The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (2024)

There are few things more satisfying than a good meatball recipe and this collection of rounders has everything we've ever needed. We're talking chicken, beef, pork and shrimp — and even a few meatless and special diet options — meaning everyone can enjoy this comfort food fave. Have fun creating your own meatball recipe blends, and if you really want to shake things up, consider throwing 'em on the grill for some REALLY great balls of fire.

Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (1)

Brit + Co

You've had cheesy bread and stuffed crust, but cheese-stuffed meatballs are next level. Serve these with your favorite pasta or just dig into the meatballs on their own. (via Brit + Co)

Beef Bulgogi Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (2)

Brit + Co

This recipe can be altered to make sliders *or* meatballs so you have your pick when it comes to the kind of dish you pick. Honestly, as long as there are pickles, we're open to either. (via Brit + Co)

3 Easy and Delicious Ways to Make Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (3)

Brit + Co

Kick up store bought meatballs in a jiffy with these three super easy and ever-so-saucy recipes. You can experiment with them until you find the recipe you like the best, or make all of them for your holiday party instead. (via Brit + Co.)

Keto-Friendly Ricotta Chicken Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (4)

Brit + Co

Chicken and ricotta taste amazing together, and when they're used on top of zucchini noodles, they make an unstoppable duo. (via Brit + Co)

Meatballs Emilia Romagna With Pasta Sheets

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (5)

Food52

Totally homemade, totally worth the effort, these meatballs are all-beef and are light, tender and Nonna-approved due to the choice of cut. We'll take as many servings as we can eat! (via Food52)

Buffalo Balls

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (6)

I Breathe... I'm Hungry...

No Rocky Mountain oysters here. Instead, ground chicken is mixed with a variety of cheeses and chopped celery then tossed in Buffalo sauce for a playful twist on wings. (via I Breathe… I'm Hungry…)

Beyond Meatball Gyros

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (7)

Beyond Meatballs

Beyond Meat is a great alternative for anyone who has to cut meat out of their diet for any reason. You can bet the first item on our to-do list is making these tasty gyros. If you also can't have dairy, try a vegan tzatziki recipe too! (via Beyond Meatballs)

Hawaiin Luau Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (8)

Chew Out Loud

Since these meatballs are cooked in a slow cooker, you'll have plenty of time to practice your hula while you wait for them. Serve with pineapple to emphasize the flavor. (via Chew Out Loud)

Greek Meatballs With Mint and Dried Apricots

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (9)

Running to the Kitchen

An awesome sweet and savory thing is happening with these apricot- and mint-dotted lamb meatballs. Serve with a garlicky yogurt sauce for extra points. (via Running to the Kitchen)

Chicken Cakes (Spicy or Not) With Sweet Chili Drizzle

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (10)

Once Upon A Plate

A handful of aromatics and sauces jazz up otherwise lackluster ground chicken to create meatballs meatcakes ideal for serving atop spinach or arugula. (via Once Upon a Plate)

30-Minute Clean Paleo Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (11)

I Food Real

A 30-minute meal that's this gorgeous and healthy? Count us in! Serve with rice, quinoa, or our personal favorite, orzo. (via I Food Real)

Cranberry Cheddar Sausage Bites

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (12)

Running To The Kitchen

Use your favorite Italian sausage as the base for these sweet-savory bites. Our personal favorite part is the cranberry sauce because it's the perfect contrast to the sausage bites. Our mouths are watering! (via Running to the Kitchen)

Albondigas Soup

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (13)

Simple Comfort Food

Next time you feel like cooking up a big batch of chili, consider making this Mexican meatball soup instead. The same kind of comfort food, plus avocado. (via Simple Comfort Food)

Swedish Meatballs

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (14)

Damm Delicious

Big fans of Ikea here, but they've got nothing on this Swedish meatball recipe. You'll want to make some extra sauce for all your dipping needs. (via Damn Delicious)

Beyond Meatballs Pasta with Pesto

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (15)

Beyond Meatballs

Lady and the Tramp fans: here's your chance to finally have your own "Bella Notte" moment. (via Beyond Meatballs)

Banh Mi Bowls

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (16)

Budget Bytes

Skip the usual roll and serve all the usual banh mi fixin's atop steamed rice instead. You'll still want the sriracha, though. (via Budget Bytes)

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs With Eggy Noodles

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (17)

On The Woodside

Surprise! There's a piece of molten mozzarella tucked inside each of these meatballs. A gravy-esque sauce makes this similar to a beef stroganoff so we're all over it. (via On the Woodside)

Vegan, Gluten-Free Lentil Meatballs With Indian Fenugreek Sauce

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (18)

