Meatballs without Breadcrumbs

5 from 2 votes

Delicious homemade meatballs without breadcrumbs! They're made from ground beef mixed with tasty spices and herbs. You can enjoy them for dinner by themselves or with your preferred sauce.

Prep Time25

Cook Time8

Course: Appetizers, Beef, Pork and Lamb, Meat Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: meatballs

Calories: 87kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

1 large frying pan or cast-iron skillet
1 large bowl

Ingredients

½ lb ground beef 250 g, Notes 1, 2
½ lb ground pork 250 g
1 small onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves grated
1 large egg
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder Notes 2, 3
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided

Instructions

Sauté onion: Chop the onion finely. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pan and sauté the onion on medium heat until translucent and only lightly golden. Remove the pan from the heat and let the onion cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (You will use the same pan to fry the meatballs).
1 small onion + 1 tablespoon oil
Combine ground meat, lightly beaten egg, grated garlic, chopped parsley, salt, paprika, thyme, pepper, and onions in a large bowl.
½ lb ground beef/ 250 g + ½ lb ground pork/ 250 g + 2 garlic cloves + 1 large egg + 2 tablespoons parsley + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder + ½ teaspoon thyme + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Form 16 – 18 meatballs.
Cook meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan. Fry the meatballs in two batches without overcrowding the pan. Let the meatballs cook without touching them for a while until the bottom turns brown. Then, use tongs or a spatula to gently flip the meatballs so they cook and get brown on all sides. You might need to turn them a few times to ensure they cook evenly. Cook them for about 8 minutes or until cooked through.
If required, add a bit more oil for the second batch.
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Check: To ensure the meatballs are thoroughly cooked, you can use a meat th

Notes

Ground meat: A mixture of beef and pork.
You can use only beef that is not too lean; aim for medium, meaning 20% fat and 80% lean meat; otherwise, the meatballs might be too dry. Or you can use only ground pork.
Paprika powder: Make sure you use good-quality paprika, the best brand you can afford. It does make a difference when it comes to paprika; cheap paprika tastes only of dust.
For a spicier kick, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika powder with smoked or hot paprika powder. Or you can add a little cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.

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