How To Make Meatballs
Basically, I give you meatballs because I’m too impatient to make meatloaf. They’re pretty much the same thing, except one is ball-shaped and one is loaf-shaped. Plus, if you’ve watched this show AT ALL, you know I love balls. They are so fun to eat!
So here’s how to make meatballs, with an impromptu sauce and everything! Learn to cook how I cook, where everything is magical and nothing is planned but somehow everyone still gets a glittery unicorn and a big plate of balls and a million dollars for dessert.
How To Make Meatballs
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- For meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef, or a combination of beef and pork
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup dryish, starchy particles (breadcrumbs, oatmeal, cornflakes, you get the picture)
- 1/2 c finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- handful parsley (1/4-1/2 cup), chopped
- 1 t each salt and pepper
- For sauce:
- 14 ounce can whole or chopped tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix all meatball ingredients together with your hands and form into 1.5 inch balls. You’ll probably get around 12 balls.
- Brown over med-high heat in a small amount of oil.
- Then add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper, salt. Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook you up a pound of noodles or what-have-you.
- Check on your balls. If the sauce is thin, cook with the lid off for another 10 minutes or so. Too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water or wine. (Make sure you leave the back door open to let the unicorns inside.)
- Eat your spaghetti and meatballs dinner.
- Then Richie Rich will stop by with dessert.
- Bone appeteet!
Serve meatballs with pasta or crusty bread and a salad with homemade vinaigrette!
50 Comments
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This is, hands down on my balls, my favorite episode!! love all the balls and shit lingo.
Swear on your balls?
Hilah, dang girl you rocked those balls! The only thing different we do is put parmesan cheese and a tablespoon or two of milk in the mix, also fresh basil is nice. My hubby is italian and loved these meatballs! oh btw you didnt offend my italian hubby, he thinks your a riot! But italians dont call it sauce, its GRAVY baby! love ya, Hi-lah-rious!
Thank you, Sharon! Parmesan sounds awesome in these. I’ve been thinking about meatball subs lately – I think I need to try your recommendations. Tell your husband thanks, too! 🙂
Meatwads!
This is not the real Gordon Ramsay, is it?
Yes, it's him.
You refuse to identify the meat defining these balls….
You've found your own solution for Austin's homeless population haven't you?
That's the beauty of this recipe, Allan. You can use ANY meat your heart desires: cows, turkeys, pigs, long pigs, you get the picture!
Can I use Captain Crunch instead of bread crumbs?
Probably you can, if you mash them up and you enjoy sweet meat. Personally, I LOVE me some sweet meat.
i like meatballs. i make them all the time. yummy!
Send me a picture!
Lovely video, I'm glad I found your site. Was that Gordon Ramsay? LOL.
I love your blog, Anna!
I'll tell Gordon you say hi. 😉
Dear Hilah!
Greetings!
Meat balls must rate as one of the universal gastronomic delicacies enjoyed by all as even vegans do come with their meatless balls!
One technique I use to avoid any bad surprise is to oil my palms and roll the meat balls in them, and then fry them a little time on a very high fire. I then flambee them with a little whisky (comes out sweet) and cover them with a lid and let them cook on a small fire/or I bake them in the oven,then.
Actually, an elf told me he rolls them in flour, flambe them on hot oil and bake them for a finish until they are dark and crispy outside!
Cheers,
Old Dragon
Oh, my old dragon friend! That sounds delightful! Lighting food aflame is such fun while dark, crispy outside makes everything better.
Yours,
h
Um, was there a “Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead” shout out in this episode? If so, my wife Stefanie totally caught it. In fact, she's telling me that I shouldn't ask if there was a shout out, cause she totally knows there was. So don't try to lie about it.
She also wants me to ask if the dishes are done?
The dishes are done, man.
where is emerill
Hi Hilah,
I made your meatballs and they were delicious. Thanks
Wonderful! Thank you!
I think you are awesome!! don’t change a thing…..you make it fun to learn how to cook!! Love it!!
Hooray! Thanks, Bob! This makes me happy.
I made this yesterday but I changed it up a bit.
Removed the parsley (I don’t like parsley)
ADDED BACON (quite good!)
Heaps of Parmesan.
Delicious! I never made meatballs before and now I feel confident enough to make them again 🙂
Awesome, Janice! Sounds like you made great modifications. Love it! Keep it up! 🙂
Hey you’re pretty funny. I’m originally from Massachusetts. Your video of cooking a lobster made me homesick for a lobster. Love your comments while you cook. You are very down to earth!
