How to cook meatballs with gravy?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Meatballs are a multifunctional dish. Firstly, they can be cooked both in a pan and in the oven. Secondly, they can be consumed both on their own and with spaghetti or grated cheese. And finally, you can always make them in advance and freeze them, so that you can then spend only 30 minutes preparing dinner: reheat the products themselves and make sauce for them.

Meatballs with gravy can be made with a variety of meats. If you do not want to eat fatty heavy food, you can take ground turkey. But ground beef and pork are also great for preparing a delicious dish. Gravy can also contain various ingredients. Below are a few recipes for meatballs with gravy that will be appreciated.

Mixed Minced Meat and Marinara Sauce Variant

The combination of 3 types of meat and homemade marinara sauce allows you to achieve a juicy, rich taste. These meatballs with pasta are especially good. To prepare this dish, you will need the following ingredients:

• 250 grams minced beef;
• 250 grams minced pork;
• 250 grams minced veal;
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten;
• 1/4 cup grated cheese(parmesan);
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped and fried;
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs;
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped;
• s alt and freshly ground pepper;
• 1 glass of olive oil.

For gravy:

• 2 tablespoons extra-olive oil;
• 1 large onion, finely chopped;
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped;
• 2 small cans (700 grams) of tomatoes, canned in their own juice;
• 1 bay leaf;
• 1 small bunch parsley;
• red pepper flakes;
• s alt and freshly ground pepper;
• 6 basil leaves, chopped.

How to do it?

The recipe for meatballs with gravy in a pan is as follows. Combine all ingredients for meatballs (except oil) in a large bowl, stir very well. Roll into balls about 4-5 cm in diameter.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and put the meat balls into it. Let them fry on all sides until golden brown, but not completely cooked. This will take 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy.

In a separate saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Put onion and garlic in it, fry until softened, about 15 minutes. Add mashed tomatoes and their juice from a jar, bay leaf, parsley, red pepper flakes, s alt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat. Add meatballs to it and simmer over moderate heat forfor approximately 45 minutes.

Swedish

Surely everyone will remember the fairy tale about Carlson, where the heroes enthusiastically ate meatballs with gravy. The Swedish national version of this dish involves the use of a thick creamy sauce. To improve the taste, you can add an additional ingredient such as Worcestershire sauce to it.

This dish takes only 30 minutes to prepare and is perfect to feed a hungry family on a weekday evening. You can use mashed potatoes or rice as a side dish. For cooking you will need:

• 500 grams ground beef;
• ¼ cup of breadcrumbs;
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped;
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg;
• ¼ teaspoon allspice;
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped;
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder;
• 1 egg;
• ⅛ teaspoons of tea pepper;
• ½ teaspoons tea s alt;
• 1 glass of olive oil;
• 5 tablespoons butter;
• 3 cups flour;
• 1 cup heavy cream;
• 2 cups beef broth;
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce;
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard;
• pepper and s alt.

How to make it?

Step-by-step recipe for meatballs with gravy is as follows. In a medium bowl, stir together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, s alt, and egg. Blend until combined.

Blind 12 big or 20small meatballs. In a large saucepan, combine olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the meatballs and fry them until they are brown on each side and fully cooked. Transfer them to a plate and cover with foil.

Add 4 tablespoons of butter and flour to the skillet and beat until the mixture turns brown. Slowly stir in the beef broth and cream. Add the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard and bring to a boil, then simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Put s alt and pepper. Put the meat balls in the same place and simmer the meatballs with gravy in the pan for another 1-2 minutes. Serve with egg noodles or rice.

Tomato sauce variant

Meatballs with fresh tomato sauce are also great for any table. This recipe calls for the following ingredients:

• 500g lean beef;
• 100 grams of ricotta cheese;
• egg 1 piece;
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped;
• 1 cup fresh grated cheese (Parmigiano);
• s alt and ground black pepper.

Tomato sauce:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil;
• 1 onion, finely chopped;
• about 800 g of tomato puree;
• s alt and ground black pepper.

Cooking process

Step-by-step recipe for meatballs with gravy next. You should start by preparing meat balls. Combine ground beef, ricotta cheese, egg, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmigiano cheese, s alt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the ingredients become a homogeneous mass. Form the meatballs into small balls with your hands, then flatten them out.

