Meatballs
I’d never made meatballs before so my neighbour Jason who is a professional chef came over and showed me how. Not only did I learn how to make meatballs, I learnt a few tricks of the trade which I’m going to share with this recipe 🙂
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 large brown onion finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 kg minced meat any meat you like
- 3 egg yolks
- 150 g breadcrumbs fine
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 5 tbsp plain flour lightly seasoned
Sauce
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 stalks spring onions chopped
- 1 large red pepper chopped
Instructions
We are going to make the meatballs and the sauce separately. First the meatballs.
- Start by frying the onion and the garlic in a little oil until soft.
- Set aside to cool once done.
- Throw the meat into a large mixing bowl along with the egg yolks, the bread crumbs, the fried onions and garlic, salt and pepper.
- At this stage you can throw in anything you like – cheese, spinach, spices, grated carrot or grated potatoes – anything you think will hold together.
- Mix everything up with your hands and shape into small balls.
- Chef’s tip 1: The trick to making sure the balls don’t fall apart is to throw the balls repeatedly between your hands just hard enough not to break them. This takes the air out of them and you get a nice compact meatball.
- Next we’re going to roll the meatballs in seasoned plain flour, fry them lightly and then stick them into the oven on medium.
- Put a handful of flour in a large plate and season with salt and pepper and roll the meatballs around one at a time shaking off excess flour by again passing the balls gently between your hands.
- Fry a few meatballs at a time for around 10 minutes on medium heat. Turn to make sure they brown all around; add oil as necessary.
- Now they’re ready to go into the oven for around 20 minutes to make sure they cook through.
While the meatballs are in the oven we're going to make the tomato sauce.
- You can make the sauce however you like, I made a very basic one with red peppers and spring onions.
- Fry a finely chopped onion, season and when soft, add a can of chopped tomatoes and mug of water.
- Cook for around 15 minutes.
- Chef’s Tip 2: Another great tip from Jason is to take the bitter edge off the tomatoes throw in a tablespoon of brown sugar, this gives the sauce a great rounded flavour.
- Chef’s Tip 3: The next tip is to blend the sauce to get it consistent. So blend and throw it back into the pan and carry on cooking.
- Throw in the pepper the spring onions. Cook for a further 5 minutes and you’re done.
Enjoy
- The meatballs should be done by this time so cook some spaghetti and enjoy with a little parmesan.
- Add wine or beer …
If you have any leftover …
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Meatball Smash Sandwich
Warm leftover meatballs, smash them slightly, pile onto baguette with a swipe of leftover tomato sauce, add cheese, grill until melty. Optionally add pickled onions or jalapeños for brightness.
Meatball & Rice One‑Pan
Chop leftover meatballs into chunks, toss into a pan with cooked rice, leftover sauce, and a splash of water. Optionally add frozen peas or spinach. Simmer until everything is steamy and unified.
Meatball Pizza
Spread leftover sauce on pizza dough, slice meatballs roughly, scatter on top with mozzarella. Bake until bubbling. Optionally drizzle chilli oil after baking.
Italian Meatball Wrap
Warm a tortilla or Lebanese flatbread, add heated sliced meatballs, leftover sauce, shredded lettuce, and a spoon of yoghurt or mayo. Roll tight.
Meatball Shakshuka
Warm leftover sauce in a pan, nestle in leftover meatballs, crack eggs on top, cover until set. Serve with crusty butter‑fried bread.
Meatball Pasta Bake
Mix leftover meatballs and sauce with cooked pasta. Add a handful of cheese on top and bake until golden. The blended tomato sauce works perfectly as a pasta bake base, and the meatballs stay juicy — cheap, filling, and ideal for families.
Meatball Jacket Potato
Bake or microwave a jacket potato until soft. Spoon warm meatballs and sauce over the top. Add cheese or yoghurt if you want. The tomato sauce melts into the potato, and the meatballs turn it into a full meal — cosy and budget‑friendly.
Meatball Sub
Warm leftover meatballs and sauce. Pile into a baguette or soft roll, add cheese, and grill until melty. A simple, classic meatball sub that uses everything you already have.
Meatball Cottage Pie
Spread leftover meatballs and sauce in a small oven dish. Add any veg you have (peas, peppers, onions), top with mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs or cheese, and bake until bubbling. A flexible one‑tray dinner that clears the fridge. Â
- Meatball & Rice One‑Pan
- Meatball Pizza
- Italian Meatball Wrap
- Meatball Shakshuka
- Meatball Pasta Bake
- Meatball Jacket Potato
- Meatball Sub
- Meatball Cottage Bake
Meatball Smash Sandwich
Warm leftover meatballs, smash them slightly, pile onto baguette with a swipe of leftover tomato sauce, add cheese, grill until melty. Optionally add pickled onions or jalapeños for brightness.
Meatball & Rice One‑Pan
Chop leftover meatballs into chunks, toss into a pan with cooked rice, leftover sauce, and a splash of water. Optionally add frozen peas or spinach. Simmer until everything is steamy and unified.
Meatball Pizza
Spread leftover sauce on pizza dough, slice meatballs roughly, scatter on top with mozzarella. Bake until bubbling. Optionally drizzle chilli oil after baking.
Italian Meatball Wrap
Warm a tortilla or Lebanese flatbread, add heated sliced meatballs, leftover sauce, shredded lettuce, and a spoon of yoghurt or mayo. Roll tight.
Meatball Shakshuka
Warm leftover sauce in a pan, nestle in leftover meatballs, crack eggs on top, cover until set. Serve with crusty butter‑fried bread.
Meatball Pasta Bake
Mix leftover meatballs and sauce with cooked pasta. Add a handful of cheese on top and bake until golden. The blended tomato sauce works perfectly as a pasta bake base, and the meatballs stay juicy — cheap, filling, and ideal for families.
Meatball Jacket Potato
Bake or microwave a jacket potato until soft. Spoon warm meatballs and sauce over the top. Add cheese or yoghurt if you want. The tomato sauce melts into the potato, and the meatballs turn it into a full meal — cosy and budget‑friendly.
Meatball Sub
Warm leftover meatballs and sauce. Pile into a baguette or soft roll, add cheese, and grill until melty. A simple, classic meatball sub that uses everything you already have.
Meatball Cottage Pie
Spread leftover meatballs and sauce in a small oven dish. Add any veg you have (peas, peppers, onions), top with mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs or cheese, and bake until bubbling. A flexible one‑tray dinner that clears the fridge. Â