meatball

These quick and easy chicken meatballs are loaded with flavor for a fast meal that's still impressive. Fish sauce adds umami and funk, while Thai green chilies, scallions, and fresh ginger offer different levels of heat, and a sprinkle of crunchy turbinado sugar balances it all out. Serve these meatballs up as lettuce wraps with a pantry raid of whatever pickles you have on hand to make it a fresh and light meal perfect for any warm summer night.

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Meatballs With Ginger and Mint Recipe

coconut oil (30 grams)

Thai green chilies

scallions,

garlic, finely minced (about 10 grams)

lemongrass,

(454 chicken

(20 grams) fish sauce,

(8 grams) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

mint, leaves finely chopped (about 30 grams)

oil coconut oil,

(60 grams) turbinado sugar

To Serve:

bibb lettuce, leaves

Assorted pickles

shallots

Hot sauce, hoisin, or chili crisp

In a small sauté pan or skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the chilies, scallions, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass, cooking until they soften and become aromatic, about 5 minutes; don't allow them to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, fish sauce, salt, mint, and cooked aromatics along with the cooking oil. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined and the mixture feels sticky and cohesive. In a small sauté pan with oil over medium heat, cook a teaspoon of the chicken mixture to taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. 

In a medium straight-sided sauté pan, add 1/2 inch of oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Dip two large spoons in the hot oil, then scoop up a portion of the chicken mixture, using the two spoons to form it into a rough football shape; carefully drop the meatball into the oil. Repeat with all the chicken, dipping the spoons in oil as needed to prevent sticking. Cook the chicken meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl or large plate. 

Once all the chicken meatballs are cooked, sprinkle the sugar over them, tossing gently to coat. In the same sauté pan with the residual cooking oil, increase the heat to high and add the chicken meatballs. Cook on each side until the sugar caramelizes, about 1 minute. Remove to a serving platter. 

Serve right away with bibb lettuce, assorted pickles, crispy shallots, and any other condiments you desire. 

Lightly seasoned chicken meatballs are threaded onto skewers, grilled, and finished with a sweet and salty tare sauce.

Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs) Recipe

For the Tare Sauce:

mirin

soy sauce

sake

dark brown sugar

sherry vinegar

scallions, roughly chopped

(1-inch) piece of ginger, sliced

black peppercorns

For the Meatballs:

chicken thighs

panko bread crumbs

scallions

egg,

ginger

garlic (about 2 medium cloves)

sesame oil

salt

white pepper

skewers,

Type of fire: Direct

Grill heat: medium-high

For the Tare Sauce: Combine mirin, soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, sherry vinegar, garlic, scallions, ginger slices, and peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, whisk to combine, and cook until mixture is thick and syrupy, about 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Meatballs: Using hands, mix together chicken, bread crumbs, scallions, egg, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs and thread onto skewers.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Careful transfer skewers to grill, if necessary supporting meatballs from bottom to prevent them from falling off skewers. Grill until first side is well browned, about 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, rotate meatballs and cook until well browned on second side, about 2-3 minutes. Repeat for remaining two sides. 

Brush tare sauce all over meatballs and allow to cook for 15-30 seconds longer. Transfer skewers to a plate or serving dish, brush lightly with sauce again and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lamb Köfte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara Recipe

Lamb Köfte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara

plain low-fat yogurt

tahini (sesame seed paste)*

lemon juice

lamb

mint

onion

garlic cloves,

paprika

cumin

coarse kosher salt

black pepper

cayenne pepper

onions,

finely chopped drained roasted red peppers

water

(or more) pomegranate molasses**

Italian parsley

Bon Appétit

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix lamb and next 8 ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange on sheet.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place large sheet of foil on work surface. Heat large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add flatbreads to skillet 1 at a time; cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Enclose in foil; place in oven to keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to 1 side of large rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté half of meatballs until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs, adding oil to skillet if dry. Reserve skillet.

Add roasted peppers to reserved skillet; stir 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses. Bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Cook until reduced to 2/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Mix in parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more pomegranate molasses, if desired. Transfer to small bowl.

Arrange onions and meatballs on platter. Serve with warm breads, yogurt sauce, and muhammara.

This approachable weeknight dinner takes its cue from Japanese grilled chicken meatballs (tsukune), and the glossy, sweet-and-sour sauce that comes with it.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Meatballs

ketchup

Worcestershire sauce

Tbsp. rice cooking wine

Tbsp. honey

½" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

½ tsp. black pepper

broccoli (about 1½ lb.)

