23 Meatball Recipes My Family Comes Back to Again and Again

For the love of meatballs, here are all the ways we make and eat them.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated October 16, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
French Onion Meatballs in a Pan at a Table Setting With Toasted Baguette Slices on a Wooden Platter and a Spoon on the Counter, All on a White Table Cloth

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Meatballs. They're an undeniable crowd favorite in whatever form they take, but most often in my house, they're spooned atop spaghetti with a spicy tomato sauce. If I had to choose my ideal last meal on Earth, spaghetti and meatballs would most definitely make the cut, though I'm a big fan of meatballs in general, so that's not saying much.

One of the best things about meatballs is how versatile they are. You can serve them with pasta (of course), tuck them into a sandwich (or pita), slip them into soup, toss them with a big salad, or serve them as a saucy appetizer. They also make great leftovers, and I'm not even ashamed to say that I'll often eat them cold, straight from the fridge.

The point is, if you love one meatball, you will probably love them whether they're braised in tomato sauce, grilled, or served in a creamy gravy. If you're not so sure, I bet you'll find at least one homemade meatball recipe below that will prove my point. They span the gamut in serving style and ease of prep, but they're all delicious, and they're all meatballs. Enjoy!

  • The Best Homemade Swedish Meatballs

    A dish of Swedish meatballs in gravy.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Lingonberry jelly is traditionally served with Swedish meatballs, but you can substitute cranberry, red currant, or raspberry jelly if you can't find it." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Chicken Meatballs

    Chicken meatballs arranged on a plate with a fork placed on the side

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong

    "If, as you're shaping them, the meatballs are not holding their shape, place them in the fridge for about 15 minutes, and they will firm up." —Megan Scott, Former Senior Editor

  • Meatball Sub

    A Plate of Meatball Sub Topped with Banana Peppers and Basil, and in the Background, a Plate With Another Sub and a Glass of Beer

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "Any good hoagie roll works well for these subs. I like to use a high-quality sesame seed hoagie. I wouldn’t recommend a hot dog bun as they can be too flimsy and will likely fall apart under the weight of the meatballs and sauce." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs

    Platter of Spaghetti and Meatballs With a Piece of Toasted Bread and Topped With Fresh Basil Leaves, and in the Surroundings, a Burgundy Table Napkin, a Bowl of Parmesan, Bite Size Bread Pieces Scattered on the Table, and a Plate With More Spaghetti and Meatballs

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Don't over-mix the ingredients or the meatballs will be tough. Work the ingredients just enough so that the mixture comes together." —Elise

    Continue to 5 of 23 below

  • Frikadellen (German Meatballs)

    Frikadellen with a side of potato salad and cucumber slices on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "Their shape makes them different from other meatballs around the world and, in my humble opinion, makes them less fussy to form and fry since they have two distinct sides and can (like a hamburger) be easily flipped. This also gives them a wide surface area for frying, allowing both sides to get a deeply browned, crisp crust." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Italian Wedding Soup

    Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Sheryl Julian

    "You can brown the meatballs separately in a skillet (or bake them in a hot oven) and add those caramelized balls to the simmering stock, but Nonnas in Italy would have dropped the shaped meatballs right into the soup because they didn't have many burners to work with and some didn't have indoor ovens." —Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer

  • French Onion Meatballs

    French Onion Meatballs in a Pan at a Table Setting With Toasted Baguette Slices on a Wooden Platter and a Spoon on the Counter, All on a White Table Cloth

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "To ensure your French onion sauce doesn’t become too heavy or oily, be sure to buy lean ground beef for these meatballs. You’re adding cheese and butter at various points in the recipe, so there won’t be a lack of richness (and deliciousness!)." —Laura Manzano, Recipe Developer

  • Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

    Buffalo chicken meatballs with celery and blue cheese.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "You want the meatballs to cook at the same rate, so make them all the same size. If you find the chicken sticky when you roll the meatballs, lightly wet your palms with water and try again." —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 23 below

  • Easy Porcupine Meatballs

    Overhead view of a cast iron skillet of meatballs with expanded rice on the surface and sauce on a wooden cutting board next to a checkered blue and white towel and wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "You can certainly use a jar of marinara in place of the sauce mixture—just be sure to stir in the 1 1/4 cups of water so that the rice has enough liquid to absorb and cook through." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Cranberry-Glazed Meatballs

    A bowl with cranberry glazed meatballs, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "These cranberry meatballs are particularly fun, in that they are sweet, sour, spicy, and savory all at once." —Elise

