How to Make Mini Meatballs

First mix up your favorite meatball mixture. We like to make mini meatballs with a mixture of lean ground beef, onions, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Add a little less bread crumbs or bread then you would typically use and make sure any chunky ingredients like onions are minced or cut into very small chunks.

Then sprinkle a cutting board or counter with bread crumbs.
Using about 3/4 cup of meat, roll out a long tube of the meat, coating it in the bread crumbs.


Using a sharp knife, cut it in to roughly 1/2 inch pieces.

Place in a large mesh strainer and sprinkle with more bread crumbs.

Gently toss the meatballs in the crumbs. I suggest doing this over a bowl so you can reuse the excess crumbs on the rest of the meatballs (throw any leftover crumbs out when you are completely finished). After a minute or so, the meatballs should become round and lightly coated on all sides with crumbs. Repeat until all of the meat is gone.

Bake or broil until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve as is, simmer in sauce or add to soup.

My thoughts:

This is a really easy way to make dozens of tiny meatballs for soup, pizza, calzones, without having to roll each one by hand. We made 2 lbs of 1/2 inch round meatballs (used some, froze the rest) in just about 20 minutes.

15 Comments

  1. Ooh – great idea with the tossing in a sieve to both roll and coat!

  2. You’re brilliant! I love this idea. I love meatballs, but hate to stand there and roll them.

  3. What a smart thing to do! Thanks so much for the tip!

  4. Thanks so much!

  5. Well Rachel, you know I think this is brilliant, since I gave you a special post over at fracas… but I thought I’d say it here too.

    No need for you to blush, it’s well deserved!

  6. What a genius idea!
    I seldom make meatballs because of the time-consuming rolling process.
    I think I might give this process a try soon.

  7. What a great technique! Thank you! I am definately going to try this next time I make meatballs (which is fairly often!) 🙂

  8. Wow, thanks for the fabulous tip! Just the *idea* of squishing up all those little meatballs one at a time makes me want a (need?) drink.

  9. Excellent tips!

  10. Personally, it’s the pink cutting boards that caught my eye!

  11. Got some in the oven now…..yummy

  12. You’re a genius. I love wedding soup but absolutely hate making the mini meatballs. You’ve just saved me hours. Thanks

  13. You can also use a cookie scoop to make meatballs; probably a small or medium one works best.

  14. Actually, M, that doesn’t work nearly as well, the meatballs still need to be individually shaped by hand to make them round when you use a scoop.

  15. What a great tip. Thank you!
    4everafoodie