My Go-To Meatball Recipe

I don't know what it is about me that I'm obsessed in finding that perfect meatball recipe. I have a few meatball recipes on my blog, but this one is probably my favorite (and I know I always say that out ever recipe I put on here).

This recipe is originally called "Grandma Maronis Meatballs 100 Year Old Recipe" and I saw it on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay (and yes, I know I keep saying I can't stand Bobby Flay but I just can't help but watch that show). 

I've made this recipe about 5 times now and here are a few tips: use fresh bread crumbs, if possible; I only use 3 large eggs and one large finely diced shallot instead of the onion. Also, add half of the milk first and mix; if the mixture seems slightly very moist but still holds it's shape, then don't add the remainder. You want your meatball mixture to be slightly on the wetter side. Lastly, I add a half cup of grated mild cheddar because I just love it in the meatballs. 

INGREDIENTS (makes 16 meatballs)

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 4 ounces dried bread crumbs
• 4 large eggs
• 4 ounces whole milk
• 6 ounces grated Romano
• 3 ounces grated Spanish onion
• 2 ounces finely diced fresh garlic
• 2 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs.

Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Place them close to each other so that they hold their shape. Place into preheated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.

Once they are done, you can add them to your favorite sauce and simmer them in the gravy or serve over spaghetti and marinara sauce. Enjo
y!

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

I've really fallen in love with orecchiette pasta. I think it's because the pasta has more body and texture to it, and it's chewy yet firm. The only problem is that it's quite hard to find this pasta here in San Diego. On a recent trip to Mona Lisa deli , though, I saw they started selling fresh orecchiette pasta and I just had to buy it.

This recipe is from Giada, but as always I changed it up a bit. I actually read the comments from other users who made this recipe and mostly all said meatball mixture was too sticky and wet, so I modified the recipe by omitting the milk and ketchup and adding just a tablespoon of marinara instead. Additionally I increased the breadcrumbs just a bit. My husband and brother-in-law (and yes, he's living here with us for a bit) loved it! They both especially enjoyed the chicken meatballs because they sure were flavorful.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 8 ounce package of fresh orecchiette pasta, if available. (If you're unable to find orecchiette, you can use mini shells).
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup your favorite marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Romano or parmesan
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, dried parsley, egg, 1 tablespoon marinara sauce, Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine. (Use your hands, if you have to).

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs. (I don't have a melon baller, so I just used my hands to form the meatballs).

In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Remove meatballs from pan and set aside. To the pan add the tomatoes and sear for one minute. Next add the hot chicken stock and bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Add remaining marinara sauce, dried basil and pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Now add back the meatballs to the sauce and keep simmering until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add a little olive oil and toss to lightly coat orecchiette. If pasta seems to stick, add a little pasta water to loosen. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese and gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.

Swedish Meatballs

I've never made Swedish meatballs before and I gave it a try for Halloween. We had family and friends come over for a cocktail and treats, and I served these as appetizers. They were quite delicious and I bet they would also taste great over a bed of egg noodles as a main course. After I cooked all the meatballs, I placed them in a Crock-Pot, poured the sauce over them and kept it on low. Or you can use the oven method (like in this recipe) and it will work just as good. This recipe is straight from Alton Brown's show, "Good Eats."

INGREDIENTS (makes 32 to 36 meatballs)

• 2 slices fresh white bread (I used wheat bread because that's all we had)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided (I suggest you buy Ghee, which is what I used, and it's much easier than making your own clarified butter)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound ground chuck
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds. (I don't have a scale, so I just made my meatballs about 1.5" in diameter). Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven. Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Turkey Meatballs

After four tries, I've finally come up with the perfect, flavorful and juicy turkey meatballs. Yes, you heard right: turkey. I believe that the key to these meatballs are fresh breadcrumbs, none of that store bought stuff. I also think that the cheese adds additional creaminess. The recipe is a combination of a Dave Baggs ground beef meatball recipe slightly altered by me. The reason I do turkey instead of ground beef is because there are members in my family that don't eat red meat.

Use these turkey meatballs in a meatball sub and top with your favorite marinara sauce or use them in spaghetti (make it whole wheat spaghetti if you want to add more fiber and protein to your diet) and you will have yourself a really good, hearty meal and you won't even miss the ground beef!

INGREDIENTS (makes 24 to 28 meatballs)

• 2 to 2-1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes or 4 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh, soft breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until they are well distributed. Don't worry about overmixing. Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the breadcrumbs absorb all the flavors.

