In my house, homemade easy meatballs are the way to go. My daughters can never agree on how they like them though! One loves her sauce-covered balls while the other prefers hers fried first before getting doused in tomato goodness 🍅 But whatever their preference is, everyone’s a winner when these delicious delights make an appearance at dinner time.
I prefer to use ground meat that has a fat content enough to add flavor to my meatballs.
Normally I tend to use a mixture of pork and beef ground meat. For this recipe I only had beef so, that’s what I use.
Of course, you can play with mixing your meats depending on your personal taste. You can mix chicken, pork, turkey, beef, veal, and lamb.
This is a recipe that I seem to make very often in fact, I have other versions of meatballs recipes for you right here: meatballs in tomatoes sauce, kefta meatballs tajine with eggs, and last but never least amazing tomatoes and meatballs soup.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 unit eggs
- 2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 pound beef ground beef You can use beef, veal, chicken, turkey or a mix of your favorite. I prefer high fat content for more flavor.
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro You can use your favorite herbs.
- 3/4 cup panko crumbs
- 2 unit minced gralic cloves
- 1 unit medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- ground balck pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3 unit minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 can of pureed tomatoes
- 2 unit bay leaves
Instructions
- Whisk the egg in a large bowl until broken up. Add the Parmesan, cilantro, salt, and the black pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Add the meat to the egg mixture. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the egg mixture into the ground meat.
- Add the onions, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Mix them thoroughly into the meat with your fingers. Do not over mix this or the meat will get tough.
- With the help of a large spoon, take one tablespoon meat mixture and gently roll between your hands to form 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each). Continue shaping until all the meat is used.
- Put your pot over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil, brown all your meatballs on all sides. Set aside.
- Take a moment to take out Charlie's meatballs (she eats them without the sauce)
- Put your pot over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil, lightly brown the onion and garlic. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, add the meatballs, bay leaves, herbs and simmer for 30 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
The breadcrumbs help to get a moist meatball. If you use flavored, like say Italian, or add your own dry herbs to your breadcrumbs you can add another layer of yummy to these meatballs.
You can tweak this recipe and make it yours, and I assure you your family will be sharing it for generations to come.
Picture it, Sicily, 1922
Sophia Petrillo
I prefer these meatballs over rice, my family prefers them over pasta, How about your house?
10 thoughts on “Best homemade easy meatballs”
Uf! These meatballs look so so yummy Gaila! And the color! You made me hungry!
Thank you Enri!
Gracias por compartir esta receta de riquísima de homemade easy meatballs. A mis hijas les encanta así que la hare esta semana.
Gracias Fabiola!
Muy rica y fácil tu receta de meat balls. Nada como unas ricas albóndigas hechas en casa para acompañar un buen arroz o pasta.
Gracias Aracelis. Asi es, deliciosas
I love meatballs! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Thank you Vanessa! I hope everyone is staying safe!
Gaila se ven deliciosas tus albóndigas. Me encanta comerlas con arroz y maíz en granos. Gracias por compartir tu receta
Hola Melba, veo que somos del equipo #arroz ? me encanta también el maíz, me has dado una rica idea para acabar las albóndigas que quedan!