meatballs Archives - Life's A Tomato

Copycat Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs

We both really enjoyed these copycat Old Spaghetti Factory meatballs. To begin with, they were super-easy to make. Second, the recipe makes a good-sized batch of meatballs, perfect for keeping on-hand during the colder months. We actually doubled the recipe so we’d have plenty around for quick dinners or even lunches. Last, they of course taste fantastic! Super tender meatballs with basic, simple flavors. We were able to make these with ingredients we already had on hand. Nothing fancy going on here, just great meatballs!

Everyone Loves Great Meatballs

You don’t have to make the tomato sauce for these copycat Old Spaghetti Factory meatballs if you don’t want to. You can use any tomato-based sauced that you want. Or cream sauce for that matter. The meatballs are great anywhere you need, well, meatballs of course! They are completely cooked when they come out of the oven, ready for pasta, pizzas or sub sandwiches!

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Also try my meatloaf meatballs.

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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Old Spaghetti Factory Meatballs

Super tender meatballs with basic, simple flavors.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword copcyat, meatballs

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 456kcal

Equipment

ice scream scoop

Ingredients

⅓ cup onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic minced
3 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ½ pounds ground beef
30 ounces tomato sauce divided
your favorite pasta cooked, for serving

Instructions

Place onion, garlic, parsley and bread crumbs into a food processor. Process for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed.
Break the egg into a large bowl and whisk. Add the water, olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until well combined.
Add the bread mixture to the bowl and stir with a spatula.
Crumble in the ground beef. Using your hands, mix thoroughly until the bread crumb mixture is distributed evenly throughout.
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray lightly with non-stick spray. Add 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce to the bottom of the pan.
Using an ice scream scoop, scoop a portion of the meat into the palm of your hand and form into a ball about the size of a golf ball. Try to keep the meatballs all about the same size so that they cook evenly. Transfer to the baking pan but do not let the meatballs touch each other.
Bake for 15 minutes. Using a fork or spatula, break the meatballs lose of the pan if they are sticking.
Bake another 10 minutes or until meatballs reach 165 F.
Heat the tomato sauce in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper and heat until just simmering.
Add the meatballs and cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
Serve meatballs over pasta with some of the tomato sauce.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Spicy Meatballs

I always keep a few bags of homemade spicy meatballs on hand. Grab them out of the freezer, toss in some marinara sauce, serve over pasta… dinner in no time! I also use them to make super easy meatball sandwiches. And slice them in half to top a homemade pizza. They’re very versatile, easy to make and taste great! And they’re way better than those store-bought ones you find in the freezer section. You know the ones. Dinky. Kinda weird colored. Questionable texture. Not so tasty. Yep, not these.

Perfect Tender Tasty Meatballs

You can make these spicy meatballs as spicy as you want. Or leave out the red pepper flake entirely and just make ‘meatballs’. The meatballs taste fantastic with or without the heat. They’re wonderfully tender and delicious. Just make sure you don’t overwork the meat. Mix it just enough to combine the ingredients. Anything more and they’ll start to get tough and you don’t want that. Mix lightly and they’ll stay soft and tender. I prefer to use my hands though I picked up some food-safe gloves to make the job easier.

Meatball Master

Also try my meatloaf meatballs.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Meatballs

Make sure you don't overwork the meat. Mix it just enough to combine the ingredients.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword meatballs, spicy

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 533kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Ree Drummond

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan freshly grated
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup fresh parsley minced
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flake or more
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cloves garlic finely grated
2 large eggs
splash milk
ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil for frying

Instructions

Place all ingredients except for the oil into a large bowl.
Using your hands, combine everything thoroughly, but try to not overwork the meat.
Form the mixture into small balls. Depending on how you plan on using them, you may want small or large balls. It's all up to you.
Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, fry the meatballs until golden brown and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 160 F. Flip the meatballs once or twice while cooking to brown on all sides.
Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate and continue cooking the remaining ones.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Salisbury Meatballs

Once I let the idea of Salisbury steak get into my head, it wasn’t going to go away. I was jonesin’ bad for that mix of beef and pork and my favorite, the brown gravy. But I wasn’t going to make ‘steak’, I was going to make meatballs. And boy, oh boy, did I ever make Salisbury meatballs.

