Lemon Meatballs, an extremely easy and very quick main course to prepare a dish that everyone always likes, adults and kids alike. The mixture can also be prepared in advance, leaving only the dredging to be done at the last minute. The lemon juice added at the end creates a thick little sauce. If you don’t like the lemon flavor, you can replace it with orange zest and juice; just make sure the zest is from untreated fruit. Follow the recipe instructions and you’ll make it many times.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 551.76 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.52 (g) of which sugars 1.32 (g)
- Proteins 31.84 (g)
- Fat 41.04 (g) of which saturated 14.91 (g)of which unsaturated 11.58 (g)
- Fibers 1.40 (g)
- Sodium 1,161.61 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 157 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 10.6 oz ground beef (about 2/3 lb)
- 3.5 oz sausage (casing removed)
- 1.8 oz bread crumb (crumb of bread) (soaked in water and squeezed (about 1/3 cup))
- 2.1 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp marjoram (fresh or dried)
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 clove garlic (optional)
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 3/4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Bowl
- Frying Pan 11 in
Steps
These quantities make 20 meatballs
Place the ground beef and the sausage (with the casing removed) in a bowl. Add the bread crumb soaked in water and squeezed, the marjoram, a pinch of nutmeg, the garlic if desired, the grated Parmigiano, the salt, the egg and mix until well combined.
Add the grated lemon zest and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Shape walnut-sized meatballs. Once ready, dredge them in flour one by one and set them aside on a tray.
In a frying pan, melt the butter with the olive oil and place the meatballs in the pan. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly. When cooked, splash with the lemon juice and move the pan so the bottom reduces and thickens. Serve the Lemon Meatballs hot.
Lemon Meatballs
If you’d like to change the flavor you can replace the lemon with orange, using both zest and juice; just check that the zest is from untreated fruit.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can the meatballs be cooked in the oven?
Certainly, they can be baked in a conventional oven at 392°F following the same procedure as described.
