The 32 Best Glazed, Sauced and Sandwiched Homemade Meatball Recipes

Meatballs

Meatballs are a classic Italian dish that have been remixed and reimagined every which way over the years—and in probably every country. There are miniature cocktail-size versions on toothpicks, made sticky with Asian sauces. There are giant-sized balls stuffed with more goodness inside. Then there are dishes made out of meatballs and we’re not just talking pasta. Think: meatball soups, pizza, casseroles, baked eggs and yes, grilled cheese layered with the protein bites.

There’s a reason why kids love them—adults too—and once you get the hang of making homemade meatballs, you’re bound to stop buying store-bought frozen meatballs altogether. Well, maybe not, but these 32 best meatball recipes might make you seriously consider it.

Related: 25 Crock-Pot Meatball Recipes That Make Themselves

Best Meatball Recipes

Behold our 31 very best meatball recipes, from turkey, chicken and ground beef meatballs, to Swedish and Italian. We’ve also included plenty of options for making everyone’s favorite ball gluten-free, in the air fryer, slow cooker and Crock Pot. There are easy meatball soups to choose from, obviously a lot of spaghetti with meatballs and tons of new flavors and spins to try, ranging from Thai and Moroccan, to Korean.

Browse through all these delicious recipes the next time you’re craving a meatball pasta bake, ramen with meatballs, or glazed mini meatballs on skewers for the ultimate party app!

Related: 41 Best Summer Appetizers & Recipes

Meatball Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is always a good idea, but sometimes the classic gets old—which is where Meatball Grilled Cheese comes into play.

Get the recipe: Meatball Grilled Cheese

Italian Baked Eggs & Meatballs

Make this one-pan meal for brunch or dinner, suggests Julia Foerster, a blogger at platedcravings.com. If you’re cutting back on red meat, substitute ground turkey for the beef.

Get the recipe: Italian Baked Eggs & Meatballs

Patricia Heaton’s Family Favorite Meatballs

You’ll love the way the aroma fills up the whole house on a cold winter day when you’re making these meatballs. Pro tip: Feel free to use a little more ground beef to make even more meatballs.

Get the recipe: Patricia Heaton’s Family Favorite Meatballs

Cherry-Glazed Turkey Cocktail Meatballs

The poultry-friendly flavor of stuffing makes for one scrumptious turkey meatball.

Get the recipe: Cherry-Glazed Turkey Cocktail Meatballs

Best Meatball Recipe

Nothing brings together a spaghetti dish like the best meatball recipe. Join Chef Jon Ashton as he unveils his secrets behind making easy, delicious, homemade meatballs from scratch with minimal cleanup.

Get the recipe: Best Meatball Recipe

Moroccan Meatballs with Herb Yogurt Sauce

Kefta—meatballs that are popular in North Africa and the Middle East—paired with yogurt sauce and butter lettuce leaves are an easy way to entertain, says Chef Andrew Zimmern. “It’s roll-your-own party food that I think makes for really fun eating.”

Get the recipe: Moroccan Meatballs with Herb Yogurt Sauce

Asian Meatballs with Apricot Chili Dip

These tasty bites from Chef Jon Ashton are perfect for tailgating or any get-together. You can form the meatballs and make the sauce up to a day ahead of time. When guests arrive, just bake the meatballs and heat up the sauce.

Get the recipe: Asian Meatballs with Apricot Chili Dip

Traditional Spanish Meatballs

Never had albondigas? This is a very traditional Spanish tapas dish where meatballs are usually served 3-4 in a dish, smothered with zesty tomato sauce and served with plenty of bread on the side to sop it all up.

Get the recipe: Traditional Spanish Meatballs

Carla Hall’s Chicken Meatloaf Balls

Chef Carla Hall, formerly co-host of The Chew, based this chicken meatloaf balls recipe from her cookbook Carla Hall’s Soul Food on the meatloaf her mother used to make.

Get the recipe: Carla Hall’s Chicken Meatloaf Balls

Mortadella Meatballs with Pistachio Sauce

Warning: This meatball recipe may just be your new favorite! And don’t even get us started on the Pistachio Sauce. You will definitely want to make extra sauce to keep on hand.

Get the recipe: Mortadella Meatballs with Pistachio Sauce

Classic Italian Meatballs

For a robust meal, serve up these classic meatballs with spaghetti and pasta sauce. On their own, they’re fit for a party as an appetizer.

Get the recipe: Classic Italian Meatballs

Kung Pao Meatballs

Let frozen meatballs do the heavy lifting in this quick and creative dish inspired by Kung Pao, a stir-fry made with chicken, peanuts, hot red chiles and a sweet sauce.

Get the recipe: Kung Pao Meatballs

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs

These Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs are extra special because they’re actually a two-for-one. They make a terrific appetizer—just set out some toothpicks next to the slow cooker and let your guests go nuts—or they can also be a simple weeknight supper!

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs

Crock Pot Italian Meatballs

Use this Crock Pot Italian Meatballs recipe for an easy meal during a busy holiday season, or turn them into yummy meatball sandwiches and subs.

Get the recipe: Crock Pot Italian Meatballs

Spaghetti & Meatball Nests

A classic pasta dish gets a new shape with these fun nests. Pro tip: make them in a muffin tin!

