100 Best Meatball Recipes

March 03, 2017
Annabelle Breakey
Meatballs are the easiest way to add protein to almost any dish. These meatball recipes start from scratch or from frozen to help you get dinner on the table in no time. From meatball soup recipes to meatball sandwich recipes, these easy weeknight dinners are loaded with flavor. Try adding meatballs to salads or stuffing them into pitas for a quick work lunch. 
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Meatballs in Brussels Sprout Cups

Photo: Andrew Thomas Lee; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross    
Meatballs in Brussels Sprout Cups Recipe
Friends will love the ingenuity of Meatballs in Brussels Sprout Cups. Little meatballs are cradled in Brussels sprout cups for a clever seasonal appetizer.
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Turkey Meatball Stroganoff

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell 
Turkey Meatball Stroganoff Recipe
Frozen meatballs and the slow cooker make getting a home-cooked comfort meal of Turkey Meatball Stroganoff on the table super easy.

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Lemon, Orzo, and Meatball Soup

Photo: Melina Hammer; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Lemon, Orzo, and Meatball Soup Recipe
Lemon, Orzo, and Meatball Soup is our hearty twist on chicken noodle soup, featuring small grains of orzo pasta and savory chicken meatballs.
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Meatball Calzones

Photo: Kate Sears, Food Styling: Paul Grimes
Meatball Calzones Recipe
Premade pizza dough offers a shortcut to hearty Meatball Calzones.

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Korean Meatballs

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Korean Meatballs Recipe
The hallmarks of Korean cuisine are garlicky, salty, and sweet flavors, so our essential ingredients here are garlic, lower-sodium soy sauce, and brown sugar. Serve the meatballs with store-bought kimchi and Quick Pickled Cucumbers to add characteristic heat and tang to the meal.

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Chicken Meatball and Greens Soup

Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Gerri Williams
Chicken Meatball and Greens Soup Recipe
Full of meatballs, pasta, and kale, a bowlful of Chicken Meatball and Greens Soup is a welcome on a wintry evening.
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Turkey Meatball Subs

Photo: Antonis Achilleos
Turkey Meatball Subs Recipe
Kids will love when homemade Turkey Meatball Subs are on the dinner menu.

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Herbed Cocktail Meatballs with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams
Herbed Cocktail Meatballs with Chunky Tomato Sauce Recipe
Crackers add a buttery bite to Herbed Cocktail Meatballs with Chunky Tomato Sauce. Serve meatballs as an appetizer or with your favorite pasta noodles.

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Country-Style Spaghetti

Country-Style Spaghetti Recipe
Make traditional spaghetti and meatballs in a flash by taking a shortcut with frozen meatballs and an easy sauce of canned tomatoes, tomato paste and dried herbs.
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Tangy Cranberry Meatballs

Gooseberry Patch
Tangy Cranberry Meatballs Recipe
A fun alternative to traditional meatballs, this Tangy Cranberry Meatball recipe is a great option for parties or as an appetizer.

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Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs) Recipe
These meatballs make a terrific party snack. Look for flat skewers at Asian markets, or use two skewers for each group of meatballs so they'll turn easier.

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Mini Turkey Meatballs with Wagon Wheel Pasta

Photo: Oxmoor House
Mini Turkey Meatballs with Wagon Wheel Pasta Recipe
Put a twist on classic spaghetti and meatballs with this to-die-for dish. Turkey meatballs and fun wagon wheel pasta sprinkled with fresh Parmesan cheese is the perfect combination for any pasta lover.

 

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Meatballs with Tomato Ragu and Creamy Polenta

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller 
Meatballs with Tomato Ragu and Creamy Polenta Recipe
Baking the meatballs sets their shape so they'll stay whole when simmered in the tomato sauce.

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Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs Recipe

These too-easy Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs are the perfect appetizer for your next party. Meatballs may be thoroughly cooked without sauce and frozen. Thaw and reheat with sauce.

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Vietnamese Herb Salad

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Jeffrey Larsen
Vietnamese Herb Salad Recipe

Serve this herb- and veggie-filled Vietnamese-style salad with Turkey Meatballs. 

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Cranberry Meatlballs

Oxmoor House
Cranberry Meatlballs Recipe
Cranberries are a holiday twist on the grape jelly version of these cocktail meatballs!

