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6 of the best
6 of the best... meatball feasts for a messy crowd-pleaser of a meal
Rich, robust flavours and plenty of sauce – what’s not to like?
WHETHER YOU’RE PLANNING a quick midweek meal or a dinner party, there is a meatball recipe out there to suit any occasion.
For a quick family friendly meal, serve meatballs with pasta or mash, or for something a bit more lavish, customise a basic recipe by serving in a gratin dish, topped with cheese and fresh herbs.
Traditional Italian style meatballs require minced meat with a relatively high fat content. This will ensure a moist texture, and will stop the meatballs from drying out. When it comes to flavourings, you can keep things simple or customise a recipe to suit your taste – we love the addition of some robust flavourings like gorgonzola and za’atar included in the recipes below. Whether you like meatballs heavily flavoured or not, a generous amount of seasoning is always necessary.
Check out our favourite meatball recipes below that would suit any craving or diet, we’ve even included a meatless meatball too!
1. Gorgonzola Meatballs, from GastroGays: Served with a rich, tomato based sauce, these gorgonzola filled meatballs are packed with flavour. Served with spaghetti and lots of garlic bread, this indulgent meal is most definitely worth the effort.
2. Baked Turkey Meatballs, from The Wonky Spatula: These super quick turkey meatballs are lower in fat than some of the traditional beef recipes. Better still, they’re super easy and hassle-free to make. Serve wrapped in pitta bread or, if you’re trying to cut the carbs, wrap in some lettuce.
3. Swedish Meatballs, from I Love Cooking: Traditional Swedish meatballs made with a rich, creamy sauce are a lovely alternative to Italian meatballs. Served with mash, this is comfort food at its best!
4. Za’atar and Lemon Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce, from Properfood.ie: Middle Eastern inspired meatballs would be delicious served tapas style or as a main meal. Serve with lots of fresh bread to mop up all of that tasty red wine sauce.
5. Meatless Meatballs, from The Hairy Bikers: Cumin, cinnamon and cardamom give these “meatless balls” a nice spice kick. Packed to the brim with veggies, this recipe would be a great way to ensure the kids get their 7 a day.
6. Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce, from The Foodie Medic: The Food Medic’s chicken meatballs are incredibly light yet full of wholesome ingredients. Serve with spiralised courgette for a healthy midweek supper.
