How to cook meatballs with gravy?

Meatballs is a multi-functional 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 with grated cheese. And, finally, you can always make them in advance and freeze them, so that you can spend only 30 minutes cooking dinner: warm up the products themselves and make a sauce for them.

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

Option with mixed forcemeat and marinara sauce

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

• 250 grams of minced beef;
• 250 grams of minced pork;
• 250 grams of veal minced meat;
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten;
• 1/4 cup grated cheese (parmesan);
• 4 garlic cloves, carefully chopped and fried;
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs;
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped;
• freshly ground salt and pepper;
• 1 cup 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, in their own canned juice;
• 1 bay leaf;
• 1 small bunch of parsley;
• red pepper flakes;
• freshly ground salt and pepper;
• 6 basil leaves, chopped.

How to do it?

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

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat and put the meat balls in it. Let them fry on all sides until golden brown, but not until fully cooked. It takes 10-15 minutes. Prepare gravy at this time.

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

Swedish version

Surely everyone will remember the tale of 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 such an additional ingredient as Worcestershire sauce.

This dish can be cooked in just 30 minutes and is ideal for saturating a hungry family on a weekday evening. For garnish, you can use mashed potatoes or rice. For cooking you will need:

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

How to cook it?

A step-by-step recipe for meatballs with gravy is as follows. In a medium-sized bowl, mix ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, salt and an egg. Mix until combined.

Blind 12 large or 20 small meatballs. In a large saucepan, combine olive oil and 1 tablespoon of creamy butter. Add the meatballs and fry them until they turn 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 pan and beat until the mass turns brown. Stir slowly with beef broth and cream. Add Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard and boil, then simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Put salt and pepper. Put meat balls there and simmer meatballs with gravy in a pan for another 1-2 minutes. Serve with egg noodles or rice.

Option with Tomato Sauce

Meatballs with fresh tomato gravy are also great for any table. This recipe requires the use of the following ingredients:

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

Tomato sauce:

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

Cooking process

Step-by-step recipe for meatballs with gravy next. You should start by making meat balls. Combine ground beef, ricotta cheese, egg, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmigiano cheese, salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly until the ingredients are smooth. Use your hands to form meatballs in the form of small balls, and then give them an even shape.

In a large frying pan, heat extra virgin olive oil and fry the onions until translucent. Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil. Put salt and pepper, then reduce heat. Place raw meatballs in the sauce and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Serve on the table with or without a garnish.

Option of sausages

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

• 500 grams of Italian grilled sausages (raw);
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of garlic-flavored oil;
• 4-6 onions, finely chopped;
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano;
• 1/4 cup white wine or vermouth;
• 1 kg of canned tomatoes in its own juice;
• 2 leaves of laurel;
• salt and pepper;
• chopped fresh parsley (optional).

Cooking

Squeeze the sausage meat from the shells, rub well and mix with the egg. Fashion small meatballs from the mass.

Heat the oil in a large baking pan or on a baking sheet with high edges, fold the meatballs into it and bake until golden brown. Then add onions and oregano and mix gently. Pour in wine or vermouth and put diced tomatoes, then add a little juice from them from a jar.

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. Such 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 option

Such gravy meatballs have a rather original taste. It is believed that this is an ancient Chinese dish that was served on the tables of emperors. To prepare it, you will need:

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

For gravy:

• 100 grams of peanut butter (unsweetened);
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth;
• 350 grams of Beijing cabbage, cut into pieces;
• 3 dried Chinese mushrooms or shiitake;
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce;
• 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water;
• sea ​​salt;
• white pepper;
• 2 bunches of green onion, chopped;
• 350 grams of round grain rice;
• 600 grams of water.

How to cook it?

Place ground beef, rice wine, garlic, chives, eggs, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, corn starch, salt and white pepper in a large bowl to combine all the ingredients into a single mass. With wet hands, blind small round meatballs.

Pour peanut butter into a large deep saucepan and heat at high temperature. Using a metal bucket, carefully dip each meatball into oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour 2 tablespoons of table oil into a heatproof bowl. Add vegetable stock, stir. Spread the leaves of Beijing cabbage throughout the dishes, then put the meatballs and mushrooms, pour in the soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Add a suspension of corn starch with water and stir until the sauce thickens.

While the meatballs are cooking, cook the rice. To do this, put it in water, cover and cook at high temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a very low level and cook for another 3 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated. Remove the pan from the stove and, using a spatula, lay the rice on the serving plates or on a common dish.

Remove the pot of meatballs from the heat, season the sauce with salt and white pepper to taste, add slices of green onions. Put the finished dish on rice and mix. Serve the meatballs with rice and gravy immediately. You can not add any of the spices or replace them with another ingredient if desired.

Italian version

The Italian recipe involves cooking meatballs with gravy in the oven. Stuffing complements the aromatic 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 of chopped tomatoes;
• 3/4 cup chicken stock;
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes;
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, oregano);
• 1 teaspoon of salt + 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 of fresh parsley, finely chopped;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 tablespoon grated hard cheese;
• salt, black pepper;
• some olive oil.

To submit:

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

How to cook such a dish?

Preheat the 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 from the oven and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Put 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. Put the bread and onions in a large bowl. Mix so that the onion juice is absorbed into the bread, set aside for 3 minutes. The bread should soak; if this does not happen, add some milk or water. Put minced meat and all remaining ingredients. Use your hands to make small, even balls. Place the meatballs on a rack with a rack so that they are located above the sauce pan. Sprinkle olive oil on all sides. Bake in this form for about 5-8 minutes. During this time, the meatballs will be covered with a golden brown, and the meat juice will drain into the gravy. After that, move the meatballs from the rack into 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 goods, which are usually harder than fried in a pan. 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 a similar amount of boiled rice, which also contributes to the softness of the product.

Pork is more fat than beef, so it helps make meatballs more juicy. However, it is advisable to use no more than 100 grams of minced pork, because it is not as tasty and fragrant as beef. If you want to cook low-fat meatballs in the oven with gravy according to the recipes mentioned above, you can use only beef, without mixing with anything.

In the oven with tomato sauce

These meatballs are served with garlic bread. To prepare them you will need:

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

How to cook such meatballs?

Preheat the oven to 220 ° C. Stir the minced meat, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, oregano and basil in a large bowl. Form 12 balls.

Further, the recipe for meatballs with gravy should be performed as follows. Heat the butter in a baking dish, put the meatballs in one layer. Fry on the stove, turning, for 5 minutes or until crusty. Add tomato sauce, bring to a boil. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake without covering for 15-20 minutes. Then garnish with basil leaves. Serve with garlic bread.

Another variant of meatballs in tomato sauce

In the above recipes, it was indicated that pork is added to ground beef for juiciness. But what if you add bacon? Then you can cook the original meatballs. For such a dish you will need the following components:

• 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 ​​salt, black pepper.

For tomato sauce:

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

On the side dish:

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

Cooking meatballs in tomato

The recipe for step by step meatballs with gravy in the oven is as follows. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add onions and bacon, and carefully fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add oregano or marjoram before finishing frying. Transfer the contents of the pan to a large bowl and let cool. Add all remaining meatball ingredients and mix with a spoon. Blind balls the size of a large walnut and lay them on a plate.

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

Prepare a shallow, heat-resistant dish that allows you to lay meatballs in one layer. Heat the butter in it over moderate heat, fry the meat balls on all sides. Put them in tomato sauce and mix.

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

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

When the dish is ready, boil the pasta in a large pot of salt water. Drain the water, put the paste in a pan and lightly fry with oil. Arrange on serving plates, pour garlic and basil sauce. Put meatballs on top in tomato sauce and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.