Italian Sausage Meatballs

These are the simplest, most unfussy meatballs I have ever made. And they are really delicious! You put everything into one bowl. Mix. Form balls and bake. Because there is such a high fat content in the sausage the baked meatballs come out perfectly moist. Usually I would prefer to fry a meatball in olive oil and generally make with all beef or a mixture of beef and pork. Occasionally I make chicken balls.

Out of the oven, cooling on a rack. These meatballs also freeze very well.

As with all recipes take liberties to swap out ingredients that you prefer. You can change up the cheeses or add different herbs. I’ve made them a couple of times now and the only changes I have made were to swap out onion in the first batch for shallots. I used fresh mozzarella the first time and switched for whole milk mozzarella shreds the second; so not really much difference in taste or texture. My basil this year is happily out of control and I just made a huge batch of basil pesto. Next time I will add a tablespoon of pesto to the meatball mixture.

Sausage with casings removed.

I used 19 oz. of sausage; that’s a 5 link pack of Johnsonville Sweet Italian sausage. If you like things a little spicier, add some hot Italian sausage. Start by slicing each link with a sharp knife and the casing will easily peel off.

Click on the photos to enlarge. 

Next chop either onion or shallot to make 1/2 cup. I think leek would be excellent, as well. Mince 2 cloves of garlic to make about 2 Tbsp. Rough chop 1 cup of spinach.

Add all ingredients including 1/2 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella to a bowl and using your hands gently mix all together. Do not over mix or the meatballs can get tough. Form small hors d’oeuvre size balls or make them big and add to pasta with a rich, Italian red sauce for a whole meal.

Another bonus with this recipe is you can make a day in advance. Once you have formed the meatballs, put them in the refrigerator covered tightly with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before cooking the next day.

Bake them in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Cook time will depend on the size of your meatballs, but cook until golden brown and cooked through. They should reach about 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

I love making a big fuss in the kitchen,

but sometimes easy and simple is the way to go!

…especially on game day. These make a great football snack.

Print Pin

Italian Sausage Meatballs

Moist, flavorful and very easy to make.

Ingredients

• 19 oz. Sweet Italian sausage One package Johnsonville.
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Either fresh or shredded.
• 1/2 cup Parmesan I always prefer grating your own.
• 1 cup Spinach, rough chopped, big stems removed
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 cup Onion Or shallot or leek.
• 2 Cloves garlic to equal about 2 Tbsp.
• 1/4 tsp. Salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Using your hands, mix together all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly, but gently to keep the meatballs from getting tough. Form into little balls for hors d'oeuvres or larger balls for a dinner. Larger balls will take longer to bake.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (for little balls) until golden brown and cooked through. Internal temp should be about 160 degrees.

Notes

These meatballs freeze well. Once they are formed, layer the meatballs on a baking sheet and flash freeze. Once frozen, put them into a freezer bag. The flash freezing keeps them from sticking together. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.