  • Swedish Meatballs (Ikea Copycat)

    Bowl of copycat Ikea Swedish meatballs served over mashed potatoes, and in the surroundings, a table setting with a stack of plates and a sage table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

    "IKEA Swedish meatballs are a little different from classic Swedish meatballs because they do not call for nutmeg and include soy sauce in the gravy, which gives them a little warmth and flavor. However, the sauce is too rich and tastes like it is missing something. This recipe includes Worcestershire sauce and a splash of pickle juice in the sauce for a bit of acidity to help cut through the richness." —Myo Quinn, Former Associate Editorial Director

  • Turkey Meatball Soup with Spinach and Orzo

    Turkey Meatball Soup

    Simply Recipes / Sheryl Julian

    "I like to quickly sauté the meatballs to brown their outsides, but you can skip this step if you’re in a hurry." —Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 23 below

  • Sausage Meatballs with Ricotta in Tomato Sauce

    A plate of meatballs

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "If fresh basil is not available, add a tablespoon of dried basil to the tomatoes before adding to the meatballs. Alternatively, Muir Glen makes a canned tomato with basil in it which would also work." —Elise

  • Grilled Skewered Meatballs

    Platter of Grilled Meatballs With a Small Bowl of Tzatziki, All on a Blue and White Stripped Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mike Lang

    "To keep the meatballs as moist as possible, I start with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. Baking soda, otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate, appears often in köfte recipes. It raises the PH level of the meat, making it harder for the meat’s protein molecules to bond. This in turn allows the meat to retain water as it cooks. And more water means a moist meatball." —Mike Lang, Recipe Developer

  • Greek Meatballs

    A plate of Greek meatballs, ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "If you don't like spicy foods, you can skip the chili pepper. Conversely, if you love spice, feel free to add another chili pepper to the mix!" —Elise

  • Königsberger Klopse (German Meatballs in Caper Cream Sauce)

    A bowl of Konigsberger Klopse served on mashed potatoes garnished with sauce and herbs

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "The recipe calls for you to halve an onion, keeping one half whole and grating the other half with a box grater. This is because the whole half onion will give flavor to the broth you boil the meatballs in, which is also used for the cream sauce, while the grated onion will provide texture and flavor in the meatball mixture directly." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 23 below

  • Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    A bowl of meatballs with a platter of meatballs behind it.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "I opted to use lean meat for this recipe—90/10 beef and turkey sausage. The meatballs stay juicy even after the long simmer in the sauce without the extra fat. The lower fat content still makes tender, flavorful meatballs because the fat that is there doesn’t really cook off." —Summer Miller, Contributor

  • Chipotle Meatballs

    Chipotle Meatballs in Sauce and Topped With Cilantro in a Blue Dish

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "These meatballs are excellent served with rice and/or tortillas. You could even serve the meatballs with spaghetti for a Tex Mex-ish version. They're quite spicy and best accompanied with something cooling like sour cream and thinly sliced lettuce." —Elise

  • Italian Meatball Soup

    Overhead view of a bowl of Italian meatball soup with a slice of bread and a spoon next to a plate of bread and bowl of parsley

    Simply Recipes/ Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek 

    "To minimize cleanup and add flavor, cook the meatballs directly in the pot before making the rest of the soup. I like to do this in two batches. I cook them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until they develop a "crust," transfer them to a plate, then proceed with the recipe, adding them back in when I add the liquids." —Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer

  • Turkey Meatballs with Tomatoes and Basil

    Turkey Meatballs with Tomatoes and Basil

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This recipe uses ground turkey thigh meat, which we are able to get at our local butcher. If you can get ground thighs, I recommend it. Not only will they be more moist because thigh meat is fattier than breast meat, but also more flavorful." —Elise

    Continue to 21 of 23 below

  • Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Pork and beef meatball recipe - blue and white bowl with meatballs and sauce

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "Either fresh mozzarella or low-moisture mozzarella (cut from a block of cheese or sticks) will work fine in this recipe, depending on what you can find in your market. The low-moisture cheese tends to be a bit oozier when it melts, but I’ve made these with both kinds of cheese." —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

  • Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

    Two bowls of albondigas soup, ready to eat

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

    "Use spearmint or Mexican yerba buena for the mint in this soup (not peppermint). If fresh mint is not available, you can use a couple teaspoons of dried mint from herbal mint tea." —Elise

  • Italian Meatballs

    Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce served in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We've used equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork. You could also use a third each of ground beef, pork, and veal." —Elise

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