it into something more like stuffing rather than a mini-meatloaf. It can also make the finished mixture loose, and it'll fall apart when cooking. Too few breadcrumbs, on the other hand, won't give you the desired filler effect.

Can I use mayo instead of eggs in meatballs? ›

But it's not an unusual choice, either, when you consider its parts: egg, oil, and a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, all whisked or blended together. Because it's a stable emulsion, mayo serves as an excellent binder for meatballs. It easily slips into the role played by eggs and bread crumbs.

Is it better to fry or oven bake meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Should you pan sear meatballs before baking? ›

You can brown meatballs in the oven or in a skillet. For the crispiest exterior, use a heavy skillet with hot oil. You can finish cooking in a simmering sauce or the oven.

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook? ›

Tenderizing the Meat:

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

What is the secret to firm meatballs? ›

Eggs: Eggs keep the meatballs from drying out and they act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the ingredients together. Cheese: You'll need a cup of freshly grated Romano cheese. If you can, avoid the pre-grated stuff for this recipe. Italian bread: Slightly stale Italian bread is preferable.

Is milk or egg better for meatballs? ›

Add Milk for Moisture

A little bit of milk will add moisture to your meatballs. (Many people think it's the eggs that add the moisture, but their role is to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese and herbs.)

Should I roll my meatballs in flour before baking? ›

A traditional size for this sort of meatball is 2 to 3 inches across, but you can make them any size you want. Once you roll the meatball in your hands, roll it in the flour to give it a good coating. Set each one on a baking sheet as you work.

Why are my meatballs not tender? ›

Don't Over-Mix the Meat

Over-mixing. The more you mix ground meat with seasonings, the tougher, springier, and more compact the finished product will be—we want loose and tender, not tight and sausage-like.

How to stop meatballs from being dry? ›

You only need a small amount of egg – it's there only to help the cooked meatball retain its shape, and shouldn't detract from the meat's flavour or texture. Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry.

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