Italian Beef Meatballs
A Twist on a Chicago Classic
Italian Beef Meatballs are the perfect dinner or appetizer. Make these meatballs large for dinner or sandwiches or cocktail sized for an appetizer.
These can be made spicy or mild and are super easy to create with minimal ingredients. It’s a fun twist on a classic Italian Beef!
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Giardiniera
This is the brand of giardiniera that I use. As you can see it states that it is a RELISH.
This means that it is very finely chopped.
I know that there are many brands that make a relish variety instead of just the chunks. If you cannot find the relish, you can easily chop this up into a fine dice or just use a blender or food processor.
It is important to use a smaller dice so that you do not have large chunks in your meatballs.
Additionally, you can use any heat level you prefer. I use the mild but I know spicy is good for some too.
Splatter Guard
Because of the liquid in the giardiniera, there was some splattering when cooking this recipe. You can either use caution or you can use this splatter guard that I love.
I will link it here on my Amazon page.
*This is an affiliate link which means Amazon pays me a small commission for sharing the link but it comes at no extra cost to you.*
I use this splatter guard for all my frying. You can also buy these at any store or you can just use the lid of your pan.
I like to use this for cooking bacon so I can always keep an eye on it.
No matter how you serve these meatballs, you’ll be sure to love them. You can adjust the giardiniera heat for next time if they’re too spicy or not spicy enough.
Italian Beef Meatballs
Italian Beef Meatballs are the perfect dinner or appetizer. Make these meatballs large for dinner or sandwiches or cocktail size for appetizer. These can be made spicy or mild. Super easy to make with minimal ingredients. A fun twist on a classic Italian Beef.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs of Ground Beef (use the leaner beef or you will have to drain them while cooking)
- 3 to 4 heaping tablespoons of Mild Giardiniera RELISH (pictured in post before recipe card) *You can use hot as well, adjust to your preference.
- 1 small green pepper, diced small
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 1 cup of finely crumbled parmesan cheese (like the style of the one that comes in the shaker)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 2 more tablespoons of the same giardiniera
- 1.5 cups of au jus prepared or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon of oregano
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 cup of marinara sauce of your choice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your beef, the 3 heaping tablespoons of giardiniera, the oregano, pepper and garlic powder, the egg, the parmesan cheese, the peppers and the onions. Combine this mixture well, and roll the mixture into the meatballs. Place them on a baking pan and let them sit for about 20 minutes. You can make these balls any size you choose for appetizers, sandwiches or dinner size. Do not over mix the meat, just combine well and roll into balls. (if you can't find giardineira relish, finely chop the regular before adding)
- Prepare your au jus if you are making it from a mix packet or from a jar. You can also use ready made or beef broth.
- In a skillet, add your butter, melt it and then add the additional two tablespoons of the giardiniera. Sauté for five minuyes. Use caution with this step as the giardiniera tended to pop a little out of the pan as it cooked. I used my mesh pan cover to prevent this. (linked in post)
- Add your meatballs to the hot pan. Cook them on each side for a good 6 minutes or so before turning. Make sure they aren't burning. Keep turning as they cook on all sides and get nice and crispy brown. They will lift easily from the pan when they are ready to be turned. If you think they are getting too dark, it is better to turn the heat down then to force them to lift from the pan.
- I used a higher fat beef so I had to drain the pan carefully when they were browned on all sides. Use your best judgement. There will be some liquid in the pan but the meatballs should not be floating in liquid. If they are, drain.
- Add the au jus to the pan, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
- Stir occasionally.
- After 15 minutes, add the marinara sauce, stir carefully to combine and then simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Cook times will differ if you make smaller meatballs.
- Serve these or you can keep them on warm in a slow cooker for a party.
- You can also throw this all in a slow cooker after browning the meatballs on all sides to cook on low six hours with both the au jus and the marinara.
- Serve on bread, alone or as cocktail meatballs.
Do you want to make a more traditional Italian Beef recipe? I’ve got you covered with my Instant Pot Italian Beef.