Crazy Delicious Meatballs

‘Tender, flavor-packed meatballs smothered in a fantastic sauce’. That’s pretty much all you have to tell me. No more convincing is required. If I read that on a menu, I’d order it. With plenty of mashed potatoes and extra gravy, too. These Salisbury meatballs were absolutely fantastic.

You never know what gadgets you might come across these days. Did you know you can buy a tool for making a big batch of meatballs all at once? Why didn’t I think of that!

Meatball Master

Also try my Salisbury steak.

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5 from 1 vote

Salisbury Meatballs

‘Tender, flavor-packed meatballs smothered in a fantastic sauce’. That’s pretty much all you have to tell me. No more convincing is required.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword meatballs, Salisbury

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings meatballs

Calories 77kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 pound ground beef lean
1 pound ground pork
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 medium onion minced
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Vegetable oil

For the gravy

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion minced
2 cups beef broth
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup

Instructions

For the meatballs

Combine all but the vegetable oil and mix well.
Form into meatballs.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, add the meatballs and brown on each side and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and cook the remaining meatballs.
Use the skillet you use to cook the meatballs to make the gravy.

For the gravy

Add the butter to the skillet and melt.
Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the broth, cornstarch, Worcestershire and ketchup. Add to the skillet with the onions.
Reduce heat to a simmer and stir. Continue stirring until the gravy is the desired thickness.

Serving

Serve meatballs over mashed potatoes with plenty of gravy, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

We spent a week in a condo on fabulous Tybee Island, Georgia not long ago. I wanted to maximize our time on the beach, which meant that I wanted meals that I could prepare with minimal effort and time. Slow cooker spaghetti and meatballs was the perfect choice. And it was mighty tasty too. Yummy meatballs in a flavorful sauce, with the pasta already mixed in. It really doesn’t get any easier.

Add Some Kick If You Want

I always like a little kick in my pasta dishes, whether they’re from the slow cooker or not, so I added a bit of red pepper flakes. You can leave them out if you like. I don’t go crazy with it. But I just want that little ‘something’ that wakes things up a bit.

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The perfect side dish for this dish? My gotta-have-it garlic bread. And ya gotta also try my slow cooker ravioli lasagna and my baked spaghetti and meatballs. My stuffed pasta shells ain’t nothin’ to shake a stick at either!

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

Yummy meatballs in a flavorful sauce, with the pasta already mixed in. It really doesn’t get any easier.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword meatballs, slow cooker, spaghetti

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4 20

Total Time 4 25

Servings servings

Calories 120kcal

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

1 24 ounce frozen meatballs
1 24 ounce spaghetti sauce
1 48 ounce beef broth
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried red pepper flake
¼ cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving, freshly grated
8 ounces angel hair pasta broken into 1 1/2″ pieces

Instructions

Place all ingredients except for the pasta into a slow cooker.
Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring every hour or so.
Add the broken pasta, stir, and cook another 20 minutes.
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese for topping.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Never has the kitchen smelled so great as it did when I was cooking these Salisbury steak meatballs. The anticipation of dinner was making my stomach growl and my mouth water. Every bite was packed with savory flavors. Tender meatballs with a bit of tang from mustard. Rich beef-flavored sauce. Give me more! And more!

The Perfect Meatballs

I’m quite sure you’re going to see Salisbury steak meatballs on Life’s A Tomato again soon. I’m already thinking that I need to make a po’boy sandwich using these meatballs. Hmmm. Smothered in gravy. Yummy!

