Little Meatballs Recipes

COCKTAIL MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up and place an ovenproof baking/cooling rack over top; spray rack generously with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk the egg and cream together in a medium bowl. Stir in the bread and mash until no large bread chunks remain. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pork, garlic, allspice, pepper, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Add the bread mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as necessary.
• Using moistened hands (it's sticky and wet hands help; keep wetting them as you go), form the meat mixture into tablespoon-size round meatballs and place on the prepared rack. Bake for about 20 minutes, until just done.
• Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat evenly. Transfer them to a serving platter, spear with toothpicks and spoon the sauce over top. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve warm.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs and sauce can be frozen in separate containers for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat the meatballs in their sauce on the stovetop over medium heat until hot in the center.

CLASSIC MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Shape mixture into 24 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place 1 inch apart in pan.
• Bake uncovered 18 to 22 minutes or until temperature reaches 160°F and no longer pink in center.

THE SOUP WITH THE LITTLE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, Italian seasoning, egg and ground beef. Mix together well and form into small meatballs, no larger than 1 inch in diameter; set aside.
• In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the chicken broth and 2 cups cheese. Bring this to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Slowly add the meatballs, stirring gently so that they do not clump together into one uber-meatball. Cook for about 30 minutes, until beef is no longer pink and broth is slightly thickened.
• Add the pasta, again stirring gently so that they do not clump, and cook for about 30 more minutes, until pasta is tender and flavors are well blended. Season to taste and serve immediately.

MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine beef, bacon, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shape mixture into 40 meatballs.
• Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or on 2 large plates. Freeze 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag; label and date.
• To use the meatballs straight from the freezer, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

LITTLE MEATBALLS WITH PARMESAN GARLIC RICE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and black pepper, then add the ground beef. Mix together with your hands until just combined. Form the meatballs with a tablespoon (15 grams) of the beef mixture for each ball.
• Heat the oil in a 3 1/2 quart (3 litre) saucepan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown on one side, approximately 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs and brown on the other side. Remove the meatballs to a clean dish.
• To the same pan add the chopped onion and cook just until they start to soften, 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and carrot and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and flour, stir to coat the vegetables. Add the Worcestershire Sauce and stir, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, salt, bay leaf and fresh thyme and stir to combine. Bring the stock to a simmer and add the meatballs. Adjust the heat to low, cover the pan with the lid slightly askew and simmer the meatballs.
• In a small pot add the water and bring to a boil, add the rice and garlic and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cook until the rice is tender, approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess water. Stir in the cream and butter until melted, add the Parmesan and gently stir to combine. Sprinkle with the chopped Parsley. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Uncover the meatballs and adjust the heat to medium to bring the sauce to a strong simmer. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Remove the bay leaf and serve the meatballs over the rice. Enjoy!

MINESTRA (ESCAROLE AND LITTLE MEATBALLS SOUP)

Steps:

• Trim the escarole and discard any bruised leaves. Cut off the stem ends. Seperate the leaves and wash well in cool water, especially the center of the leaves where soil collects. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1 inch strips. You should have about 4 cups.
• In a large pot, combine the escarole, broth, carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook until the escarole is almost tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the meatballs. Shape the mixture into tiny meatballs, less than 1 inch in diameter.
• When the escarole is cooked, stir in the pasta and return the soup to a simmer. Drop the meatballs into the soup. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until the meatballs and pasta are cooked, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. At this point I drizzle in one mixed egg and stir. It makes pretty egg flower strings throughout the soup.
• Top with grated Parmesan and serve hot.

EASY BAKED ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together until well combined.
• Roll the meat mixture into balls. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to create balls that are about 1 ½ tablespoons each. Add the balls to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• Bake the meatballs for 16 - 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and the meatballs are cooked through. You can serve these meatballs plain, add them to your favorite sauce (marinara sauce, BBQ sauce, etc.) or serve them with noodles (like spaghetti).

LITTLE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• grate the zucchini and squeeze out the moisture. add all the other ingredients and mix together with your hands. the consistency should be quite firm - add more breadcrumbs if needed.
• shape into mini burgers taking a small handful at a time or use a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and roll into balls.
• put on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the oven at 180C for 20 minutes until browned. serve with mint sauce.
• makes 35 meatballs or 12 mini burgers.
• the mint sauce: mash together 1 clove of garlic and a small handful of mint leaves to a paste in a pestle. add the juice of one lemon and mash some more. mix in 3/4 of a cup of thick natural yoghurt and add salt and pepper to taste.

MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl or mixer, thoroughly mix the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, eggs, garlic, onion and some salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Shape into meatballs and place on a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake 30 minutes for medium or 25 minutes for bite-size. Stick toothpicks in the finished meatballs to serve as an appetizer.

GRANDMA GUARNASCHELLI'S LASAGNA WITH MINI BEEF MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with 1 tablespoon salt. Stir in the red pepper flakes and sugar, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, with their juices, and the oregano. Cook for a few minutes over high heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, add the basil leaves, and remove from the heat.
• Make the meatballs: Put the beef and veal in a large bowl and spread the meat all over the bottom of the bowl and up the sides a little. (This will help you to distribute the seasonings evenly through the meat.) Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Then sprinkle the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and parsley all over the meat and use your hands to mix the ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and garlic. Drizzle the egg mixture over the meat. Mix the meat thoroughly with your hands.
• Test a meatball: Form 1 small meatball (about 1 inch in diameter) with your hands. Heat a splash of the canola oil in a small skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the meatball, lower the heat, and cook it over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and texture. If it seems too wet, add some more bread crumbs to the mixture in the bowl. If it is too dry, add a splash of water. Adjust the seasoning of the mixture in the bowl as needed. Roll the remaining meat into balls; you should have about 40 very small meatballs.
• Cook the meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half of the remaining canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and add half of the meatballs in a single layer, spreading them apart somewhat so they have a chance to brown instead of steaming. Return the pan to high heat and brown the meatballs, turning them so they brown all around, until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel to drain. Wipe out the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining canola oil and meatballs.
• Cook the pasta: Bring 6 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat and season with 1/2 cup salt. The pasta water should taste like seawater. Add the lasagna sheets, stirring with a slotted spoon to make sure they do not clump or stick to the bottom, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water, and drain again. The pasta should still be very firm to the touch. Separate the sheets carefully so they don't stick together.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Assemble the lasagna: Spoon a thin layer of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Arrange a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce. Sprinkle one-fourth of the mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pasta, and then add another thin layer of sauce. Dot the surface with about one-third of the meatballs, spacing them evenly. Repeat the layering process two more times. Add a final layer of pasta and top it with the remaining sauce and cheese.
• Bake the lasagna: Cover the dish tightly with foil and put it in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Then raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and remove the foil. Bake the lasagna until the top browns slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes or so before serving.

TINY LITTLE MEATBALLS !

Steps:

• 1. Mix all together very well. Leave sit in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• 2. Using a teaspoon, make 1/2 - inch size meat balls. Put them in a skillet with a little olive oil. Cook until browned. Set on a baking sheet, when baking sheet is full, put it in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Repeat until all are done.
• 3. **** Let cool. Put some into 1 quart zipper bags. Freeze. When you need them, thaw completely before useing.
• 4. **** Use these meatballs on pizzas, in spaghetti, or in soups. **** My 3 year old grandson likes to make "baby meatball sandwiches"