Form turkey mixture into golf-sized meatballs.

Place them in a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn meatballs over and bake another 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. At this point you can store them and use them the next day (I find that leaving them in the fridge overnight makes the meatballs taste better the next day) or place them in freezer bags and freeze and store whenever you need to use them.

To make fresh breadcrumbs: place 1/2" pieces of French bread or thick white bread in a food processor and whiz until you get your breadcrumbs.

To make a very simple marinara sauce: saute 1 large minced garlic clove in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 30 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon fresh oregano and 1 bay leaf. Let it saute 30 more seconds. Add one (28 oz) can of "6 in 1 Tomato Sauce" and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and several grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.

Turkey Albondigas

My brother and sister-in-law just had their first baby 10 days ago. She is a beautiful little girl with so much hair; she's going to need a haircut pretty soon! So, both my mom and step-mom made food for them and stored it in their freezer this way Lindsey and Tom didn't have to worry about cooking for the first few weeks while they got used to their new bundle of joy. One of the dishes my mom made for them is her albondigas soup. To me, this is probably one of the best Mexican comfort foods, and it's really good to eat when you're sick, too (I guess it's the Mexican version of Matzo Ball Soup).

Now, in just about all the albondigas recipes they tell you to use ground beef, which you can substitute, but my mom got us used to ground turkey (or even ground chicken) because there is less fat and the soup is not greasy at all. Also, if there are no zucchinis available, you can add summer squash, or you can just omit it if you want. Anyway, my mom made extra soup and I also got a nice pot of it at home.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 zucchinis, sliced
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
• 1/2 cup rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons ice water

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot combine broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce and water. Add the onion, carrots, celery and potatoes (do not add the zucchini just yet).

Bring to a boil and simmer.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the ground turkey, uncooked rice, cilantro, garlic, pepper, seasosing salt, egg and ice water. Mix thoroughly, but do not overwork the mixture.

Form into small meatballs (you can form bigger meatballs if you prefer, but meatballs may have to cook a little longer).

Add carefully to soup. Cook for 15 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and the rice in the meatballs look nice and plump.

Laddle the albondigas and broth in soup bowls and don't forget to serve warm corn tortillas and butter on the side. Que bueno!

Spaghetti & Meatballs a la Baggs

This past Christmas my sister-in-law, Lindsey, made us the most delicious spaghetti and meatballs from an old Baggs family recipe. The recipe is quite easy; it's just the waiting (for the sauce to be perfect and meatballs to simmer) that's excruciating to a hungry crowd. This is one of those recipes you can make the day before and the flavors will only get better the next day. Also, you can use ground turkey, if you prefer, and the meatballs will be just as juicy.

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

• ¼ cup minced onions
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sage
• 3 ½ cups canned tomatoes
• 1 ½ tsp oregano
• 2 sm. Cans tomato paste
• ½ tsp basil
• 3 cups water

DIRECTIONS

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until opaque. Add remaining ingredients and simmer at least one hour.

Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground chuck
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 Tbs dried parsley
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cups soft breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup grated American or mild cheddar cheese
• 2 packages spaghetti

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients, except spaghetti, in mixing bowl and mix well. Shape meatballs and brown quickly in olive oil. Add to the sauce about 1 hour before serving. About 12 minutes before serving, cook spaghetti according to package directions. This will serve about 8 people.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, French Style

I saw this recipe in Food and Wine magazine and when I realized Chef Jacques Pépin created it, I had to try it. But of course, being the Virgo that I am, I gave it a few of my own touches. The meatballs are quite easy to make and the tomato sauce is so wonderful and flavorful you will be surprised how easy it is. You can make the entire meal in about 40 minutes or less and make sure you have a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau open and ready for your meal!

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS

• 1/2 pound ground sirloin
• 1/4 pound Italian bulk sausage
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their liquid
• 1/3 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

MAKE THE MEATBALLS: In a large bowl, mix all of meatball ingredients with your hands until blended, but do not overwork meat. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs and flatten slightly.

Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes. Turn over and bake another 6 to 7 minutes until firm but not hard. Transfer the meatballs to a large plate.

MAKE THE SAUCE: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and oregano and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook over moderate heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until slightly chunky; alternatively, puree the sauce in blender and return the sauce to the saucepan.

In amall saucepan, cover the olives with water and bring to a boil over high heat; drain well. Add the olives to the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and simmer 5 more minutes or until heated through and serve. You can serve the meatballs with Gnocchi Parisienne (recipe coming soon) or spaghetti.