In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil and fry the onion until translucent. Add tomato puree and bring to a boil. Add s alt and pepper, then lower the heat. Place raw meatballs in the sauce and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Serve on the table with or without a side dish.

Sausage variant

Everyone knows the recipes for this minced meat dish. Photos of meatballs with classic gravy are given in the article. But if you wish, you can even use grilled sausages for their manufacture. For this you will need:

• 500 grams Italian Grilled Sausages (raw);
• 1 egg;
• 2 tablespoons garlic-flavoured oil;
• 4-6 onions, thinly sliced;
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano;
• 1/4 cup white wine or vermouth;
• 1kg juice-canned tomatoes;
• 2 bay leaves;
• s alt and pepper;
• chopped fresh parsley (optional).

Cooking a dish

Squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings, rub well and mix with the egg. Shape the mass into small meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large baking pan or on a high-sided baking pan, put the meatballs in it and bake until golden brown. Then add onion and oregano andmix gently. Pour in the wine or vermouth and add the diced tomatoes, then add some juice from the can.

Put the bay leaf and let the dish boil quickly. This recipe for meatballs with gravy involves cooking both in the oven and on the stove. These meatballs should be cooked for 20 minutes until the gravy thickens. At the same time, you can make any side dish, be it pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. If you want, you can sprinkle the finished dish with parsley.

Asian version

These meatballs with gravy have a rather original taste. It is believed that this is an ancient Chinese dish that was served on the tables of emperors. For its preparation you will need:

• 550 grams ground beef;
• 70 grams of rice wine or dry sherry;
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped;
• 2 onions, finely chopped;
• 1 egg, beaten;
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger;
• 2 tbsp. light soy sauce;
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil;
• 1 tbsp. corn starch;
• 1/2 teaspoon sea s alt;
• white pepper.

For gravy:

• 100 grams peanut butter (unsweetened);
• 2 1/2 cup vegetable broth;
• 350 grams Chinese cabbage, cut into pieces;
• 3 dried Chinese mushrooms or shiitake;
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce;
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water;
• marines alt;
• white pepper;
• 2 bunches green onion, chopped;
• 350 grams of round grain rice;
• 600 grams of water.

How to make it?

Place the ground beef, rice wine, garlic, green onion, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, corn starch, s alt and white pepper in a large bowl to combine all the ingredients into a single mass. With wet hands form small round meatballs.

Pour the peanut butter into a large deep saucepan and heat over high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour 2 tablespoons of table oil into a heatproof bowl. Add vegetable broth, stir. Spread Chinese cabbage leaves all over the dishes, then put meatballs and mushrooms, pour in soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and cook the dish for 15 minutes. Add the cornstarch water slurry and stir until the sauce thickens.

While the meatballs are cooking, cook the rice. To do this, put it in water, cover with a lid and cook at high temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and cook for 3 more minutes, or until all water has evaporated. Remove the pot from the stove and, using a spatula, arrange the rice among serving bowls or on a shared platter.

Remove the pot of meatballs from the heat, season the gravy with s alt and white pepper to taste, add the green onion pieces. Lay out the finished dishon rice and stir. Serve the meatballs with rice and gravy on the table immediately. You can choose not to add any of the spices or substitute another ingredient if desired.

Italian version

Italian recipe involves cooking meatballs with gravy in the oven. Minced meat complements the fragrant sauce, and the meat balls themselves become rosy and fried. To prepare this delicious dish, you will need:

• 1/2 onion, finely chopped;
• 2 garlic cloves;
• 1 tablespoon olive oil;
• 800 grams chopped tomatoes;
• 3/4 cup chicken broth;
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes;
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, oregano);
• 1 teaspoon s alt + black pepper.

For minced meat:

• 1 cup sliced white bread without crusts;
• ½ grated onion;
• 400 grams of ground beef;
• 100 grams of minced pork;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped;
• 2 garlic cloves;
• 1 tablespoon grated hard cheese;
• s alt, black pepper;
• a little olive oil.

For submission:

• fresh parsley (chopped with feathers);
• Parmesan cheese (grated).

How to cook such a dish?