Hello Susan! It’s great to hear from you. I lived in Marblehead Mass for a year once. It’s a beautiful part of the country.
I’m so glad you like the show. Thanks for writing!
-h
Hilah, these are some pretty awesome meatballs! I made them and instead of pasta I used them on a meatball sub, it was sooooooooooooooo yummy! Me and my fiance have made a couple of the other stuff on your website, you do a great job. Thanks for posting 🙂
Oh that sounds so divine, Priscilla! Yum! Thanks for writing! 🙂
Hi Hilah:
These meatballs are the bomb! Instead of using ground beef, I used ground turkey and it was just as good. If I wanted to sweeten things up a bit, could I add a bit of sugar to the recipe and if so, at what point? Thanks again,
Joe
PS: So I don’t dirty up your nice book, I copy down the recipes on a sheet of paper and keep that beside me. Nothing worse than an open book when cooking and stuff splattering all over it.
Hi Joe!
Very glad to hear it worked well with turkey! I’d add no more than a tablespoon of sugar when you add the tomatoes next time if you like. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Hi Hilah:
I wrote to you before re: your meatballs and your suggestion to add a tablespoon of sugar really added to the flavor of the sauce! Thanks. Another question please: in your recipes and many others that I see, butter is used to either fry or saute something. Im not a fan of butter and I don’t use it at all (except if Im baking and even then in a very small amount so I don’t taste it) so can I use olive oil as a replacement instead or another type of oil? Thanks again, Joe M.
Great! Thanks for the follow-up, Joe!
Yes, in most recipes oil will work fine as a replacement for butter. If the recipe calls for a lot of butter (like more than a couple tablespoons) you’d probably be best off replacing it with a mild-flavored oil as opposed to an extra-virgin olive, which has a strong flavor that might overwhelm the dish in amount like that.
Hey hilllaaaahhh ! You rock ! I’m french and I can’t stop looking at your recipes !!
I’m gonna try your meat balls … come onnnnn, I wished you could be here by my side in the kitchen !! yaaa that could be fun !
kisses
Thank you, Audrey!
I would love to come to France some day and we can climb the Eiffel tower and have a fruit picnic on top and spit orange seeds down onto the street and drink Champagne!
xoxo
I made this for the first time two nights ago. I don’t know why I never thought to come to you for a sauce recipe…definitely a ‘duh’ on my part. Halfway through dinner, my husband told me we have found ‘the sauce’ recipe and this is the best spaghetti dish I’ve made. Last night, when I mentioned dinner, he was really disappointed that we didn’t have any left. I’ve promised to make it again this week (and a lot more often). You are amazing. 🙂
That makes me so so happy, Polly! 😀 And also reminds me I need to make meatballs soon, too. Thanks for writing. You made my day!
[…] Pinterest […]
Just made me some meatballs and am they are AWESOME! Absolutely love the sauce!
Thanks, Hilah!
Yay!!!
Hi there Hilah, First things first… congrats on the beautiful baby. Amen to you all.
I’ve followed your channel for while and enjoy all the recipes. I did the meatballs and damnnnn turned out great. I did modify it with crushed Cheez-It Italian Four Cheese instead of bread crumbs….
Thanks again for all the entertainment and kool recipes.
I wish you and the family all the best.
Darryl M
Well, damn, Darryl! Cheez-its instead of breadcrumbs sounds like you really couldn’t go wrong with that! Thanks for the well wishes. Can’t wait for Flint to help me make meatballs.
I’m a guy who was invited to an Italian potluck party. I used your recipe and everyone loved it. I added smoked/hot sausages to the sauce and left it cooking for 15 minutes. It changed the flavor and made it very spicy. Thanks again for your perfect recipe. Loved it 🙂
Fantastic, Houman! Thanks for sharing your changes and feedback on the recipe 🙂
My boyfriend found this video when I was struggling to come up with simple dinner ideas, and it was sooo fast and tasty. We’ll definitely be watching more of your videos, thanks!! (Also you’re hilarious)
Awesome! Meatballs are def one of my go-to easy meals, too. Great to hear that they are a favorite of yours now!
I made this tonight for my boss and her family and they loved it. It smelled Amazing. I took a picture but not sure how to get it on here. I look forward to making it for my family and husband soon.
Great to hear that, Melinda! These meatballs freeze great, too, if you want to make a big batch for rainy day
Hello there, i am from south africa. i love all the way you prepare food. i made your churros, what a success it came out so good. i am going to try your meatball recipe soon.