Name: Freezer Friendly: Super Easy Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 Egg; 65 g Breadcrumbs; 35 g Grated Parmesan; ¼ tsp Garlic Powder; ½ tsp Dried Basil; ½ tsp Dried Oregano; ¼ tsp Salt; ¼ tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper; 450 g Minced Beef; 2 tbsp Cooking Oil; 340 g Pasta; Large Jar of Your Favourite Pasta Sauce (I used a huge 750g jar)

These Super Easy Meatballs are a quick weeknight meal that all the family will love! You can freeze the meatballs either cooked or uncooked. Either way, freeze the meatballs on a lined baking tray first to prevent them from sticking together. Then, once frozen solid, transfer to a zip top / sandwich bag and place in the freezer. They’ll be at their best if eaten within 3 months.

To cook super easy meatballs that were frozen raw, let them defrost at room temperature for about half an hour, then cook in a pan the same as the recipe below. To cook super easy meatballs that are frozen after they’ve been cooked, simply pop them into a pot of hot pasta sauce directly from the freezer, and allow them to heat through in the sauce. It couldn’t be easier!

AuthorVivre Le RêveDifficultyBeginner

Yields4 Servings

Prep Time20 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time40 mins

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 Egg

65 g Breadcrumbs

35 g Grated Parmesan

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Dried Basil

½ tsp Dried Oregano

¼ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

450 g Minced Beef

2 tbsp Cooking Oil

To Serve

340 g Pasta

Large Jar of Your Favourite Pasta Sauce (I used a huge 750g jar)

Method

Mix together the breadcrumbs and seasoning first. In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Add the minced beef to a large bowl, then add the seasoned breadcrumb mixture and the egg.

Now use your hands to combine the ingredients until evenly mixed.

Shape the meat mixture into meatballs, about 1-1.5 Tbsp each. You should get around 20 meatballs.

Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add half of the meatballs.

Cook the meatballs about one minute on each side, until all six sides are browned and the meatballs are cooked through.

Move the cooked meatballs to a clean plate. Add the second tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and cook the second lot of meatballs just like before.

Whilst the meatballs are finishing cooking, start the pasta and sauce. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta.

Add the sauce to a pan and heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Once all the meatballs are finished cooking, add them to the pot of heated pasta sauce and stir to coat all of them in the sauce. Leave them to heat for a few minutes in the sauce.

Top the pasta with the sauce and meatballs and serve!