Meatballs are pure comfort food for me, brimming with childhood memories. This recipe – or something very similar – comes from my mom, and that alone makes it unbeatable. It's precisely these simple, honest dishes that accompany us, comfort us, and deserve to return to our table again and again. Juicy, tender, and deliberately simple, these meatballs are a reliable base for countless dishes – and for me, a little piece of home.
Bread Rolls or Breadcrumbs for Meatballs?
My mom prefers to use an old bread roll for her meatballs, which she soaks in water and kneads into the mixture. Alternatively, she sometimes uses sandwich bread.
But what if you don't have either of those things on hand? That's why I've included two options in my recipe: either mix breadcrumbs with water or soak a bread roll or some sandwich bread in water. Just use what you have and this recipe will definitely work for you!
Raw or Sautéed Onions?
Do you put raw onions in meatballs? Or should you sauté them beforehand and then add them?
Besides this simple basic recipe, I also often make smaller beef meatballs Greek-style. For this, I use various spices and herbs and hide a piece of feta cheese in the middle. For this recipe, I like to sauté the onions beforehand and only then add them to the ground beef mixture. I haven't shared this Greek version with you yet. If you'd like the recipe, feel free to write it in the comments, and I'll see when I can include it in my content plan!
For this basic recipe, it's sufficient to finely dice the onion and mix it raw with the other ingredients. Since the meatballs will be thoroughly browned on all sides, the onion will no longer be raw, resulting in a very pleasant, aromatic flavor.
And lastly… This recipe, or something very similar, comes from my mom, and she actually always adds the onions raw to the minced meat mixture!
More Easy Basic Recipes
If you are looking for more simple basic recipes, you will find them in my category “basics”! Feel free to tell me in the comments what you'd like to try next!"
Classic Meatballs – Juicy & Versatile
These classic meatballs are made from a mixture of ground beef and pork in a ratio of approximately 2:1, which makes them particularly juicy and tender. They are intentionally seasoned neutrally and are ideal as a side dish or as a versatile base for other recipes. Soft and not dry inside, they can be used in a variety of ways.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
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Put the minced meat, mustard, egg, salt and pepper into a large bowl.
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Dice a white onion very finely and add it to the bowl.
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Mix the breadcrumbs and water in a small bowl and add it to the large mixing bowl.
Alternatively, you can soak an (old) bread roll or slice of sandwich bread in water and use it for this recipe.
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Knead all the ingredients together to form a uniform mixture and then shape it into 8 meatballs, each weighing approximately 3,5 oz (100 g).
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Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the meatballs. Fry them well on each side for about 3.5 minutes.
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Remove the meatballs from the pan, serve and enjoy them.
Nutritional Information
servings 8
- Amount per Serving
- Calories 192.8kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.7g20%
- Potassium 29.5mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 5.9g2%
- Dietary Fiber 0.2g1%
- Sugars 1.46g
- Protein 13.5g27%
** The daily percentages are based on a 2000 kcal diet. Your daily figures might be higher or lower according to your caloric need.
Remark
*Advertisement (Affiliate): If you want to use the same frying pan as me, you can find it here .