Best Meatball Recipes | The Modern Proper (2024)

When it comes to how to make meatballs, we’ve got all the tricks. We’ve made them so many times, in so many different ways, and we’re not here to keep up the meatball mystique. We’re here to spill the beans! We want everyone to be as meatball-happy as we are. So, what is the secret to good meatballs? Whether you’re making classic Italian beef meatballs or different meatballs, like harissa-seasoned baked meatballs or even whipping up a meatball sub, making the best meatballs is easy to do. We’ll share our top three tips to make sure you really know how to cook meatballs before you dive into these 18 meatball recipes:

For the most tender meatballs ever, you want to be sure that you don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Whether it’s beef, chicken, turkey or even a vegetarian meatball recipe—yep, this meatball recipe round up includes one of those!—this simple rule will help ensure meatball making success!
Relatedly, don’t use a food processor to mix the meatball mixture! Your hands are your best tools when it comes to making meatballs. You can have a much lighter touch if you just use your hands to gently mix the meat, and that’ll help you to not overmix.
Wet your hands when rolling the meatballs. This is our #1 meatball making tip and it probably appears in every single meatball recipe we’ve ever shared because it’s just so basic and just so true. To make the meatball rolling process easy and fast, keep a little bowl of water next to you as you roll the meatballs and stop every few meatballs to wet your palms a bit. The water will keep the meat mixture from sticking to your hands and everything will be easier.

Now that you know just how to make the best meatballs, let’s get cooking! Here are our 18 best meatball recipes:

The Best Swedish Meatballs & More: Appetizers Made to Please

Swedish Meatballs (cover photo). These are quite simply the best Swedish meatball recipe ever. Gently warmed with spices and covered in a heavenly creamy gravy sauce, they're irresistible.
Mediterranean Meatballs with Tzatziki. Seasoned with classic Greek herbs, this easy beef meatball recipe is great as a party snack or appetizer with plenty of tzatziki on the side for dipping.
Chimichurri Meatballs. These easy chimichurri lamb and beef meatballs make a fun, dippable party appetizer that's always a hit!
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. Buffalo chicken meatballs, served with a creamy, chunky blue cheese dip, are everything you love about buffalo chicken wings, minus the mess!

The Very Best Italian Meatball Recipes

Spaghetti and Meatballs. Tender Italian meatballs made with beef and pork sausage, simmered in rich tomato sauce—just like Grandma used to make—served over a big bowl of al dente pasta is just about as good a meal as we’ve ever made. The meatball sauce alone is worth it! Classic, comforting, perfect.
Italian Meatball Soup. This Italian meatball soup recipe is everything we love—it’s as easy as soup + meatballs! A tomato-y broth, noodles and some mini Italian pork meatballs make for a hearty supper everyone’s gonna love.
Meatball Sub Sandwich. We’re just going to go ahead and call this pork-and-beef meatball-loaded sandwich the best meatball sub recipe ever. Because it just IS.
Healthy Italian Wedding Soup. Nearly carb-less (hello Whole30 & keto people!), and totally gluten-free, our super-healthy Italian wedding soup is loaded with pork-and-chicken meatballs and is the kind of simple, soothing, easy comfort food that feeds both body and soul.

And the Best Meatball Recipe for a Busy Weekday is? A Sheet Pan Meatball Recipe, Of Course!

Freezer Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli. Honey-sweetened homemade teriyaki sauce drizzled over juicy, garlicky chicken meatballs and broccoli make for a freezer meal that deliciously redefines the whole genre.
Sheet Pan Harissa Meatballs and Cabbage. Many cuisines around the globe have some sort of meatball in their recipe catalogue—from Swedish meatballs to kofta to classic Italian beef meatballs—and this meatball recipes' inspiration is harissa, a North African chili paste that’s full of warm, smoky spices. YUM.
Baked Teriyaki Meatballs with Roasted Broccoli. These pork meatballs are sweet with a teriyaki glaze with a small kick of heat (fully adjustable for even your pickiest eater) served up with roasted broccoli.

