Meatloaf Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 cup no sugar added ketchup
- 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
- sweetener of choice, to taste see note below
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 med onion, diced and sautéed in butter until soft
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup fresh tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup almond flour or your fav breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Sauce
- Mix everything together and set aside.
Meatballs
- Gently mix above meatball ingredients until just combined. Using a small cookie scoop, form meatballs.
- Place formed meatballs on parchment lined baking sheet at 400° for 20 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from oven, brush on sauce. Return to oven for approximately 15-20 or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Meatloaf Meatballs are a quick and easy spin on a classic meatloaf! It’s comfort and nostalgia in one bite, especially when rolled into perfect little pillows of goodness. Easy to make and even easier to eat, they are perfectly tender with lovely tangy sauce!
Try these meatloaf meatballs now and add them to your regular rotation. You won't regret it. Promise!
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Meatloaf Meatballs are a fun twist on a classic comfort food recipe. It's meatloaf, but in a tiny package. They're so easy to make and they're even easier to enjoy.
I love to make them for lunch on the weekends, but they're also fantastic for dinner on busy weeknights. My kids adore them and my husband likes to take the leftovers to work. It's a win-win!
What You'll Need
- Ketchup and Mustard - The main components of the tangy meatloaf meatball sauce.
- Sweetener of Choice - For the sauce. Anything from monk fruit sweetener to brown sugar will work.
- Ground Beef and Ground Pork- My preferred proteins for the meatballs. One for the beefy flavor and the other for richness.
- Onion - Sautéed in butter to give a savory sweetness. I don't think I can have meatloaf meatballs without onion. You can also use green onion or shallot here.
- Eggs - As the binder.
- Fresh Tomatoes - Keeps the meatloaf meatballs moist and adds great flavor. I love, love using fresh, but canned will also work. If using canned, just make sure you drain the tomatoes first.
- Almond Flour - As a binder. Can also use oats, breadcrumbs, or even
- Tomato Paste - For richness and flavor. Not necessarily for tomato flavor, but it really does enrich the recipe.
- Worcestershire sauce - Adds umami and depth of flavor to the meatloaf meatballs.
- Granulated garlic - I don't think I can cook without this. Garlic in any form would be great.
- Kosher salt and Fresh ground pepper - Basics and must-haves for seasoning.
How To Make Them
This recipe is so very simple. I'll give you the brief rundown here, but the specifics will live the recipe card below. All you have to do is:
- Make the sauce.
- Make the meatballs and parbake them.
- Brush on the sauce and finish cooking.
- That. Is. It.
Told ya it was easy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Feel free to use your favorite ground protein for these meatloaf meatballs. Ground chicken, turkey, or even pork are great.
- If you don't want to use almond flour, you can use oatmeal, breadcrumbs, and even pork rind breadcrumbs as a binder.
- Make the meatballs spicy by adding some chili flakes or cayenne to the mixture before baking.
- If you don't want to use fresh tomatoes, use canned. They'll work great. Just make sure you drain them well first.
Tips and Tricks
- Serve the leftover meatballs in your favorite hoagie roll and top with cheese for an incredible sandwich!
- Use a scoop to help make the meatballs and keep them an even size.
- Double the sauce and use the leftover as a dip during serving.
- These are fantastic as an appetizer or after-school snack.
- Make extra meatballs and store them in the freezer for a quick and easy answer to, "What's for dinner?" See freezer instructions below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe gluten and/or dairy-free?
Both! This is a quick and easy recipe that almost anyone can enjoy without worry!
Do I have to use almond flour?
Nope! Sometimes I just like keeping things a little lower carb for myself. This also makes this recipe gluten-free.
However, you can use your favorite breadcrumbs or quick-cooking oats if you prefer!
Serving Ideas and Other Recipes You'll Love
- Serve over simple mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for an quick, easy, and healthy family dinner!
- Buttered Noodles are also a crowd favorite side dish around here and go perfectly with this Meatloaf Meatball recipe.
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole is also a huge hit with these meatloaf meatballs or any other recipe for that matter!
- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf - This puts meatloaf recipes over the top. It's wonderfully simple, but the flavor is incredible!
- Salisbury Steak Meatballs - Another fun meatball recipe! It's quick and easy and has a built in sauce that's just too good!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Leftover meatloaf meatballs will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Cover the leftovers with a damp paper towel and microwave in small increments until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions
Extra meatballs freeze wonderfully and are perfect for those days when you need something in a hurry for those hungry mouths!
Simply make the recipe as instructed. Freeze the meatballs, and when you're ready, thaw and pop them in the oven at 300° until they're warmed through! You can do the sauce during the prep or wait until you're reheating them from frozen. Either way will work. Dinner is served!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Meatloaf Meatballs recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok!
If you guys make this Meatloaf Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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