Description
Classic baked meatballs simmered in a rich and glossy homemade beef gravy infused with caramelized onions, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of garlic. This hearty and comforting dish yields tender, flavorful meatballs perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 pounds ground beef (OR 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork)
- 1/2 medium onion (grated)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion (very finely chopped, about 1 heaping cup)
- 3 packed tablespoons flour
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a sheet pan with baking parchment to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Make meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let them soak for 2 minutes. Add the ground meat, grated onion, eggs, Dijon mustard, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix gently just until ingredients are combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture to avoid tough meatballs. Shape the mixture into approximately 1½-inch diameter meatballs (about golf ball size), using roughly 2 tablespoons of mixture per meatball. You should get around 26-28 meatballs.
- Bake meatballs: Arrange the meatballs evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until browned on the outside and juices start to run clear. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage as they will finish cooking in the gravy.
- Sauté onion: While the meatballs bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt completely. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, golden, and beginning to caramelize.
- Make gravy base: Sprinkle the flour over the softened onions and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will form a paste; be careful not to burn it. Let it roast slightly to develop a light golden color which adds depth to the gravy.
- Make gravy: Slowly pour in half of the beef broth, whisking continuously to create a smooth mixture without lumps. Once smooth, add the remaining broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes, allowing the gravy to thicken and deepen in color.
- Finish: For thicker gravy, mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the gravy. Add the baked meatballs along with any juices collected on the baking sheet to the skillet. Stir gently to coat the meatballs in the gravy and simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes to finish cooking the meatballs and develop a rich, glossy gravy. Serve hot immediately.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep the meatballs tender and juicy.
- Baking the meatballs before simmering in gravy ensures they brown nicely and maintain shape.
- You can substitute ground beef and pork ratio depending on preference.
- Use low-sodium broth to control salt level in the gravy.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to suit your taste.
- The optional cornstarch slurry helps achieve a thicker gravy if desired.
