Meatball Recipe Without Breadcrumbs

The meatballs are great with or without the glaze, but since it’s so easy to make the glaze, I usually make it. Whenever I’m short on time, or not sure what to make for dinner, I take a package of vacuum-sealed ground beef out of the fridge - I always have a few since they keep for so long - and make these tasty and easy meatballs. I’m a big fan of baking. It’s a hands-off cooking method that requires far less attention and vigilance than frying. I quite detest frying and try to do it as seldom as possible. So these no-breadcrumbs meatballs are perfect.

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need

For the meatballs:

Lean ground beef: I use a mixture of 85% lean meat and 15% fat. Leaner than that is too dry, in my opinion. Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use, or the meatballs could turn out too salty. Spices: Garlic powder and onion powder. Make sure they are fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish. Grated Parmesan cheese: Make sure you use finely grated parmesan and not coarsely shredded.

For the sauce:

Maple syrup: Or use a sugar-free alternative if you prefer. Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative. Spices: Garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Instructions

How to make meatballs without breadcrumbs? It’s so easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: Mix together the meatball ingredients and form them into meatballs. Bake them for 15 minutes at 400°F. For juicy meatballs, make sure you don’t overbake them. Gently heat the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Add the meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat. That’s it!

Frequently asked questions

Variations and substitutions

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

You can use extra-lean ground beef if you’d like, keeping in mind that the meatballs won’t be as flavorful.You can also try experimenting with ground chicken, pork, or turkey.Tasty spices you could add include paprika and dried thyme - try 1 teaspoon paprika and ½ teaspoon of thyme.Instead of the parmesan, you can use ¼ cup of almond flour.

Recommended side dishes

These meatballs are so versatile, you can serve them with any side dish you can think of. I like to serve them on top of cauliflower rice, to absorb the yummy sauce. And then I like to add a green veggie, such as any of the following:

Microwave broccoliRoasted asparagusRoasted green beans

Storing leftovers

Leftovers of this recipe are great, gently reheated in the microwave on 50% power, or even cold. You can keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They also freeze well. I actually enjoy them cold. One of my favorite lunches is a plate of cold leftover meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, Dijon mustard, fresh-cut veggies, and quick pickles.

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