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Ground Veal Meatballs Recipe

Amazingly tender, juicy, and flavorful veal meatballs. Made with ground veal and white bread, they are perfectly seasoned and ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 24 meatballs
Calories: 75 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine: German , American

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs ground veal 750 g
  • 3 oz white bread weighed after removing the crust 90 g/ about 3 slices
  • ¼ cup whole milk 60 ml, Note 1
  • 1 small onion grated
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 garlic cloves grated
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Note 2
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt or kosher salt more to taste Note 3
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1-2 teaspoons dried breadcrumbs if required, Note 4 – Important!
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Note 5
  • 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak bread: Remove the crust and break the slices into smaller pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk on top, mix, and soak the bread until you’ve gathered the rest of the ingredients and grated the onion and the garlic.3 oz/ 90 g white bread without crust + ¼ cup/ 60 ml whole milk
  2. Combine: Add the ground veal, grated onion and garlic, lightly beaten eggs, mustard, and all the spices. Mix to combine but don’t overmix, or the meatballs will be tough. If the mixture is too soft to hold shape, add 1-2 teaspoons dried breadcrumbs (Note 4).1 ½ lbs/ 750 g ground veal + 1 small onion + 2 garlic cloves + 2 eggs + 2 teaspoon mustard + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + 2 tablespoon chopped parsley + ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes + 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt (more to taste) + ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  3. Form about 22-25 meatballs, each weighing about 2 oz/ 60 g/ about ¼ cup meatball mixture. I usually use the cup or weigh the mixture for the first 2-3 balls and then eyeball the rest. Next, press the balls between your palms to flatten them lightly.
  4. Place the flour on a large plate. Dredge the veal meatballs through the flour and pat them gently over the plate or the sink to remove the excess flour.2 tablespoon flour
  5. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Cook the meatballs in batches without overcrowding the pan. Add a bit more oil between the batches if the pan is dry.
  6. Cook the veal meatballs for 3 minutes at high temperature, flipping them halfway. Then, lower the heat to medium, flip them again, and cook for another 5-6 minutes, flipping 2-3 times in between or until cooked through.
  7. The internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer should be 160°F/ 72°C.

Notes

  • Milk: Whole or reduced-fat milk 2%. Don’t use non-fat milk for this veal recipe. You can also use half-half.
  • Red pepper flakes: Sub with a tiny amount of cayenne pepper, always to taste.
  • Salt: If using table salt, start with less as it is more potent. Check and adjust the taste. If you are uncomfortable tasting raw meat, fry a small clump of the mixture in the pan, taste it, and then adjust the taste.
  • Use of dried breadcrumbs: You will only need them if you feel that the mixture is too wet; that depends mainly on the size of your eggs. If using dried breadcrumbs, start with just 1-2 teaspoons, mix again, and only add more if absolutely necessary.
  • Flour: It’s optional but recommendable. The starch caramelizes, giving the meatballs a deeper color and more flavor.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1meatball Calories 75kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 38mg (13%) Sodium 206mg (9%) Potassium 113mg (3%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 0.4g (1%) Vitamin A 105IU (2%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 23mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24meatballs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 75

% Daily Value*

Serving 1meatball
Calories 75kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 3g 1%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Sodium 206mg 9%
Potassium 113mg 2%
Fiber 0.3g 1%
Sugar 0.4g 1%
Vitamin A 105IU 2%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.