How To Make The Best Meatballs

The best meatballs is simple and easy to make.

Steps For The Perfect Meatballs:

1. The Secret Ingredient: No matter what the meat is (chicken, pork, beef, or veggies) this ingredient is in all of my recipes! Ricotta cheese is the key to juicy creamy meatballs every time. The ricotta melts slowly into the meatballs to create the best meatballs ever. 

2. The Art Of Mixing:  If you over mix the meat it creates a tough final dish. To combat this use the opposite hand you usually use. I am right handed so I use my left hand to mix. This helps you not mix too much and keep them fluffy and yum. 

3. To Bake or Fry: I like to bake them on a sheet pan. First of all, baking instead of frying creates less mess in my small NYC kitchen. Secondly, with frying you have to make sure the temperature is at 350 all the times. Over crowding the pan lowers the temperature and it gets greasy. To high crisps outside but does not cook the inside. Baking is as easy as turning of a knob to the perfect temperature.  I bake at 400 for 25 minutes then add to sauce.

4. The Sauce: After you bake your meatballs place them in a warmed tomato sauce. This is a great way to cook dinner and keep them on the stove until you are ready to eat. If I leave the sauce on simmer I usually add a 1/4 cup of water (so water evaporates before the sauce) and nestle the meatballs in. Here is my 5 Ingredient Pantry Marinara to make life easier. 

Homemade Sauce Verse Store Bought:

1. Homemade: If I use homemade it is because made huge batch and froze it! I maker my easy 5 Ingredient Pantry Marinara and freeze it for future use! 
2. Store Bought Sauce: This is what I usually use to make meatballs. I feel there are allot of amazing store bought sauces and they save time and clean up. My Favorite Store Bought Sauces:

• Rao’s Marinara
• Jersey Italian Gravy

How to Make Meatballs in Bulk and Reheat:

On a Sunday I turn on Taylor Swift and roll meatballs out for that nights dinner and future busy day dinners:

1. I make triple the recipe. One part to eat that day and the other 2 to freeze for later.
2. First, cook the meatballs all the way up to before putting it in the sauce.
3. Next place on sheet tray spread apart and put in freezer for 1 hour. This helps them from freezing together.
4. Now, place in a zip lock bag and they should last in the freezer approximately 6 months.
5. Finally, to reheat, add frozen balls into a slow cooker (filled with marinara) on low for 4 hours. Also, you can put in sauce on the stove filled with sauce, frozen with lid partial covered for 1 hour. 

One day I was not happy about something (I can not even remember what lol) and Tom saw a contest for Rachael Ray Great American Cook Book Author and made me apply to cheer me up. This was the recipe I submitted. Although I did not win it made me realize I could do both and my dreams were possible! Now my I am living in my dreams of cracking during the day (Chiropractic) and chopping at night! So dont ever let anyone and especially not yourself limit you to the road to your dreams! 

This is my updated version of my good luck meatballs! Using the sheet pan eliminates allot of dishes so less clean up and more you time! I hope this recipe makes you a super star in the kitchen and carve out some extra time for you to do things to center yourself. Comment below what you would do with extra time if dinner was made for you? Happy Cooking!

 

Top 3 Tools To Make Perfect Meatballs:

Here is my Fool Proof Cheesy Meatball Recipe:

Sheet Pan Cheesy Meatballs

Jay

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 handful parsley (chopped)
• 10 leaves basil (chopped)
• 4 tablespoons Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 jar favorite marinara sauce

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven at 425.
• First, mix ricotta, oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan together.
• Now, add beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix with opposite hand normal use to avoid over mixing.
• Next, form golf size balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. 
• Now, bake for 20 minutes then top each meatball with sauce and bake an additional 15 minutes. 
• Happy meatball eating!

Any other questions about meatballs comment below and will be happy to answer!

Other Easy Meatball Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• 2 Ingredient Meatballs
• Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs

Any question comment below or email! I love helping change the recipe!

My Favorite Ways To Save Money In The Kitchen:

Check Out This book! It changed my life and keeps me centered:

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMENT BELOW 🙂

With a grateful heart and an amazing tummy – Jay