Meatballs are one of the most versatile sources of proteins whenever we don’t need to go heavy on meat. They are meaty but give us the real satisfaction of a great meal without the overwhelming feeling. So, in this article, we will share a super delicious, juicy, and spicy meatball recipe that will tantalize your senses!
The best thing about this recipe is that we will use homemade meatballs instead of pre-made ones. Freshly made meatballs will be sauced up in a decadent tomato gravy to bring you the goodness of a complete home-cooked meal. Let’s get started!
Super Flavorful Spicy Meatball Recipe
Our irresistible spicy meatball recipe comes out wonderfully because we will combine beef and pork. The sauce we’re making has spices and a creamy base which is ideal to enjoy with pasta, spaghetti, rice-you name it!
Spicy Meatball Recipe
8
servings20
minutes30
minutes1
hourKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- Spices & Herbs For Meatballs
3 cloves 3 Garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp 1/2 Black pepper (ground)
1/2 tsp 1/2 Onion powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 Cayenne pepper powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 Chili powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 Sweet paprika
1 tbsp 1 Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- Other Ingredients For Meatballs
1 lb 1 Ground beef (Lean – 85/15 fat content)
1 lb 1 Ground pork
3 slices 3 Bread (crusts discarded, diced)
2/3 cup 2/3 Cold water
1/3 cup 1/3 Parmesan cheese
1 1 Large Egg
1 tsp 1 Sea salt
2 tbsp 2 Olive oil
- Spices & Herbs For The Sauce
1 tbsp 1 Garlic (minced)
2 tsp 2 Fresh Ginger (minced)
2 tsp 2 Red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp 1/2 Black pepper (ground)
1/4 tsp 1/4 Chili powder
1/4 tsp 1/4 Cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp 1 Dried Oregano
2 2 Bay leaves (dried)
- Other Ingredients For The Sauce
28 oz 28 Crushed tomatoes (1 can)
1/4 cup 1/4 Cooking cream
1 1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
1 1/2 cup 1 1/2 Hot water
1/2 tsp 1/2 Sugar
1/4 tsp 1/4 Sea salt
- To Serve
Pasta/ Spaghetti/ Rice/ Flatbread
Equipment
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Large Skillet
Spoons
Directions
- Making The Meatballs
- Combine the diced bread with 2/3 cup of cold water, in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix well and let the water absorb into the bread, leaving the mixture for about 5 minutes.
- After the bread is soaked enough, mix it with a fork until you get an applesauce-like consistency. Mash until no large lumps remain.
- Into this bread mixture, add the minced beef, and pork along with the egg, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, chopped parsley, black pepper, onion powder, chili powder, sweet paprika, and cayenne pepper powder.
- Combine everything using your hands until all the ingredients come together very well. Avoid overmixing or your meat mixture will become mushy.
- Use the ice cream scoop to portion the meatballs on a lined baking sheet.
- Wet your hands with some water and roll each portion of meat into 1 1/2-inch balls.
- Heat olive oil In a skillet over medium heat.
- Once the oil becomes hot, place the rolled meatballs one at a time. Give enough space for the meatballs to cook so it would be best to work in batches.
- Cook the meatballs, searing them for about 2 minutes per side or until browned and done.
- This whole process may take 8-10 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and make the sauce.
- You may even bake the meatballs. Check the notes for instructions.
- To Make The Sauce
- Put in the chopped onions to the same skillet and let it stir-fry for about two minutes. Add more olive if the pan is too dry to saute the onions.
- Once the onions are slightly browned and translucent, add the minced garlic, ginger, and bay leaves.
- Stir fry these ingredients until aromatic for a few seconds. Follow up with crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper powder, dried oregano, sugar, and salt.
- Cook everything, stirring, for about two more minutes or until the sauce thickens. Once the mixture starts to thicken, add 1 1/2 cups of hot water.
- Close the skillet lid and let the sauce cook until it comes to a thick, but pouring consistency.
- Add the meatballs, mix well, and cook until the meatballs are well soaked in the sauce and turn tender.
- Now, stir in the cooking cream and mix well again. Do the taste check and add any seasonings at this stage if needed.
- Enjoy with spaghetti, pasta, rice, or anything else you want!
Tasty Notes and Suggestions by SpiceRally
- You can bake or air-fry the meatballs instead of frying them. For baking, place the rolled meatballs and bake at 400 F for 20-23 minutes. Broil for about 2 more minutes for golden brown meatballs. You can also air-fry them for 12-18 minutes at 375 F flipping them halfway through.
- For less spiciness, you can skip any spices used in the meatballs and proceed with the basic ones (black pepper and garlic).
- Do not skip the bread as it brings incredible juiciness to your meatballs.
- Although we have a combination of beef and pork in our recipe, you can go with whatever protein you like.
- It is important that you don’t overcrowd your meatballs, especially when baking. Keep plenty of space (about 2 inches) between the meatballs on the baking sheet. Overcrowding meatballs can cause them to steam cook without getting a good sear.
- You can store the leftover meatballs in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two days.
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If you wish to make a bigger batch of meatballs, this recipe is a great one to make ahead of time as you can freeze them uncooked or cooked. To freeze, first arrange the rolled meatballs as a single layer on a lined baking sheet, cover loosely with a cling wrap, and then freeze for a few hours until solid. Then, put them in a ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. The frozen meatballs should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. Reheat or cook them as desired!
If not incorporating them with the tomato sauce in this recipe, you can simmer with marinara sauce, incorporate the uncooked meatballs with any soup you like, pour warm barbeque sauce over the cooked meatballs and serve as an appetizer, use cooked, chopped meatballs as a pizza topping in calzones or place the cooked meatballs with tomato sauce in hoagie rolls, top with mozzarella cheese, and broil to have decadent meatball subs!
We have included bread when making the meatballs, which makes it unsuitable for keto dieters. But you may still use rolled oats or almond flour instead of the bread to get the desired texture and make them keto-friendly.
We have not included any gluten-related ingredients in our recipe. Therefore, this dish is a favorable option for those who follow a gluten-free diet or those with Celiac issues.
