Who doesn’t love a great meatball?! Perfect little rounded balls of meat and cheese and bread and seasonings can be simmered in a rich tomato or marinara sauce served over a heaping plate of pasta.
They can be served on a soft Italian roll smothered in melted mozzarella or provolone cheese.
They can be made into great party appetizers when simmered in a sauce of grape jelly or cranberries and chili sauce and eaten from tasseled toothpicks.
They can even be simmered in a cream and beef Swedish Meatball broth served over buttery egg noodles or eaten just as is from a fork for a tiny delectable delight.
Sometimes I just crave a nice plateful of spaghetti and meatballs. When I do, this is my go-to best-ever perfect meatball recipe. I’ve been known to substitute veal for the turkey or simply divide the recipe’s meats half and half with beef and pork. It just depends on what I have on hand.
This week’s had turkey, beef, and sausage simmered in a spicy Puttanesca Sauce filled with chunky tomatoes, black and kalamata olives, capers, onions and garlic. (Trader Joes’s makes a great base sauce that I “doctor up.”) I served it atop whole wheat thin spaghetti, and we sprinkled with fresh, salty shaved Parmesan cheese.
If you are looking for the best-ever, perfect meatball recipe (that is baked, not fried) – look no further. Here it is!
Mangia! Mangia!
Best Ever Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb ground Italian pork sausage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp dried parsley
- 2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups tap water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine ground turkey, ground beef and sausage in a large bowl. Add minced garlic, eggs, salt, pepper, cheese, and parsley. Combine thoroughly. Add bread crumbs and water, and combine well using your hands.
Shape into meatballs. You can make whatever size you like, but I make mine about 1 inch in diameter.
Line meatballs in a single layer on a baking stone (I love to use my Pampered Chef Stoneware Bar Pan) or any other shallow baking pan with sides.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes until browned and cooked through.
If you are making with sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, add fully cooked meatballs to sauce and simmer for several hours.
Leftovers make great meatball hoagies when served on fresh Italian rolls and topped with mozzarella or provolone cheese.
You can also use as cocktail meatballs by simmering in a sauce made from 1 32-oz jar of grape jelly or 2 cans of Jellied Cranberry Sauce and 2 12-oz jars of Chili Sauce.
No matter what sauce you like (or don’t) with your meatballs, this recipe will provide you with the best-ever perfect meatball.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
The photo with the fork is perfect! As usual, my mouth is watering…(K)
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I kinda liked how that one turned out too! 🙂
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I agree with K, perfect photo! Heck yeah, add the parmesan right in. Um, these would be great. Enjoy! ❤
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The Parmesan IN it MAKES it! 🙂
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It was always my favorite cheese. I made it snow on top of spaghetti! Nothing beats cheese. 😎
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🙂
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💙🍝
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Well they must be the best ever meatballs – you made them! Happy Friday Jodi! 🙂
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You always make me smile buddy! Thanks 🙂
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And now I am craving a meatball sub! Might have to add this to the menu soon.
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Hooray! 🙂
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I was craving spaghetti and meatballs earlier this week, so that’s what we had on Wednesday. I don’t think anything is better. I had some breadsticks and a salad, and it was such a satisfying meal. And lots of Parmesan cheese, of course. 🙂
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That is the day we had it too!! 😜
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Great stomachs crave alike LOL
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Lol!
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Oh, how divine Jodi 🙂 Looks soooooo good, now I wish I was making this for dinner tonight. x
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Thanks Lynne 😜
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Yes! Meatballs are my favorite!! 😍
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👍👍
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You made my taste buds salivate early this morning and then I got distracted and forgot to comment! Love meatballs and these sound especially good! You cook, you draw, you paint, you write! Just call you the Jack of all Trades 🙂
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☺️
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Oh yummmm
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I love meatballs, and these sound delicious! I bet they’d be great on a meatball sandwich, too!
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Yeppers
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YUMZA! Looks delish Jodi! 💜 I have a similar recipe that I make into patties and put a mushroom wine sauce on top. It is super yummy. And I agree, the Parmesan in the meat really makes it the best! 😊
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These meatballs sound ~ and look ~ wonderful. Save one for Charlie, maybe wrapped in bacon??
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Another great recipe. Thank you Jodi 😉
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Thanks mandi!
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Oh Lordy 3 pounds of meat??? I am sure this is a freezer friendly meatball as we could never possibly eat that much in one or even two meals. And then you’ll have some on hand for anything you want later, right? Great recipe Jodi! xoxo
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OhYeah! If I’m going to make meatballs, I am going to freeze at least half and have several meals! 🙂 Grandma taught me right! 🙂
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❤
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This is such a coincidence but I planned to have spaghetti and meatballs this week because I was craving them! I’ll try your recipe, thank you!😊
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Yay! Hope you enjoy! Spaghetti and Meatballs is one of those things you sometimes just get a “hankerin'” for – eh? 🙂
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One of my favorite things to eat, with sauce or without, with or without bread or pasta, any time of day. I will be baking these..:)
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🙂
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