Get the recipe: Spaghetti & Meatballs

Meatball Pizza

This scrumptious—and filling—meatball pizza will put those hunger pangs at bay.

Get the recipe: Meatball Recipe

Banh Mi-Inspired Skillet Meatballs

Dress up frozen meatballs with this simple one-pan supper adapted from Cast Iron Gourmet by Megan Keno. A riff on a bahn mi sandwich, it starts with frozen pork meatballs.

Get the recipe: Bahn-Mi Inspired Skillet Meatballs

Cheesy Meatball and Orzo One-Dish Casserole

The joys of a single-pot recipe are hard to summarize. Well, that’s not quite true: the words “one-pot casserole” make most of us very happy. This recipe turns super-convenient frozen meatballs into a creamy, slightly cheese main dish, complete with the vegetables built right in.

Get the recipe: Cheesy Meatball and Orzo One-Dish Casserole

Avocado-Stuffed Meatballs

You may think stuffing meatballs with avocado would be difficult, but the secret is to use a very small amount. Be careful when folding over the edges to seal up the meatball, as the filling can seep out a bit. For an exotic flair, try using a tablespoon of minced preserved lemon rind in place of the lemon zest and juice.

Get the recipe: Avocado Stuffed Meatballs

Spicy Ramen With Pork Meatballs and Eggs

Miso, chile paste, soy sauce, ginger and garlic amp up store-bought chicken stock to give you a jump on a comforting bowl of ramen. Make the pork meatballs up to 3 days ahead, cool and refrigerate. Let them come to room temperature before adding them to your ramen bowl.

Get the recipe: Spicy Ramen With Pork Meatballs and Eggs

Asian-Style Ground Turkey Meatballs

Turkey is lower in calories and saturated fat than beef, making it a healthy alternative for these Asian-style, ground turkey meatballs.

Get the recipe: Asian-Style Ground Turkey Meatballs

Lazy Meatball Kebabs with Yogurt

Meatball skewers with a cool, creamy yogurt dipping sauce is a warm-weather appetizer idea that’s perfect for hot days. Bonus: They taste even better the next day.

Get the recipe: Lazy Meatball Kebabs with Yogurt

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs

This simple slow cooker recipe starts with frozen meatballs, making it a busy cook’s new best friend. With a simple beef and onion-based sauce that’s then made creamy with some sour cream, it has layers of flavor too! Serve over warm egg noodles and they make a full-meal deal.

Get the recipe: Crockpot Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs with Tomato-Mint Sauce

“We eat meatballs in the Tuscan manner, without pasta,” say husband-and-wife Cooking Channel stars chef Gabriele Corcos and actress Debi Mazar in their cookbook, Super Tuscan. “We’ll put out a platter of them, and before long, they disappear. Mint may be a surprising addition, but it really adds a fresh flavor.”

Get the recipe: Meatballs with Tomato-Mint Sauce

Frozen Pizza with Meatballs, Arugula and Fresh Veggies

Upgrade an unassuming frozen cheese pizza with a perfectly savory combo of toppings. This meatball pizza might be the best frozen pizza ever, with fresh red onion and arugula, pepperoncini peppers and Italian seasoning.

Get the recipe: Frozen Pizza with Meatballs, Arugula, and Fresh Veggies

Beef Bulgogi Meatballs

This recipe for beef bulgogi meatballs, from Everyday Korean by Kim Sunée and Seung Hee Lee, is a tasty spin on a familiar dish. Shape these into meatballs and serve with the dipping sauces along with lettuce leaves or steamed rice.

Get the recipe: Beef Bulgogi Meatballs

Ravioli & Meatball Soup with Garlic Bread Croutons

Even though this is technically a soup, it’s really a complete meal in one bowl. And the garlic bread crouton garnish will fill you up on a chilly fall day.

Get the recipe: Ravioli & Meatball Soup with Garlic Bread Croutons

Italian Meatball Soup

This is the ultimate feel-good weeknight meal. Filled with hearty meatballs, orzo, chopped carrots and fresh spinach, this soup requires minimal prep and is ready in just 30 minutes.

Get the recipe: Italian Meatball Soup

30-Minute Chicken Parmesan Meatball Poppers

It was only a matter of time before Chicken Parmesan was transformed into a meatball popper. Tender and flavorful ground chicken is combined with lots of herbs and Parmesan cheese and baked to perfection.

Get the recipe: 30-Minute Chicken Parmesan Meatball Poppers

Spicy-Sweet Cranberry Meatballs

You can make this spicy and sweet cranberry meatball appetizer up to two days ahead and refrigerate the meatballs in their sauce. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in a slow-cooker. The meatball mixture also makes great slider patties.

Get the recipe: Spicy-Sweet Cranberry Meatballs

Frozen Meatball Stroganoff

Meatball stroganoff is a classic comfort food recipe that’s easy to make and so satisfying, thanks to its hearty flavors. Today there are many versions of the recipe, like vegetarian mushroom stroganoff, or a budget-friendly ground beef stroganoff. In this shortcut version, frozen meatballs deliver the perfect time saver for the dinnertime favorite.

Get the recipe: Frozen Meatball Stroganoff

Spooky Eyeballs Casserole