what is your favorite meatball recipe?

I am making meatballs for spaghetti tonight and thought that I would change it up a bit from the norm sooo... how do you make your meatballs? What spices/herbs and sauces do you like to add? I usually add onions, worchestershire sauce, parsley and oregano but that is getting old.
I know that there are some awesome cooks here, so I can't wait for some replies!

Thanks! :9

Missy
 
I make them with Turkey burger, onions , oregano , basil, eggs , couple spoons of jarred chopped garlic, and oatmeal, and sometimes i dice up carrots really fine . It makes them sweeter.
I always pre bake them to get any extra grease out.
The turkey ones are moister and softer than beef. I love it.
I do the 93/7 because the 99 is too dry.
then i do my sauce which is usually Ragu garden style. Can of diced tomatoes , can of tomato sauce, 2 hot banana peppers(Optional)1 onion , 1 green pepper, more garlic , oregano, basil and salt and pepper, sometimes diced carrots. I like hot stuff....
If you like sweeter sauce, i somtimes add a little tbsp splenda.
Let her simmer for a while to get the juices in the mt. balls and cook some water out.I like the chunkier sauce.
Semi clean.
It is yummmmmy.
You are making me hungry.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/acatalina
 
This is the recipe I use for meatballs:
1lb. ground meat
2 slices white or wheat bread
1/4c. milk
1 Small onion chopped fine (I use dried onion)
1/8t. allspice
1/4t. cardamon
1/8t. ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste

The recipe called for frying them, but I find that putting them on a shallow baking sheet in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 min. works much better, less mess:) This recipe makes 48 small meatballs(think cocktail size).
Sometimes I will make a gravy and serve over noodles or rice.

Enjoy!

Michelle
 
Hey ladies,

Here is a short cut. However you make your meatballs instead of pre-baking them just put them right in your sauce. They come out very moist and give a great flavor to your sauce. My Mom always did this. I am Italian and I never new people pre-cooked their meatballs till I got older.

Try it you will not be disappointed.

Therese
 
Hi Missy,

You can get really creative with meatballs. I'll change up the meats a lot. I like to use venison, turkey, turkey/chicken sausage, or a combination. I also sometimes add in mashed kidney beans, chopped spinach. A recipe that I've been using for a while (actually a modified meatloaf recipe) calls for horseradish, dill, allspice and ketchup. It's pretty good.

I have a Middle Eastern cookbook that has a good recipe for meatballs, I believe they're called Kofta, that I served with a tahini sauce. They were a nice change of pace. I'll try and find it tonight.
 
Here's one that I found at www.allrecipes.com:

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound beef brisket, chopped
2 eggs
3 slices white bread
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 pinch dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
12 (3.5 ounce) links sweet
Italian sausage
1 1/2 pounds cubed beef
brisket

1/2 pound pork neck bones
4 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
3 (28 ounce) cans crushed
tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
4 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
3 (16 ounce) packages dry
pasta
DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the meatballs, combine chopped meat, eggs, bread, Romano cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Form golf ball-sized meatballs; place into freezer to firm up.
2. To make sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and fry links of sausage.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, brown beef chunks and pork neck bones; reserve.
4. When onions and garlic are done, turn heat down to low. Add tomato paste; stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the browned beef and pork, crushed tomatoes, wine, bay leaves, cinnamon, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste; stir.
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs; reserve.
6. Simmer sauce over low heat for 3 to 4 hours, add meatballs and simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Cover pasta with sauce and meatballs, serve.

This is supposed to be from Italy. But if you don't like the sound of it, give allrecipes.com a try. I love that sight!

Kathy
 
oh my gosh, these all sound so good! I plan on letting it cook in the sauce - yes, I know that it is not nearly as healthy but it does something extra to the sauce that the fam just loves, so I will keep on doing it that way plus they always tend to be dryer when I bake them first.

I really like the carrots idea, I will definitely try that sometime!

I am going to try the dill/horseradish/ketchup meatballs tonight - I have all the ingredients in stock :)

Michelle, what is cardamon? Where can I get it?

Kathy, that sounds delicious! I think that DH would be on his knees salivating if I made that, so I will try it next time I do meatballs!

Have an awesome day everybody!

Missy
 
Hi Missy,
That was a "typo" sorry. It is ground cardamom. I find it in the spice isle. It is a "peppery" spice. If you have ever had chai tea, it is an ingredient in there also.

hth,
Michelle:)
 

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