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cover the bottom of the mold with a layer of olive oil, put chopped onion and garlic in it. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove fromoven and add remaining sauce ingredients. Place on the bottom shelf of the oven, increase the temperature to 200 degrees.

Next, a step-by-step recipe for meatballs with gravy in the oven looks like this. Place the bread and onion in a large bowl. Mix so that the onion juice is absorbed into the bread, set aside for 3 minutes. The bread should be soaked, if it doesn't, add some milk or water. Add minced meat and all remaining ingredients. Form small, even balls with your hands. Place the meatballs on a rack with wire rack so that they are positioned above the sauce pan. Drizzle them all over with olive oil. Bake like this for about 5-8 minutes. During this time, the meatballs will be covered with a golden crust, and the meat juice will drain into the gravy. After that, move the meatballs from the rack to the sauce, mix well.

Serve with spaghetti or other pasta of your choice, garnished with fresh parsley and grated parmesan.

Some helpful recipe tips

Adding bread is the best way to make soft meatballs. This is especially important for baked items, which are usually firmer than pan-fried items. Therefore, it is recommended to use bread instead of crackers. In addition, you can make meatballs with rice and gravy (the recipe was given above), that is, replace the bread with the same amount of boiled rice, which also contributes to the softness of the product.

Pork is fatter than beef, so it helps make meatballs juicier. However, it is advisable to use no more than 100 grams of porkminced meat, because it is not as tasty and fragrant as beef. If you want to cook lean meatballs in the oven with gravy according to the recipes above, you can use only beef, do not mix with anything.

In the oven with tomato sauce

These meatballs are served with garlic bread. For their preparation you will need:

• 600 grams of minced pork and veal mix;
• ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs;
• 1 egg, lightly beaten;
• 1/3 cup Parmesan, finely grated;
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped;
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra whole leaves for serving;
• 1 tablespoon olive oil;
• 500 grams of tomato paste;
• 4 slices garlic bread.

How to cook these meatballs?

Preheat oven to 220°C. Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, oregano and basil in a large bowl. Form 12 balls.

Next, the recipe for meatballs with gravy should be done like this. Heat the oil in a baking dish, put the meatballs in one layer. Fry on the stovetop, turning, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add tomato sauce, bring to a boil. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Then garnish with basil leaves. Serve with garlic bread.

Another version of meatballs in tomato sauce

In the above recipesit was pointed out that pork is added to ground beef for juiciness. What if you add bacon? Then you can cook original meatballs. For such a dish you will need the following ingredients:

• olive oil;
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped;
• 100 grams of bacon, finely diced;
• 3 tablespoons fresh oregano or marjoram leaves;
• 700 grams of minced beef;
• 1 medium egg yolk;
• sea s alt, black pepper.

For tomato sauce:

• 1 kg juicy tomatoes;
• 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped;
• 1 small dried red pepper, grated or finely chopped;
• 1/2 teaspoon tea sugar;
• 50 grams of basil leaves;
• 1 small garlic clove;
• Some lemon juice.

For garnish:

• 300-450g pappardelle or any pasta;
• uns alted butter;
• fresh grated parmesan.

Cooking meatballs in tomato sauce

The recipe for step-by-step meatballs with gravy in the oven is as follows. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat, add the onion and bacon, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add oregano or marjoram before the end of the roast. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large bowl and let cool. Add all remaining meatball ingredients and mix with a spoon. Make balls the size oflarge walnut and arrange them on a plate.

To make the tomato sauce, chop the tomatoes, place them in a bowl and mix with tomato paste, a tablespoon of olive oil, chopped garlic, crushed peppers, sugar and some seasonings.

Prepare a shallow ovenproof dish that will allow the meatballs to be laid out in a single layer. Heat the butter in it over moderate heat, fry the meatballs on all sides. Put them in the tomato sauce and stir.

Place the basil and garlic in a food processor and chop, then gradually add 4 tablespoons olive oil, s alt and lemon juice to taste.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil into the meatballs and bake them for 40 minutes.

When the dish is ready, boil the pasta in a large pot of s alted water. Drain the water, put the pasta in a frying pan and lightly fry with oil. Arrange on serving plates, pour garlic-basil sauce. Top with meatballs in tomato sauce and sprinkle with grated parmesan.