9 Meatball Recipes for the Juiciest, Most Perfect Bites

We've got Italian-American classics, Mexican comfort food, weeknight go-tos, cocktail party favorites, and more.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Editor
Mimi Young is an editor and pastry chef. She has also curated and written numerous recipe roundups for Serious Eats.
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Published May 06, 2025
OVerhead view of meatballs

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

These days, I'm all about meal prepping on the weekends to get me through the busy work week, and one of my new favorite staples I've added to the rotation is meatballs—of all varieties. Last week, I made Southeast Asian-style turkey meatballs with ginger, lemongrass, and fish sauce that I added to rice noodle soup, ate with rice in lettuce wraps, and turned into banh mi for a fast lunch. This week I'm thinking about herby lamb meatballs, maybe stuffed into pitas, turned into a Greek "burrito," or just served with fragrant rice and vegetables.

What I like about making meatballs from scratch, aside from the relatively easy prep (and not slogging through Costco-sized bags of the premade frozen stuff), is that I can use whatever ground meat (or faux meat) and aromatics that strike my fancy. To keep things interesting, I've curated a list of excellent meatball recipes from Serious Eats—including super juicy and tender Italian-American meatballs with tomato sauce, comforting Mexican meatball soup, and legit Swedish meatballs—so you'll never get bored or run out of ideas about what to make for dinner...or your next cocktail party. Now let's get rolling!

  • Sopa de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

    Overhead view of Mexican Albondigas in a bowl with pot and water

    Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

    "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" might also be an apt description of sopa de albóndigas, because it's the kind of comforting meal you want when it's gray and rainy outside or you're feeling under the weather. In this version of the Mexican meatball soup, savory meatballs are simmered in a flavorful broth along with a medley of fresh vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. Unlike in Italian-American style meatballs, uncooked rice is used to bind the meat mixture in albóndigas, resulting in meatballs with a pleasantly bouncy texture.

  • Herby Lamb Meatballs

    meatballs on top of yogurt with fresh herbs and lemon wedges on a platter. Side of sparkling water and green napkin on the side

    Serious Eats / Jen Causey

    Higher in fat with a richer, more complex flavor than other types of meat, ground lamb is excellent for meatballs. Developed by our Birmingham-based test kitchen colleague Renu Dhar, these tender, juicy lamb meatballs are full of fragrant spices, onion, and fresh herbs, with a flavor profile inspired by Greek keftedes. Creamy, herby yogurt-feta sauce provides a cooling counterpoint to the rich meatballs.

  • Easy Weeknight Meatballs

    OVerhead view of meatballs in tomato sauce

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    While we love Daniel's superb Italian-American meatball recipe, it's an undertaking better saved for weekends or when you have more time to cook. Thank goodness he developed this simplified version that comes together quickly—exactly what you want on a busy weeknight. Pared down to a handful of core techniques, this recipe delivers meatballs that are tender, juicy, and packed with flavor.

  • Vietnamese-Style Chicken Meatballs With Ginger and Mint

    Vietnamese chicken meatballs surround by condiments and lettuce leaves

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    I love meals that look fancy but are actually quick and easy to throw together, like these umami-packed Vietnamese-style chicken meatballs served with lettuce wraps, pickled vegetables, and assorted ready-made condiments. It takes all of 30 minutes to quickly sauté the fresh aromatics, form and pan-fry the football-shaped meatballs to a deep golden brown, and finish them off with a caramelized sticky glaze.

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  • Iowa Ham Balls

    Overhead view of plated ham balls

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

    Go to any cocktail party or social gathering in Iowa, and you'll likely find some family rendition of this beloved regional favorite. In Jed Portman's version of Iowa ham balls, crumbled Ritz crackers help bind the pork mixture together and add a buttery flavor that complements the ham. He also swaps out whole milk with buttermilk to lighten and brighten the traditionally rich, heavy mixture with a hit of acidity, and replaces ketchup with condensed tomato soup to thicken the glaze and add umami to the dish.

  • Hoisin-Glazed Cocktail Meatballs

    Hoisin-glazed cocktail meatballs on a white porcelain plate. There is a glass bowl of dipping sauce with a metal spoon on the plate.
    Serious Eats / Mariel De La Cruz

    Perfectly juicy and flavored with garlic and ginger, and glazed with a sticky, tangy hoisin sauce that captures the sweet-and-savory elements of classic cocktail meatballs, these are just the kind of snack I envision munching while holding a martini in one hand. A mixture of ground pork and beef ensures that the meatballs stay moist, while panko and egg keeps them tender.

  • The Best Italian-American Meatballs

    Parmesan cheese being grated over Italian-American meatballs in red sauce

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Light, tender, highly seasoned, and very, very juicy is our platonic ideal of an Italian-American meatball—the stuff dreams and world-class meatball sandwiches are made of. To achieve this, make a panade of buttermilk-soaked fresh bread to add moisture and plenty of aromatics for depth of flavor, along with minced pancetta and gelled stock to deliver absurdly juicy meatballs. You can go all out with Kenji's slow-cooked red sauce or keep it simple with a quick and easy version like the one we use for our no-fuss weeknight meatballs.

  • Swedish Meatballs With Rich Gravy

    Swedish meatballs and gravy plated with potatoes and lingonberry jam

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    I'm ashamed to admit I'd never tasted a scratch-made Swedish meatball until a Swedish chef I worked with made them for a special event—they were worlds apart from what I'd been having at IKEA. Our version uses a two-to-one ratio of beef to pork to create rich and flavorful meatballs with just the right balance of springiness and spear-with-a-toothpick tenderness. Lavished with a rich gravy, they leave IKEA's in the dust.

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  • Chinese Lion's Head Pork Meatballs With Vermicelli and Cabbage

    Lion's Head meatballs with vermicelli and cabbage in a white clay pot

    Serious Eats / Shao Z.

    As a child, I was infinitely fascinated by the fantastical names of some Chinese dishes, like "ants crawling up a tree" or "Lion's Head." Not gonna lie, I was a little disappointed when the Lion's head turned out to be a giant meatball, but I was instantly won over by its rich flavor and meltingly tender texture. For this rendition of the Shanghai classic, a combination of minced fatty pork, ground pork, and mashed tofu delivers moist meatballs, while minced water chestnuts add crunch to every bite.

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