Flavorful Skewered Italian Meatballs: Your Ultimate Versatile Dinner Guide
Welcome to a culinary journey that promises to transform your weeknight dinners! These incredible Skewered Italian Meatballs are not just delicious; they are incredibly versatile, offering a myriad of serving options to suit every taste and dietary preference. Whether you’re craving a satisfying low-carb meal, a hearty meatball sub, or the classic comfort of spaghetti and meatballs, these flavorful skewers deliver. Get ready to elevate your home cooking with this simple yet sophisticated recipe, proudly sponsored by Classico®.
Imagine dinner time becoming a breeze with a recipe that effortlessly combines ease, incredible flavor, and endless possibilities. These Skewered Italian Meatballs are truly little balls of pure deliciousness, infused with the authentic tastes of Italy that your entire family will adore. If you resonate with any of the following questions, then you’ve found your next favorite recipe:
- Do you find joy in the rich and vibrant flavors of Italian food?
- Are meatballs a beloved staple in your household?
- Are you constantly seeking quick, easy, and family-approved dinner ideas?
If you answered yes to any of these, prepare to be absolutely thrilled by these Skewered Italian Meatballs! Meatballs have always been a favorite go-to dinner for me. They’re straightforward to prepare, bursting with savory flavors, and consistently a hit with my kids. In fact, my Baked Meatballs recipe stands as one of the most popular on this very site, a testament to the universal appeal of a well-made meatball!
While I often opt for baking my meatballs, this particular Italian Meatball recipe introduces an exciting twist: threading them onto bamboo skewers and grilling them to perfection. Grilling offers a fantastic way to achieve a beautifully caramelized exterior and a juicy interior, all while imparting a wonderful smoky flavor. Whether you choose to grill them outdoors on a barbecue for that classic summer feel or indoors on a trusty cast iron grill pan, the results are consistently outstanding. This method not only adds a fun, interactive element to your meal but also ensures quicker, more even cooking compared to traditional stovetop methods.
The culinary traditions of Italy profoundly inspired the seasoning of these meatballs. I’ve incorporated many quintessential Italian staples that lend these meatballs their signature robust flavor. Fresh or dried basil, aromatic thyme, earthy oregano, bright parsley, and an abundance of minced garlic come together to create a symphony of taste that transports you straight to the heart of Italy. To deepen these flavors even further and add an unparalleled richness, I turned to Classico Pasta Sauces. Classico offers a remarkable range of sauces, each meticulously crafted and inspired by distinct regions across Italy. For this specific recipe, I opted for the Classico Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce, a truly exceptional choice. This sauce isn’t just a flavorful tomato base; it’s loaded with delicious chunks of savory sausage, tender peppers, and sweet onions, adding incredible texture and depth directly into the meatballs. Trust me when I say, this pasta sauce is absolutely incredible – it’s a game-changer for any Italian dish!
The inspiration for using Classico Italian Sausage Sauce comes from the vibrant region of Abruzzi, located in Southern Italy. Abruzzi is a fascinating area, boasting both picturesque coastal landscapes and dramatic mountainous terrain. This unique geography has made it a genuine melting pot of diverse food traditions and ingredients. While traditional Abruzzese cuisine often features lamb – a staple meat for the local people – for a more universally appealing and accessible recipe, I chose lean ground beef. The people of Abruzzi also cherish a special skewered lamb dish known as Arrosticini, which consists of small strips of lamb threaded onto wooden skewers and grilled. This traditional dish was the direct inspiration behind the idea of skewering these delightful meatballs. It’s a nod to authentic Italian culinary heritage, reimagined for your home kitchen.
When preparing these Italian Meatballs, a crucial step for maximum flavor was incorporating a generous amount of the rich Classico Italian Sausage Sauce directly into the meat mixture. This allows the ground beef to thoroughly soak up all the fantastic flavors from the tomatoes, spices, sausage, peppers, and onions, resulting in meatballs that are deeply savory and incredibly moist. The outcome was nothing short of spectacular! There are several compelling reasons why these Skewered Italian Meatballs will quickly become a favorite in your recipe rotation:
- Effortless Preparation: They are genuinely easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights when you need a delicious meal without a lot of fuss.
- Faster Cooking: Cooking the meatballs on skewers means you can grill multiple at once, significantly reducing the overall cook time compared to frying batches on the stovetop. It also allows for more even cooking and a delightful char.
- Unmatched Versatility: Their adaptability is a major selling point. Enjoy them simply dipped in warm pasta sauce for a satisfying low-carb dinner, pile them onto a crusty hoagie roll with melted cheese for an epic meatball sub, or toss them with your favorite pasta and extra sauce for a comforting classic meal.
- Simply Delicious: Beyond all practical benefits, the most important factor is taste – and these meatballs are undeniably, incredibly delicious!
So, why wait? Give these fantastic Skewered Italian Meatballs a try tonight and discover a new favorite. For even more culinary inspiration, be sure to explore Food Network’s “Everything Italian” for a treasure trove of authentic and exciting Italian recipes. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to enter their amazing contest to win a trip to Italy plus $1,000! Enjoy every delicious bite and the wonderful journey of Italian cooking!
Skewered Italian Meatballs
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 green onions green and white parts, minced
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1/3 cup Classico Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce reserving the rest from a 15oz. jar for serving
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- bamboo skewers
- olive oil
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the ground beef. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Then, add the lean ground beef and gently mix it with your hands until just combined – be careful not to overmix, as this can make the meatballs tough. Form the mixture into approximately 15 uniformly sized meatballs. Place these meatballs on a plate or cookie sheet and pop them into the freezer for a few minutes to help them firm up.
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While the meatballs are chilling, soak 5 bamboo skewers in water for at least 10-15 minutes. This prevents them from burning on the grill. Remove the meatballs from the freezer and carefully thread 3 meatballs onto each soaked skewer. Place the skewered meatballs back into the freezer (or refrigerator) for a few more minutes to ensure they hold their shape during grilling.
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Preheat your grill pan or outdoor barbecue to medium-high heat. Take the meatball skewers from the freezer and lightly brush each meatball with olive oil to prevent sticking and promote even browning. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook, flipping them once halfway through, until the meatballs are beautifully browned on all sides and the internal temperature reaches approximately 160ºF (71ºC). Use a meat thermometer to ensure they are cooked through.
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Serve these versatile Skewered Italian Meatballs in your preferred style. You can dip them directly into a bowl of warm Classico Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce for a low-carb dinner, load them onto a hoagie sandwich roll with extra sauce and melted cheese for a satisfying meatball sub, or toss them with your favorite pasta and ample sauce. Enjoy your delicious, homemade Italian meal!
If you enjoyed this fantastic Italian meatball recipe, you might also love these other crowd-pleasing meatball creations:
Hawaiian Meatballs
Best Ever Baked Meatballs
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Classico. The opinions and text are all mine.