Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (2024)

    Ball so hard.

    by Matthew Francis Johnson, rachelgaewski, Tasty

    Party Meatballs 4 ways

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (1)

    BuzzFeed

    Watch the recipe video here:

    Barbecue Onion Meatballs

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (3)

    BuzzFeed

    Servings: 40

    INGREDIENTS

    Meatballs

    1 pound ground beef

    1 pound ground pork

    1 cup panko bread crumbs

    ½ cup onion, finely minced

    ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    2 eggs

    Kosher salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Barbecue Onion Sauce

    ½ cup onion, finely minced

    4 garlic cloves, minced

    ½ cup apple cider vinegar

    1 cup ketchup

    2 tablespoons tomato paste

    1 tablespoon mustard

    2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

    ½ cup, honey

    ¼ cup brown sugar

    Salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Fried onions, to serve

    PREPARATION

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

    2. In a medium-size bowl mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.

    3. Take a walnut size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining meat and transfer to an oiled rack on a sheet tray.

    4. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

    5. Add oil to a pan on medium-high heat, and cook onions and garlic until they are deeply caramelized.

    6. Add in the cider vinegar, ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire, honey, brown sugar, salt, and pepper, stir, and bring to a simmer. About 5 minutes.

    7. Add the cooked meatballs and coat them with the sauce.

    8. Sprinkle with the fried onions, poke with toothpicks, and serve!

    Inspired by the recipes here and here

    Teriyaki Meatballs

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (4)

    BuzzFeed

    Servings: 40

    INGREDIENTS

    Meatballs

    1 pound ground beef

    1 pound ground pork

    1 cup panko bread crumbs

    ½ cup onion, finely minced

    ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    2 eggs

    Kosher salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Teriyaki Sauce

    ½ cup mirin

    1 tablespoon garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon ginger, minced

    1 cup soy sauce

    ½ cup sugar

    Sesame seeds, to serve

    Scallions, chopped, to serve

    PREPARATION

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

    2. In a medium-size bowl mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.

    3. Take a walnut size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining meat and transfer to an oiled rack on a sheet tray.

    4. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

    5. In a pan on medium high heat, add the mirin, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir the mixture and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

    6. Add the meatballs and coat them with the sauce.

    7. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions, poke with toothpicks, and serve!

    Inspired by the recipes here and here

    Marinara Meatballs

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (5)

    BuzzFeed

    Servings: 40

    INGREDIENTS

    Meatballs

    1 pound ground beef

    1 pound ground pork

    1 cup panko bread crumbs

    ½ cup onion, finely minced

    ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    2 eggs

    Kosher salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Marinara Sauce

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    1 onion, finely chopped

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon dried oregano

    1 tablespoon dried parsley

    1 tablespoon dried basil

    1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

    ⅓ cup tomato paste

    2 cups pureed tomatoes

    Grated Parmesan, to serve

    PREPARATION

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

    2. In a medium-size bowl mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.

    3. Take a walnut size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining meat and transfer to an oiled rack on a sheet tray.

    4. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

    5. Add a little oil to a pan on medium-high heat and cook the onions and garlic until they are deeply caramelized.

    6. Add in the oregano, parsley, basil, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and pureed tomatoes.

    7. Stir the mixture and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

    8. Add the meatballs and coat them with the sauce.

    9. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, poke with toothpicks, and serve!

    Inspired by the recipes here and here

    Swedish Meatballs

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (6)

    Servings: 40

    INGREDIENTS

    Meatballs

    1 pound ground beef

    1 pound ground pork

    1 cup panko bread crumbs

    ½ cup onion, finely minced

    ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    2 eggs

    Salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Swedish Gravy

    ¼ cup butter

    ¼ cup all-purpose flour

    2 cups beef broth

    ½ teaspoon ground allspice

    ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

    1 cup heavy cream

    Salt, to taste

    Pepper, to taste

    Parsley, chopped, to serve

    PREPARATION

    1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

    2. In a medium-size bowl mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper until just combined.

    3. Take a walnut size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining meat and transfer to an oiled rack on a sheet tray.

    4. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

    5. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat and allow it to brown slightly. Stir in the flour completely and cook for about 1 minute creating a pale roux.

    6. Add the beef broth, stir, and cook until it thickens.

    7. Add in the ground allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the heavy cream, stir, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

    8. Add the meatballs and coat them with the gravy.

    9. Sprinkle with the parsley, poke with toothpicks, and serve!

    Inspired by the recipes here and here

    Looking To Step Up Your Appetizer Game? These Four Mini Meatball Recipes Will Get The Party Started (2024)

    FAQs

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

    Add breadcrumbs

    Add breadcrumbs to the mixture, but not too many breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs act as a filler and they also prevent the meatballs from becoming too dry by absorbing some of the meat juices released during cooking.

    What holds meatballs together? ›

    Eggs: Eggs keep the meatballs from drying out and they act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the ingredients together. Cheese: You'll need a cup of freshly grated Romano cheese. If you can, avoid the pre-grated stuff for this recipe. Italian bread: Slightly stale Italian bread is preferable.

    Why do my porcupine meatballs fall apart? ›

    It's important to let the rice cool a bit before adding it to the meat so that it does not release any excess moisture and make the meatballs fall apart. Another important element to getting the right texture is to not overwork the meat when mixing.

    How to keep meatballs moist? ›

    Embrace Fat

    Making sure you have a high fat content in your meatballs is the best way to ensure they stay juicy and don't dry out. Our ideal ratio is 80/20, with 20% being fat.

    Can I use mayo instead of eggs in meatballs? ›

    But it's not an unusual choice, either, when you consider its parts: egg, oil, and a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, all whisked or blended together. Because it's a stable emulsion, mayo serves as an excellent binder for meatballs. It easily slips into the role played by eggs and bread crumbs.

    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.

    Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

    If you are making meatballs and are wondering how long you need to cook them, you came to the right place. After all of the Italian meatballs I've been making lately, I consider myself a meatball expert. A good rule of thumb is to bake meatballs for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees fahrenheit.

    What does adding milk to meatballs do? ›

    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 is a binder for meatballs instead of breadcrumbs? ›

    Rolled Oats

    Oats are the perfect substitutes for breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf.

    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

    What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

    Using the wrong amount of bread crumbs (or flour)

    Bread crumbs are another popular binder for meatballs that can become problematic if used incorrectly. Adding too many bread crumbs to the mix will cause your meatballs to become loose and fall apart.

    What to substitute for breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

    Pretzels. Pretzels are a great all-purpose substitute for bread crumbs. You can pulse them in a food processor until they're super-fine and use them as a binder for meatballs or meatloaf. Or keep them coarser for a crispy coating on fried food.

    What's the secret to tender meatballs? ›

    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.

    Why do you put cornstarch in meatballs? ›

    Cornstarch is used as a low-fat alternative to tapioca starch in meatball dough, resulting in a healthier version of the snack 5.

    Why do you coat meatballs in flour? ›

    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.

    How to stop meatballs from falling apart? ›

    Your job is to massage or knead the meat, after you've added your seasonings. This helps release more protein into the mix that will then harden to create a matrix that will hold the meatballs together.

    Do meatballs need a binder? ›

    The Key to Tender Meatballs

    One trick to making sure meatballs are totally tender once they're cooked is to use a binder. Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat.

    References

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