Delicious, Easy Chicken and Turkey Meatball Recipes

Turkey Meatballs in a Creamy Red Curry Sauce. TBH, this is one of our very favorite meatball recipes. Herby, garlicky turkey meatballs simmered in a creamy red curry meatball sauce are the “fusion” flavor bomb you didn’t know you needed.
Italian Baked Chicken Meatballs. Make-ahead and freeze, or dig in tonight—seasoned with thyme, fennel, parmesan and lots of fresh garlic, our Italian baked chicken meatball recipe is a healthy take on traditional Italian meatballs.
Chicken Meatball and Vegetable Soup. Nothing flashy here—just a super healthy, Whole30-approved chicken meatball soup with spinach and vegetables. There’s a time and a place for everything and sometimes, simple and comforting recipes are what we need.
Chicken Shawarma Meatballs. These tender, generously-spiced chicken meatballs are seasoned within an inch of their life. Plus, they’re ideal for freezing! Hellooooo make-ahead meals!
Teriyaki Meatballs. Slicked with homemade teriyaki sauce (worth the extra 5 minutes), these chicken meatballs are quick, easy, healthy, kid-friendly. Oh yeah, and you’ll love them, too.

Really Easy Meatball Recipes—Meatball Newbies, Start Here!

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli Pesto Pasta. With just five ingredients, these parmesan-loaded baked chicken meatballs are good any way you serve them. But, paired with a hearty roasted broccoli pesto meatball sauce, they make for a lovable feast.
Meatball Shakshuka. This easy meatball recipe is all about taking familiar techniques and basic ingredients and creating a wildly delicious, one-pan, weeknight dinner that’s so good it’ll make you re-think your whole entire life.
Vegetarian Meatballs. Meaty—with no meat at all—savory and oh-so-satisfying, these delicious, super-easy, lentil-based vegetarian Italian meatballs give regular beef meatballs a run for their money.

So, Which Meatball Recipe is your Fave?

Try them all and let us know! We’ve got our favorites, but we also truly love all of these meatball recipes so much. They’ve each got their time and place—beefy Italian meatballs for midwinter comfort, and spicy harissa meatballs for a springy co*cktail party, the list goes on and on. When you’re cooking these meatball recipes up, snap a few photos or even a video and share and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

Best Meatball Recipes | The Modern Proper (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's the difference between Italian style meatballs and regular meatballs? ›

Italian-style meatballs often include additional ingredients such as milk, olive oil, ground pork, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and sometimes a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork [2].

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Is it better to bake or fry 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.

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What makes Swedish meatballs different from regular meatballs? ›

While both varieties include ingredients such as grated onion and panade (milk-soaked bread) or bread crumbs, plus the usual salt and pepper, Swedish meatballs traditionally use spices like allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, and sometimes ground ginger as flavoring.

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Why do you put milk in meatballs? ›

When it comes to adding liquid to meatball mixtures, milk is often used for its versatility, depth of flavor, and richness. Without the use of milk, you may be faced with a plate of dry meatballs. Milk adds a certain level of moisture that helps produce perfectly tender meatballs.

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Do meatballs get more tender the longer they simmer? ›

The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become. 3. Concentration of Flavors: Simmering at a low temperature for an extended period also encourages the sauce to reduce and thicken.

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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:

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Aug 16, 2023

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Should I bake my meatballs before putting in sauce? ›

Some people like to drop the raw meatballs directly in a pot of Italian tomato sauce and let them simmer. Some people like to cook the meatballs in the oven first and then put the browned meatballs in the tomato sauce.

Why do my meatballs come out tough? ›

Why are my homemade meatballs tough or dry? - Quora. It could be because you use too much breadcrumb. Instead of using dry crumbs, try to soak stale bread in milk and then squeeze. Dry breadcrumb absorbs the juices of your meatballs, milk-soaked bread on the other hands adds juice.

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

Bastianich recommends giving the meatballs a little dusting of flour before adding them to the oil in the skillet. The ones I dredged in flour did hold up better than those I did not. But the ones I did not flour didn't completely fall apart either, the outside was just not as crispy.

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What is Swedish meatball sauce made of? ›

The sauce for Swedish Meatballs is a creamy gravy that is made with butter, beef broth/stock, thickened with flour and made creamy with cream. But the most important flavour for the a really good creamy gravy is the pan drippings after searing the meatballs.

How do you tenderize 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.

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

3. 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.

What is the secret to firm meatballs? ›

Egg: Adds more moisture and helps the mixture firm up once cooked. Parmesan: My secret ingredient for the best meatballs! Parmigiano-Reggiano adds flavor and salt to our mixture.

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Why are my meatballs not tender? ›

Don't Over-Mix the Meat

Another meatball-related pitfall? 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.