Meatballs with Italian Sausage and Ground Beef

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• These perfect meatballs use everyday ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen. Serve them as a family meal or bring them to a party,
• Baking meatballs is a hands-off easy way to cook them and is much easier than cooking them in a pan on the stove. Simply place the meatballs in the oven, set a timer, and walk away. No standing over a hot stove constantly turning and rotating meatballs in a skillet to keep them from burning.
• This easy recipe is freezer-friendly and is a great make-ahead meal.

Ingredients

Breadcrumbs, Milk, and Egg: Adding additional binders, liquids, and eggs to meatballs helps them to hold their shape and makes sure they are still tender once they have been cooked. Adding a binder to meatballs prevents the meat proteins from shrinking and becoming tough.

This recipe uses breadcrumbs soaked in milk. There are several other options for added binders and liquids. Other binder options include torn-up bread, crackers, or for a gluten-free option try pork rinds.

Yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk thinned with a little water are good alternatives for milk.

Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Parsley, Onion, Garlic, Worcestershire Sauce, Basil, and Oregano: This meatball recipe uses parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, basil, and oregano to enhance the flavor. You could also substitute Italian seasoning for the herbs.

You can change the seasonings or spices based on what you have on hand or how you’ll be eating the meatballs.

• For Asian-inspired meatballs try swapping out the parmesan, parsley, basil, and oregano for hoisin sauce and fresh ginger.
• For Greek-inspired meatballs try swapping out the parmesan cheese for feta cheese.

In a small bowl soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. The breadcrumbs will absorb the milk and become soggy.

In a food processor pulse the parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, and garlic until finely chopped.

Add the breadcrumb/milk mixture, onion mixture, ground meat, egg, salt, black pepper, Worcestershire, basil, and oregano to a large mixing bowl.

Mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overwork the meatballs. Mixing the ingredients by hand allows you to ensure the ingredients are combined completely without overworking the mixture. Overworking the meat mixture creates tight tough meatballs.

Shape the mixture into one inch meatballs using approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each meatball. When shaping the meatballs keep them loose. Rolling and squeezing them into tight balls will create tough overworked meatballs.

Place meatballs in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake meatballs in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.

Meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Farenheight. You can also cut a meatball in half to make sure the meat is no longer pink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips

• Do not overwork the meatballs. Mixing the ingredients by hand allows you to ensure the ingredients are combined completely without overworking the mixture. Overworking the mixture creates tight tough meatballs.
• To test and adjust the seasoning, microwave a small amount of the meatball mixture until it is fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• When rolling the meatballs, lightly oil your hands to keep the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands.
• Shape into evenly sized meatballs so that they all cook at the same rate.

Making Meatballs Ahead of Time

This is a great recipe for a make-ahead meal.

Shape the meatballs and place them in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet, being careful to not squish them together. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready bake according to the directions in the recipe below.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover meatballs in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave.

Freezing Uncooked Meatballs

1. Follow steps 1 through 6 in the directions below.
2. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours until the meatballs have frozen.
4. Transfer the meatballs to a zip-top bag and label it with the contents and date.
5. Uncooked meatballs can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.
6. Thaw meatballs in the refrigerator overnight before following one of the cooking methods described below.

Freezing Cooked Meatballs

1. After cooling the meatballs place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours until the meatballs have frozen.
3. Transfer the meatballs to a zip-top bag and label it with the contents and date.
4. Meatballs can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

How to Reheat Frozen Meatballs

Frozen meatballs can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator and reheated in a simmering sauce or warm oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Meatballs can also be reheated directly from the freezer in a simmering sauce or warm oven for 15 to 20 minutes.