Quick and Easy Meatballs
Is there anything better than a simple yet well done meatball? I love a good spaghetti and meatballs. Everyone makes them differently, from the seasonings, to the meats, to the method of cooking used to make them. Though I appreciate a traditional Italian meatball with some pork in it, I personally like an all-beef meatball.
You will need...
- Ground Beef, 2 lbs
- 2% Milk, 1/3 C
- Oats, 1/2 C
- Parmesan cheese, shredded, 1/2 C
- Dried Oregano, 1 T
- Dried Basil, 1 T
- Garlic Powder, 1 T
- Dried Chopped Onion, 1 T
- Dried Red Pepper Flakes, 1 tsp
- Salt, 1.5 tsp
- Ground Black Pepper, 1 tsp
*Note: seasonings can be adjusted to your personal preference. My husband loves pepper so I actually add a bit more to the recipe.
First, add the milk to the oats. Let sit for about 5 minutes so the oats soak up the milk. You want the oats to be wet, not soupy. If you need more milk, add slowly.
*Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
First in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients together. This is best done using your hands so you can be sure all ingredients are evenly dispersed.
If you find the mixture a bit dry, you can add some olive oil to moisten it. If you are using beef that is less than an 80-20 fat ratio, I would add some. To this recipe, we added about 2 tablespoons.
Next, if you have one, use a portion scoop to scoop out some of the meat mixture. This ensures that all meatballs are the same size (which makes for easier cooking). Roll the portion into a ball and set aside on a plate.
I like a good browning on the meatballs, so I sear them in a pan on the stove for a few minutes until they are browned. Then, I place them on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Bake them in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
Finally, serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy! You can also make a few extra and freeze them once they are cooled down. Then when you are ready to eat the meatballs, take them out of the freezer and heat them up in a pot of sauce for about 10 minutes and they're good as new!