2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided

red pepper flakes (optional)

chicken

scallions, thinly sliced

garlic cloves, finely grated

2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

¼ tsp. black pepper

rice and sesame seeds (for serving)

Mix ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine (if using), honey, soy sauce, ginger, and pepper in a small saucepan. Measure out ¼ cup mixture into a small bowl; set aside for glazing meatballs later. Bring remaining mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to a small bowl.

Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Trim broccoli stems and remove from crown. Peel off tough outer skin; slice crosswise into ½" pieces. Cut florets into 2" pieces. Toss on prepared baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. salt, and a few pinches of red pepper flakes (if using). Push to the edges of baking sheet to create a space for meatballs. Brush space with remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil.

Mix chicken, egg, scallions, garlic, ginger, panko, sesame oil, pepper, remaining 1½ tsp. salt, and ¼ cup water in a medium bowl. Using wet hands, form into twelve 1½"-diameter meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet; brush with some of the reserved glazing mixture. Bake until meatballs are cooked through, 14–18 minutes. Remove from oven; heat broiler. Brush meatballs with remaining glazing mixture; broil until broccoli is charred and meatballs are browned in spots, about 5 minutes.

Spoon meatballs and broccoli over rice in bowl. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

The key to these slow-cooker Thai-style chicken meatballs is to understand that the sauce gets better as it slowly cooks, but the meatballs don't. To fix that, we first cook the sticky sauce, packed with aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, and chilies, then add the flavorful meatballs right at the end just to cook them through. Crushed peanuts, scallion, and fresh lime juice finish it off for added texture, fresh flavor, and bright balance.

Slow-Cooker Sticky Thai Meatballs Recipe

shallots,

garlic

jalapeños,

(45 milliliters) Asian fish sauce

(10 milliliters) vegetable oil

(240 milliliters) Thai chili sauce (see note)

light brown sugar (160 milliliters; 130 grams)

(160 milliliters) soy sauce

(120 milliliters) rice vinegar

(240 milliliters) water

(240 milliliters) panko bread crumbs,

salt and black pepper

(60 milliliters) chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

(120 milliliters) chopped unsalted peanuts

lime

In the bowl of a food processor, combine lemongrass, shallot, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, and fish sauce. Process until the mixture forms a paste.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the aromatic paste, reserving the rest for the meatballs. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in Thai chili sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a  slow cooker, cover, and set to low for at least 5 and up to 8 hours.

Preheat broiler and set oven rack in upper position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine reserved aromatic paste with ground chicken, panko, egg, and half of the sliced scallion. Season with salt and pepper. Using wet hands to prevent sticking, roll the ground chicken into golf ball–sized balls. If the mixture is too wet to form meatballs, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of additional panko at a time until it is easier to shape. 

Broil meatballs until browned on top, about 7 minutes. (Browning times can vary dramatically depending on oven broiler strength.) Transfer meatballs to a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use; pour any juices from baking sheet into sauce in slow cooker.

Add meatballs to slow cooker for last 30 minutes of cooking, stirring to coat.

In a small bowl, combine remaining scallion, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime juice.

Once the cooking time is up, switch the slow cooker to the “warm” setting. Right before serving, sprinkle approximately 3/4 of the peanut mixture over the meatballs and stir. Top with the remaining peanut mixture and serve.

Made with fresh fish, herbs and spices, these tuna meatballs are just as tasty as the meaty version

The best tuna meatballs (Le migliori polpette di tonno)

olive oil

oregano

x 400 g good-quality tinned plum tomatoes

sea salt

red wine vinegar

parsley leaves

tuna

pine nuts

level cinnamon

flat-leaf parsley chopped

g breadcrumbs

g Parmesan freshly grated

free-range eggs

lemon

This is a monster meatball recipe. I use succulent beef for my take on this Wild West delicacy.

Mountain meatballs

onions

1.2 kg good-quality minced meat (beef, buffalo

Dijon mustard

cumin seeds bashed

coriander seeds bashed

breadcrumbs

eggs

g Cheddar cheese

peppers

red chillies deseeded and finely chopped, to taste

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

tomato ketchup

cider vinegar

molasses brown sugar

coffee

plum tomatoes

½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (15 grams)

Making meatballs from scratch is a great way of using under-loved, cheap cuts of meat, plus you know exactly what’s gone into them. I’ve kept the pasta simple to let those Sicilian flavours really sing. 

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