When I started cooking the onions a thought occurred to me: mushrooms. I think the next time I make this I’ll add a half pound of thinly sliced mushrooms in with the onions and let them cook down a bit. The earthy flavor of the mushrooms will definitely go well with the gravy.

Every time I make meatballs I think about ordering one of these. I don’t usually post something I haven’t tried, but I’m intrigued enough about it to put it here. Heck, everyone seems to like it for making big batches of meatballs!

Meatball Master

My Italian meatballs with gravy are crazy good too. You’ll want to make them too!

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5 from 1 vote

Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Never has the kitchen smelled so great as it did when I was cooking these Salisbury steak meatballs.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword meatballs, Salisbury, steak

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 643kcal

Author Based on a recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 pounds ground beef
¾ cups seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup Dijon mustard Brown or Creole mustards are great too!
¼ cup ketchup
1 cube beef bouillon crumbled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the sauce

1 large sweet onion halved and sliced thin
2-1/2 cups beef broth plus more if needed, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Brown or Creole mustards are great too!
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound Wide Egg Noodles
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

For the meatballs

Place all ingredients except for the butter into a large bowl and combine well with your hands.
Form into 2 ounce meatballs.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, fry the meatballs on all sides until lightly browned. You do not need to cook them through completely, just give them some color and texture. Remove meatballs to a bowl or plate.

For the sauce

Add the onion to the skillet that you used to cook the meatballs and saute for 2-3 minutes until starting to turn golden.
Add 2 cups of the beef broth, the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and mustard and whisk to combine.
In a small bowl or cup combine the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of beef broth. Slowly pour into the gravy while whisking.
Add the meatballs to the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Add more beef broth if the gravy gets too thick.
Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles per package instructions. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to melt.
Serve meatballs over noodles with gravy, garnished with chopped parsley.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Fiesta Meatballs

I’ve done the meatballs-in-a-slow-cooker thing before. You know, the standard sweet-and-sour appetizer version. Great snacks for the big game. I wanted to do something like that traditional recipe, but with a little difference. A little kick and a lot more flavor. These slow cooker Fiesta meatballs are exactly what I was looking for. Eat them by themselves or on a roll as a sandwich, either way they’re great!

Different. Delicious. And Spicy.

As easy as these slow cooker Fiesta meatballs are to make, I thought they were quite tasty. They were tender and juicy, and a bit spicy. Just like I like them!

Although I did use pre-cooked meatballs, homemade would be great (read: better). Next time (if I have time) I’ll use a batch of my cooked Italian meatballs. If you do use homemade you can cut the cooking time back since the meatballs won’t be frozen.

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Also try my slow cooker chopped corned beef Reuben.

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4 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Fiesta Meatballs

These slow cooker Fiesta meatballs are exactly what I was looking for. Eat them by themselves or on a roll as a sandwich, either way they’re great!

Course Appetizer or Main

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot, meatballs, slow cooker

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 5

Servings

Calories 242kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

2 10 ounce Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 4 ounce green chiles
1 large green bell pepper chopped
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 pounds meatballs cooked, frozen, thawed

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker set on low and cook 4-5 hours.
Serve as appetizers as-is, or on steak buns topped with pepper jack cheese.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Spicy Spaghetti and Meatball Soup

I have a slow cooker (er, crockpot) for the same reasons everyone else does. I on occasion like a great, easy meal that I can toss into the pot and not have to fuss with. A Dutch oven over low heats works just as well, specially if you need to brown something first. For this slow cooker spicy spaghetti and meatball soup it doesn’t matter whether you go low-and-slow in the crockpot or Dutch oven, the end result is great. It’s like having Campbell’s SpaghettiOs™ but with much better, richer flavor, and a nice kick. And really big meatballs. Who didn’t want more meatballs in their SpaghettiOs™ when they were a kid? I sure did. I probably threw fits about it, too! Well, problem solved!