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Union Hotel Grand Meatballs

James Carrier
Union Hotel Grand Meatballs Recipe
Notes: These savory meatballs complement either of our spaghetti sauces.

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Greek Pasta with Meatballs

Oxmoor House
Greek Pasta with Meatballs Recipe
This take-off on spaghetti and meatballs uses rice-shaped pasta, ground lamb, and feta cheese. Some kids may prefer a milder cheese such as shredded mozzarella. Break apart the meatballs before serving to younger children to make the meatballs easier to eat.
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Italian Meatball Sliders

Photo: Johnny Autry and Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr and Leigh Ann Ross
Italian Meatball Sliders Recipe
Skip the pasta and try Italian meatball sliders instead. Best of all, you can make the meatballs ahead and freeze them for a quick meal on busy nights.

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Garden Tomato Sauce over Pasta

Photo: Dhanraj Emanuel; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Garden Tomato Sauce over Pasta Recipe
We love this sauce as a meatless meal over hearty pasta. Or try it in lasagna or a meatball sub.

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Spaghetti with Meatballs

James Carrier
Spaghetti with Meatballs Recipe
Homemade meatballs add rich flavor to a simple pasta night. Serve meatballs and spaghetti with a crisp green salad.
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Lamb Meatballs

Oxmoor House
Lamb Meatballs Recipe
Lemon zest adds a nice bright lift to the spicy sauce and complements the Greek inspired flavors of these meatballs.

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Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

Photo: Tara Donne; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Cranberry BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Cranberry jelly is the secret to these sweet and savory BBQ meatballs. 

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Big Spicy Meatballs

Photo: Dana Gallagher
Big Spicy Meatballs Recipe
This freezer-friendly meatball recipe makes Italian night a breeze. You can make the meatballs just before using, or make them in a large batch and freeze them for later. These delicately-spiced meatballs get their bold flavor from Italian seasoning, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
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Korean Spaghetti and Meatballs

Korean Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

Korean kimchi invigorates a standby weeknight dinner. Bring the pasta water to a boil while you make the meatballs.

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Southwestern-Style Meatballs

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Claire Spollen
Southwestern-Style Meatballs Recipe

These meatballs are made with onion, minced garlic, corn tortilla, egg, ground sirloin, and chipotle chile. 

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Chicken-Meatball Yakitori

Photo: Fredrika Stjärne
Chicken-Meatball Yakitori Recipe
Sylvan Mishima Brackett makes these meatballs, known as tsukune, with hand-chopped meat and skin from the best pastured chicken he can get.
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Meatball Sub Casserole

Gooseberry Patch
Meatball Sub Casserole Recipe
It's so easy to enjoy this classic sub in casserole form! Grab a fork and sink your teeth in to this delectable Meatball Sub Casserole.

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Asian Meatballs

Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Gerri Williams
Asian Meatballs Recipe
Asian Meatballs are a fun and flavorful way to kick off Christmas dinner. Mix in fresh snap peas for more color and crunch.

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Meatballs with Chutney Sauce

Oxmoor House
Meatballs with Chutney Sauce Recipe
Sink your teeth into these tender, juicy, and succulent meatballs. Place them atop soft, hot cooked couscous and drench with chutney sauce.
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Italian Meatball Sliders

Photo: Nigel Cox; Styling: Molly Findlay
Italian Meatball Sliders Recipe
Little burgers deliver big flavor as Italian Meatball Sliders show. Marinara sauce replaces the ketchup and basil serves as a sub for lettuce.

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Grilled Middle Eastern Turkey Meatballs

Photo: David Tsay
Grilled Middle Eastern Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Grilled Middle Eastern Turkey Meatballs are a great pick-up appetizer or main dish. Serve in flatbread and top with Avocado-Mint Tzatziki.

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Shrimp and Pork Meatball Wraps with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kevin Crafts
Shrimp and Pork Meatball Wraps with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce Recipe
For extra-crispy meatballs, roll them in panko before pan-frying; you'll need a little more oil.
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Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Chipotle-Barbecue Meatballs Recipe

Start with a package of frozen meatballs and cook with bottled barbecue sauce and cherry preserves for this easy, 5-ingredient appetizer.

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Cranberry Meatballs

Cranberry Meatballs Recipe
Try a unique twist on a classic recipe by cooking meatballs in a decadent, cranberry, orange marmalade and soy sauce mixture.

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Turkey Meatballs with Herb Salad