Balls of Meat

These are literally the easiest homemade meatballs ever. I promise you can make these no matter how lazy or tired you feel. The “recipe” is ridiculous because it just requires mixing some ground meat with a few spices. I am too lazy to even add egg or breadcrumbs into this one.

I mix the meat directly in the container it came in because why dirty a bowl? I add a few simple spices, loosely shape the meatballs, saute them in a pot quickly on each side, pour a jar of sauce over them, and finish in the sauce. Everything is cooked in one pot so there is barely any cleanup.

Since the meatballs finish cooking in the sauce, it seasons them, keeps them tender, and gives the sauce even more flavor. Once they’re done, you can turn the heat all the way down and leave the pot on the stove until everyone finally gets home from school, sports, work and the approximately 100 other activities happening that day.

Serve them with pasta, tucked into a meatball sandwich or alongside some vegetables and crusty bread. Everyone can grab dinner whenever they’re ready which, in my house, is rarely at the same time.

I literally make these as least once a week with any ground meat or poultry that I have waiting in the fridge.

Sometimes the best family dinner isn’t the one that requires the most effort. It’s the one waiting in the pot when everyone walks through the door. It’s real-life dinner for real-life families and it truly does not get much easier than this.

Laura Burak MS, RDN

Balls of Meat

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb. 85-93% ground beef or ground chicken or turkey
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 medium jar quality marinara sauce such as Rao’s, Victoria, Paesana or Carbone
• Extra virgin olive oil or spray for pan

Equipment

• 1 large pot with lid

Method

 

1. Mix meat with spices and form into any size balls. (8-12)
2. Heat a large pot on high heat and drizzle or spray with oil.
3. Add the balls and sauté for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Add the jar of sauce to the pot and turn the heat down to low.
5. Put the lid on the pot and finish cooking for at least 10-15 minutes.
6. Serve with or over any veggies, pasta, rice, potatoes or any side dishes you prefer.

Notes

If divided into 4 servings (2-3 meatballs each), this recipe is estimated to have ~320 calories, ~25 grams of protein and ~3.5 grams of fiber using ground white meat turkey in the calculation and Rao’s Marinara sauce.