A Great Meal For A Crowd

I used packaged frozen meatballs for this slow cooker spicy spaghetti meatball soup. Our homemade Italian meatballs (made on the stovetop or in the Char-Broil Big Easy) would be great too. Outstanding, even. Either way, this makes a good batch of soup. Plenty for a small crowd.

You can leave out the red pepper flake, but I think you’ll want to add at least a little. And don’t be shy with the basil either.

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If you’re feeling adventurous, try out my homemade SpaghettiOs. They’re fun to make and even more fun to eat.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Spicy Spaghetti and Meatball Soup

I have a slow cooker (er, crockpot) for the same reasons everyone else does. I on occasion like a great, easy meal that I can toss into the pot and not have to fuss with

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot, meatballs, slow cooker, soup, spaghetti, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8 20

Total Time 8 25

Servings

Calories 118kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Plain Chicken

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

1 24 ounce meatballs frozen, not thawed
24 ounces spaghetti sauce
1 48 ounce beef broth
3 cups water
1-2 teaspoons dried basil
1-2 teaspoons dried red pepper flake
¼ cup Parmesan cheese plus more for serving, grated
8 ounces angel hair pasta broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Instructions

Place all ingredients except the pasta into a slow cooker. Add more basil or red pepper flake as desired.
Cook on high for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Set slow cooker to high and add the pasta. Cook for another 20 minutes.
Serve with more Parmesan cheese as desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Fire-Eater Chicken Meatballs

I was looking for something a little different for an appetizer to serve for the Superbowl. I’ve done the beef and pork meatballs, and those are great, but I wanted something new. I thought, let’s try chicken and turkey meatballs instead. But let’s make sure they aren’t bland. These fire-eater chicken meatballs are definitely not bland. They are tender and tasty by themselves, but made even more perfect with a kicked-up dipping sauce that also has a bit of sweetness to it.

Meatball Sandwiches, Anyone?

I am definitely going to use the meatballs in other dishes. I’m already planning to make meatball sandwiches with them. A hoagie bun, a few fire-eater chicken meatballs, a little of the sauce and some melted habanero cheese and I’m happy! Or, serve them over pasta with a spicy Alfredo sauce (made spicy by adding it a bit of the sauce).

Did you know you can buy a tool to help you make a big ole batch of meatballs in just minutes? People think of everything!

Meatball Master

I used my fire-eater spice rub to give the meatballs and the sauce a great kick. You can substitute any spicy mix you like. Just don’t be shy with it. Also try my sweet-and-spicy meatballs.

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5 from 1 vote

Fire-Eater Chicken Meatballs

These fire-eater chicken meatballs are definitely not bland. They are tender and tasty by themselves, but made even more perfect with a kicked-up dipping sauce that also has a bit of sweetness to it.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Main

Keyword chicken, meatballs, spicy

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings meatballs

Calories 169kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Little Spice Jar

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 pound ground chicken you can also use 1 pound of ground chicken and 1 pound of ground turkey
4 teaspoons garlic minced
2 tablespoons Fire-Eater rub
2 eggs
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

For the sauce

1 cup hot sauce I used Cholula
2 cups light brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Fire-Eater rub

Instructions

For the meatballs

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
Form into balls. Depending on how you want to serve them, make smaller or bigger balls. The cook time is for balls that are golf ball-sized so you might want to adjust the cook time depending on how large you make yours.
Place balls onto the baking sheets. Do not crowd them.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they reach 165 F internal temperature.
Brush the meatballs with a bit of the sauce and return to the oven for 2-3 more minutes to ‘set’ the sauce.
Serve with more sauce on the side for dipping if serving as appetizers.

For the sauce

While the meatballs are cooking, place all of the sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan.
Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat until ready to use.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Sweet and Sour Meatball Sliders

Sweet and sour meatball appetizers have probably been around forever. I’ve certainly made them a time or two. I was looking for a different way to serve them. Something new that makes people not realize they’re eating the usual. Something with a great sweet and sour sauce and more. And so I made sweet and sour meatball sliders. These are a great way to get rid of those ‘oh great meatball appetizers again’ doldrums. Of course you still get great meatballs, but you get more. A lot more.

