Italian Appetizer Meatballs Recipes

ITALIAN APPETIZER MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls. , Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake until no longer pink, 15-20 minutes., Transfer meatballs to a 4-qt. slow cooker; add spaghetti sauce. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until heated through. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

SLOW-COOKED ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender and golden brown, 5-9 minutes. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, eggs, cheese, parsley, water, basil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and onion mixture. Add ground meats; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on greased racks in shallow baking pans. Bake until browned, 20-25 minutes., Transfer meatballs to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour spaghetti sauce over top. Cook, covered, on low until meatballs are cooked through, 3-4 hours. If desired, serve with minced parsley., Freeze option: Freeze cooled meatballs and sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, stirring gently and adding a little water or broth if necessary. Serve as directed.

SPICY ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Combine the ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, ricotta, parsley, crushed red pepper, salt, garlic, eggs, milk and black pepper in a bowl. Mash with your hands until thoroughly combined. Form into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Set in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches until nice and deep golden, then move them to a plate.
• For the sauce: Into the same skillet, add the garlic and onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, parsley, tomato paste, sugar, salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer another 15 minutes. Keep warm until serving.
• Transfer to a chafing dish and serve with frilly toothpicks.

ITALIAN COCKTAIL MEATBALLS WITH HERBS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Mix the ground meats, ricotta, parsley, panko crumbs, onion, pecorino, bacon, garlic, milk, thyme, egg, salt, Worcestershire, and black pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Mix until just combined; don't overmix. The mixture will be pretty soft.
• Using your hands, gently form mixture into 1 tablespoon small meatballs (about the size of ping pong balls). Put them on a large plate or pan; cover and refrigerate at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
• Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
• Drain off the oil and wipe out the skillet. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Serve the meatballs, skewered on a platter with a dollop of the sauce and a fresh leaf of basil. They can be serve warm or at room temperature.
• The meatballs can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 weeks.