These mini meatballs are a delicious appetizer you can whip up quickly, super yummy hot or cold. And heheheh if you change your mind, you can always make a tomato sauce, shape larger balls, and turn them into more traditional meatballs instead. But why would you? These bite-sized beauties are perfect just the way they are!
Now, I know what you’re thinking, this might seem like too basic of a recipe, almost too simple. But trust me, these are absolutely delicious in their simplicity. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that don’t try too hard. These mini meatballs are fantastic by themselves, but you can easily pair them with all kinds of sauces to create an amazing variety, from just ketchup or mayo, to curry sauces, tomato sauces, spicy sauces, mustard, cheese sauce, there’s a ton to choose from. This is just a creative way to make a snack or appetizer that works for pretty much any occasion.
In this case, I’m using both beef and pork, but you can absolutely make them with just one meat or the other, whatever you prefer or have on hand will work fine, let’s get to the recipe then! 😀
Easy Party Bite-Sized Mini Meatballs
Kinda love me these tiny morcells of meat, tender and juicy, good for any celebration, you can whip up a batch in a jiffy!
Ingredients
- Pork – 150g
- Beef – 150g
- Coriander – A Pinch
- Garlic – 3 Cloves
- Onion – 1 Small
- Breadcrumbs – 100g
- Egg – 1 Large
- Pepper – A Pinch
- Salt – A Pinch
- Olive Oil – Some Drizzles
- Olives – To Taste (Pitted)
Directions
- As with most meatballs, it is important to follow the quantities, but it is also important to check the consistency of the meatball mixture, as the ingredients can vary slightly in quality. Adjust with the egg and breadcrumbs until you achieve the desired consistency, which should be a thick mixture that you can easily shape into balls that hold themselves easily.
- Start by combining both meats in a bowl, followed by the chopped garlic, onion, and cilantro, and mix until you have a dough.
- Add the egg and breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and mix a little more until the dough is uniform.
- Now shape small balls, trying to make them all the same size (I went with golf ball size), and prepare a large non-stick frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
- Put the mini meatballs in the pan and fry them well on all sides until they are golden brown. When all sides are done, the inside will also be cooked (since they are pretty small).
- Remove from the heat and cut the olives in half. Stick a toothpick through half an olive and a mini meatball. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if necessary. And that’s it! Bon appétit!
Keep them small, about the size of a walnut or golf ball. They cook more evenly this way, and they’re the perfect bite size for parties.
Don’t overcrowd the pan! Give each meatball space to breathe, or they’ll steam instead of getting that beautiful golden crust. Work in batches if the pan is small.
The beef-pork combo gives you the best of both worlds, flavor from the beef, juiciness from the pork. But honestly, use what you have. All beef works great, all pork is delicious, even ground turkey or chicken if that’s your thing.
Not a cilantro fan? (I see you, cilantro-tastes-like-soap people!) Swap it for parsley or just leave it out entirely. These are your meatballs, make them your way.
These are fantastic at room temperature, which makes them perfect for parties. You can make them ahead, and they’ll still be delicious when your guests arrive.
Like I mentioned, these are amazing with just about any sauce. Set up a little sauce station at your party with 3-4 different options and watch people go wild trying different combinations. My personal favorite? A good spicy mayo or a tangy mustard sauce is a must! ;D
This recipe for Easy Party Bite-Sized Mini Meatballs was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Mini Almôndegas de Carne foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.
Nutrition
Per Serving: 65.2 calories; 4.2 g fat; 3.7 g carbohydrates; 3.1 g protein.Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out for you! What are your go-to appetizers for a party? You can leave a comment below ;D