They Pop In Your Mouth

The crispiness and coolness of the cucumber really makes these sweet and sour meatball sliders stand out in the crowd. As does the tomato. They’re quite yummy and addicting. Make a bunch for your next family get-together and watch them disappear. They assemble in just minutes, making them perfect for feeding a crowd.

I used my cast iron skillet to make the meatballs and sauce.

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Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Sweet and Sour Meatball Sliders

The crispiness (really a great contrast to the meatballs) and coolness of the cucumber really makes these sliders stand out in the crowd. As does the tomato. They’re quite yummy and addicting.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword meatballs, sliders, sour, sweet

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings sliders

Calories 90kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Skewers

Ingredients

1 24 ounce meatballs pre-cooked, thawed (I used Johnsonville)
4 cups sweet and sour sauce I made a batch of our easy sweet and sour sauce
28 slider rolls
2 large cucumbers sliced
Cherry tomatoes

Instructions

Place meatballs and sauce in a large sauce pan or pot and warm over medium heat.
Place a slice (or two if they are small) of cucumber on each slider roll bottom.
Add a meatball with a little of the sauce. Note: I flattened the meatballs just slightly using a wooden spatula so they would look a little larger on the buns. If you’re using larger meatballs you can probably skip flattening them.
Add top bun and secure with a skewer and tomato.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Hawaiian BBQ Meatball Fried Rice

This is what happens when you’re sitting around, dreaming about food. You start by dreaming about appetizers, like maybe some awesome Hawaiian BBQ meatballs. You know, the old party standby. Yummy. Then, your thoughts (I’m blaming the pineapple in the meatball sauce) turn to Hawaiian fried rice. Next thing you know, you’ve got Hawaiian BBQ meatball fried rice, and let me tell you, it’s good. Asian meets… uh… Well, meatballs, I guess! It’s different in a very good way.

A Great Taste Sensation

I loved the sweetness of the pineapple, the tangy bite from the BBQ sauce, and the bite from the vegetables. This Hawaiian BBQ meatball fried rice came out really good. Not bad for just sitting around, dreaming! Who knows what I might dream up next. Sometimes the ideas are really good, like this one. Others, well, they aren’t so good. Those are the ones that don’t end up on this blog so you actually never get to see them. Consider yourself lucky!

I used frozen, pre-cooked meatballs for this dish. You can use homemade instead. Just cook them first, of course.

If I’m reaching for a bottled BBQ sauce, I often go for Sweet Baby Ray’s.

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My vegetable and meatball soup is a bit different, too.

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4 from 1 vote

Hawaiian BBQ Meatball Fried Rice

This is what happens when you’re sitting around, dreaming about food.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword fried rice, meatballs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 357kcal

Author Mike

Ingredients

For the Hawaiian meatballs

1 pound meatballs cooked. frozen is fine
½ 20 ounce pineapple chunks with all of the juice. remaining pineapple reserved for the rice, below.
½ cup your favorite BBQ sauce

For the Hawaiian fried rice

3 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
1 red bell pepper chopped
6 green onions white and green parts chopped and separated
3 cloves garlic minced
5 cups rice cooked
3 large eggs
½ 20 ounce pineapple chunks

Instructions

For the Hawaiian meatballs

Place all ingredients into a medium pot over medium heat. Stir and heat thoroughly.

For the Hawaiian fried rice

Heat a teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add the bell pepper and white parts of the green onions and cook until the peppers start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook another minute.
Remove mixture to a plate.
Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan.
Add rice and warm through, stirring often.
Push rice to the side of the skillet and add the 3 eggs. Cook, scrambling, until done. Stir in to the rice.
Add green parts of the green onions and pineapple chunks and stir.
Add in the red pepper mixture and stir.
Serve rice with meatballs and sauce.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

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