6 Ways with Meatballs

6 Ways with Something Extra

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Hearty, filling and satisfying, meatballs are a family favourite in many cuisines around the world – from Italian and Swedish to Asian and Middle Eastern. Reflecting that diversity, they can be made from all types of meat and cooked in an infinite range of flavours. They are also found in many different roles such as in pasta and rice dishes, in soups as well as in wraps and as appetisers.

meatballsMy mother was renowned for her meatballs. Her grandchildren often asked for them for our family dinners. Mum made them from scratch, of course, but I don’t have her skill or her patience, so I have to get mine from the supermarket. Fortunately, they offer meatballs in a range of makings, such as just beef, beef and lamb, beef and pork, pork and veal, and chicken. Some of these are gluten-free and you can even find plant-based ‘meatballs’ for vegans and vegetarians. Any of these can be used in the following recipes.

You’ll find that meatballs usually come in trays of at least six and up to 20 and even 35, and in a range of sizes from quite small to almost rissole size. I recommend that you freeze them in individual packets of 2–6 meatballs, or however many make about 100–125 gm. They will need to be thawed before cooking.

Generally, meatballs are pre-cooked before being simmered in a sauce. This is to give them a crispy skin so that they don’t break up. Usually they are panfried, but that can be a little tricky, so I’ve suggested oven baking them for a short while instead. If you have the skill, you can panfry them, of course, or even skip that step as long as you treat the meatballs gently.

As well as the following recipes, you can cook meatballs in a range of simmer sauces such as those found in the entry Quick and Easy Sauces from the Pantry.

If you prefer beef burgers or rissoles, you could check out the entry 6 Ways with Beef Burgers.

 

Recipes:

Italian Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs Stroganoff

Meatballs Korma

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatball Soup

 

Italian Meatballs

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, pepper and paprika (optional)
  • Parsley, oregano and basil
  • 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. Place diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste and liquidise thoroughly
  3. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and spices
  4. Add tomatoes with herbs and ½ cup boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Add meatballs and bring to the boil
  6. Add macaroni and simmer for a further 12–15 minutes, stirring gently occasionally and adding a little more water as required
  7. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese

Variation: at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little olive or canola oil

 

Swedish Meatballs

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • ½ cup canned potatoes
  • 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 2 tsp. cornflour
  • Cinnamon and pepper
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ½ tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. In a small saucepan, melt butter with cinnamon and pepper and stir in cornflour
  3. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder and soy sauce and simmer for 5 minutes
  4. Add meatballs and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, turning over occasionally
  5. Remove meatballs and potatoes to a wide bowl
  6. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in yoghurt
  7. Pour sauce over meatballs and potatoes

Variations:

  • at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little olive or canola oil
  • omit canned potatoes and serve meatballs on ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes reconstituted

 

Meatballs Stroganoff

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • 2–3 mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ cup canned potatoes
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic and paprika or chilli
  • Pepper and parsley
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and paprika
  3. Add mushrooms and sauté
  4. Add 1 cup boiling water with tomato paste, soy sauce and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add meatballs and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, turning over occasionally
  6. Remove meatballs and potatoes to a wide bowl
  7. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in yoghurt
  8. Pour sauce over meatballs and potatoes

Variations:

  • at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little olive or canola oil
  • omit canned potatoes and serve meatballs on ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes reconstituted

 

Meatballs Korma

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, mild curry powder, pepper and ginger
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola oil
  • 1 single-serve microwave rice

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  3. Add coconut milk with tomato paste and stock powder and simmer for 5 minutes
  4. Add meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes, turning over occasionally
  5. Microwave rice as per instructions and place in a wide bowl
  6. Remove meatballs and place on rice
  7. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)
  8. Pour sauce over meatballs

Variations:

  • at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little canola oil
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup fruit juice
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. sweet chilli sauce (optional)
  • 2 tsp. cornflour
  • Canola oil
  • 1 single-serve microwave rice

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. Whisk together the fruit juice, lemon juice, tomato paste and sweet chilli sauce (optional)
  3. In a small saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil
  4. Add sauce with ¾ cup boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes, turning over occasionally
  6. Microwave rice as per instructions and place in a bowl
  7. Remove meatballs and place on rice
  8. Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and stir into sauce
  9. Simmer until sauce thickens and pour over meatballs

Variation: at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little canola oil

 

Meatball Soup

  • 2–4 meatballs
  • ½ cup carrot, chopped
  • ¼ cup frozen peas and/or corn kernels
  • ½ cup spinach leaves, chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Place meatballs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 10–15 minutes
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and pepper
  3. Add frozen peas and carrot and sauté to heat through
  4. Add 1½ cups boiling water with stock powder, tomato paste and parsley
  5. Simmer for 15–20 minutes
  6. Add meatballs and simmer for a further 15–20 minutes
  7. Add spinach and simmer until wilted (optional)

Variations:

  • at Step 1, panfry meatballs with a little olive or canola oil
  • substitute 1½ cups liquid chicken or vegetable stock for the stock powder and water
  • substitute ¾ cup frozen mixed vegetables for the carrot and peas
  • substitute 1 portion thawed frozen spinach for the spinach leaves
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