Feasting at Home

Looking for another meatless meatball option? Consider these lentil-based beauties. Packed with protein, they're sure to be satisfying. (via Feasting at Home)

Turkey Meatballs With Apple, Spinach and Provolone

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (19)

Jehan Can Cook

With flavors reminiscent of chicken-apple sausage, we bet these meatballs would be just as big a star at breakfast as at dinnertime. (via Jehan Can Cook)

Pork and Prawn Balls in Aromatic Sauce

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (20)

Ang Sarap

Despite the streamlined list of ingredients, this dish is sure to pack in tons of flavor with every bite. It covers both the land and the sea! (via Ang Sarap)

Follow us on Pinterest for more unique food ideas and tag us in your meatball recipes on Instagram @BritandCo!

This piece has been updated from a previous post.

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Heather Sage

Heather Sage is a gluten-free recipe developer and freelance writer living in Orlando by way of the Silicon Valley. When she isn’t playing around with alternative flours in the kitchen, she can be found tackling DIY projects around the house or exploring her neighborhood. Check out her gluten-free recipe blog, A Sage Amalgam.

The Most-Delicious Meatball Recipes We Tried This Year (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of a tender meatball? ›

Breadcrumbs: I add breadcrumbs for texture. I also love substituting them for crushed saltine crackers like we do for this meatloaf. 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.

What is the secret to firm meatballs? ›

Massage your meat

Get your hands into your mixing bowl and combine the ingredients for your meatballs using your fingers. The heat from your hands will help release the proteins in the meat which will in turn help the mixture stick together when it cooks. Don't overmix, just a few minutes will do.

Is it better to use milk or water in meatballs? ›

The Key to Tender Meatballs

Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat. This binder (aka panade) helps add moisture to the meatballs and also prevents the meat proteins from shrinking and becoming tough.

What country makes the best meatballs? ›

  • Meatballs. Lion's head (Shizitou) JIANGSU, China.
  • Appetizer. Içli köfte. TURKIYE.
  • Meatballs. Bakso. INDONESIA.
  • Meatballs. İnegöl köfte. İNEGÖL, Turkiye.
  • Meatballs. Lihapullat. FINLAND.
  • Meatballs. Chiftele. ROMANIA. 4.1.
  • Meatballs. İzmir köfte. İZMIR, Turkiye. 4.1.
  • Meatballs. Bakso goreng. INDONESIA. 4.1.
May 15, 2024

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

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 makes meatballs stick together better? ›

Most meatball recipes depend on other ingredients, such as herbs, cheese, and the meat itself for flavor. Instead, eggs serve a more prosaic function: to help hold everything together. As the eggs cook, their proteins coagulate and solidify, binding all the other ingredients they contact.

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.

Why do my meatballs always fall apart? ›

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

Why do people put flour in meatballs? ›

Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry.

Why are my homemade meatballs tough? ›

When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked. Start by thoroughly mixing all of the ingredients except for the ground meat. Once you add the meat, you want to work it only just enough so the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Is the egg yolk or white better for meatballs? ›

Egg yolks alone work best; the whites just make the mixture sticky and hard to handle, with no benefits. Another contribution to the flavor dimension can be gotten by adding some ground pork to the usual ground beef (usually chuck); we found 1 part pork to 3 parts beef to be about right.

What company sells the most meatballs? ›

Ikea sells more than 1 billion meatballs annually.

Who does the best meatballs? ›

Top 10 Meatballs Products
  1. Smorgasbord. Swedish Meatballs Family Pack. ...
  2. Fray Bentos. Meatballs in Tomato Sauce. ...
  3. Waitrose Ltd. Waitrose 24 British Native Breed Beef Meatballs. ...
  4. Waitrose Ltd. Waitrose 20 Native Breed Reduced Fat Beef Meatballs. ...
  5. Waitrose Ltd. ...
  6. M&S. ...
  7. Linda McCartney's. ...
  8. DAYLESFORD ORGANIC.

How to keep meatballs moist and tender? ›

Add moisture.

Since the protein in meat makes it shrink when cooked and can result in tough meatballs, you want some insurance against that. Eggs and binders like breadcrumbs mixed with milk all help with keeping meatballs tender and moist, so don't skip any of these.

How do you make meatballs that aren't tough? ›

Use a mix of ground meats

Lean ground meats like ground sirloin, chicken, and turkey breast tend to dry out and make meatballs tough. I like to use equal parts ground beef chuck and ground pork.

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.

How to stop meatballs from being dry? ›

Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry. The breadcrumbs absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Again quantity is important here; too much and your meatball will be more like stuffing or a dumpling.

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