Today, March 9th, the gods of whoever invents National Fill-In-the-Blank Days has declared in favor of the Meatball.
Who could think of a better day for Chewing The Fat to present our most popular meatballs ever? In the past ten years, meatballs have been a staple here. I’ve made Vietnamese Meatballs, Moroccan Meatballs, Sicilian Meatballs. I’ve put meatballs into Stroganoff and into Soup. I’ve made them with beef, lamb, bison, pork, and chicken. Their appeal never wanes. They’re among the most popular posts on the blog. So in honor of National Meatball Day, here are twelve top-rated recipes in no particular order.
Seamus Mullen’s glorious Spanish-inflect lamb meatballs are packed with the flavor of almonds, basil, parsley, mint, oregano, and thyme and then served in a savory tomato sauce and a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese. There’s even a health component to this recipe that’s well-worth reading.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2014/11/seamus-mullens-herbed-lamb-meatballs.html
This Italian American Classic is from the kitchen of the mother of one of New York’s hottest chefs. It is the genuine article: Pillows of ground beef lightened with Italian bread and egg and flavored with garlic and Parmigiano or Gran Padano cheese. In this post, there’s also dish about another New York Chef whose mother’s meatballs created quite the controversy.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2014/10/old-stoves-saveur-magazine-and.html
The first of four recipes from the same part of the world this glorious take on North African flavors offers a version made with a choice of ingredients from beef to ground turkey or lamb which is what we used to make this luscious tomato-y stew.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2013/09/north-african-lamb-boulettes-and-amys.html
From the other side of the Mediterranean—Sicily–come these meatballs with their use of Dried Currants and Pignoli nuts. The tiny little currants give these balls a pop of fruit flavor and the pignolis a subtle crunch.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2010/03/sicilian-style-meatballs.html
Back in the good old USA, these Bison meatballs would be an all-American meatball were it not for the way we served them. Healthy as all get out, just like the West where they came from.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2013/10/spaghetti-western-bison-meatballs-in.html
A dish with true Moroccan flavors. The meatballs require a lengthy poke around the spice rack but chances are, you’ll have everything you need. The stew surrounding them is made with familiar pantry ingredients. All you really need to make sure you buy is fresh cilantro, 5 ounces of baby spinach, and a package of couscous.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2012/01/moroccan-beef-meatball-tajine.html
Who’d have thought a Vietnamese take on the meatball would be so wildly popular with kids. This chicken recipe has the double advantage of slipping into sliders with ease.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2010/10/vietnamese-chicken-meatballs.html
If we had to pick a personal favorite, this would be it. Showcasing the genius of New York’s The Meatball Shop, spicy Pork creates a light and scrumptious meatball. But what really stands out is the creamy Parmesan sauce that tops this indulgent dish.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2014/01/the-meatball-shops-spicy-pork-meatballs.html
We’re back on the road to Morocco. This time it’s for a family recipe that yields the tenderest meatball of the bunch. And the way it’s served is not only different, but it was also a major taste discovery for us.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2012/07/grandmas-melt-in-your-mouth-moroccan.html
Here’s a meatball that replaces one key ingredient in that classic dinner party dish of the 50s, Beef Stroganoff, and makes it an easy weeknight meal.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2012/11/make-ahead-meatballs-for-beef-stroganoff.html
It’s never a surprise when an Ina Garten recipe draws hundreds of readers. But this one with its tender chicken meatballs, continues to astonish me with its staying power. It still gets hits almost every single day.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2013/02/ina-gartens-italian-wedding-soup-and.html
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Morocco scores the most popular slot among meatball recipes. What is a surprise is that our winner is also the 7th most viewed recipe in the history of the blog.
https://chewingthefat.us.com/2012/05/moroccan-lamb-meatballs-in-tomato-sauce.html