Discover the Ultimate Meatball Recipe from Betty Crocker

Some brands come and go. Some are here to stay. Betty Crocker belongs to the latter. The self-proclaimed “America’s first lady of cooking” is one of those brands that is a lifesaver for many adults, thanks to its easy and delicious recipes. Among those, the Betty Crocker meatball recipe stands out. Some people have grandmothers, and some people have Betty Crocker.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage and reheating
• Tips
• Betty Crocker Meatball Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

• Ground beef — 1 pound, lean.
• Milk — ¼ cup.
• Worcestershire sauce — ½ tsp.
• Salt — ½ tsp.
• Pepper — ⅓ tbsp.
• Eggs — 2 pcs.
• Onion — 1 pc., finely chopped.
• Breadcrumbs — ½ cup.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line and lightly grease the baking pan.

3. Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, until it reaches the desired consistency.

4. Shape the mixture into 20-25 meatballs, and place them on the baking dish, leaving one inch of space between them.

5. Without covering it, bake for 20 minutes, approximately. If you’re using a meat thermometer, bake until the internal heat reaches 160 degrees.

Substitutions

• Worcestershire sauce — Worcestershire sauce is the British version of soy sauce, only with a cooler name and a slightly different taste. Mainly consisting of onion, anchovies, and garlic, it fits in this recipe very well.
  
  But in the US, not everyone is fond of Worcestershire sauce. You might want to consider soy sauce. To match the complex taste of Worcestershire sauce, you could mix it with a pinch of brown sugar.
  
  What about vinegar? It’s the main ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, and both balsamic vinegar and red vinegar would fit well.

• Milk — This one is an absolute must, as it works as a binder. Though the original Betty Crocker meatball recipe utilizes whole milk, you can use almond milk which has a sweeter flavor. Coconut milk, soy milk, and rice milk are fine options as well.

• Breadcrumbs — Milk alone isn’t enough to bind, so you’ll also need breadcrumbs for this Betty Crocker meatball recipe. Oats are perhaps the ideal replacement for breadcrumbs, they create a smooth texture and work great as a binder. But we can get more creative. If you have some potato chips lying around, crunch them to give some extra flavor with a crunchy twist.
  
  Lastly, if you’ve made any tacos recently, you probably have some extra tortilla chips. Gently crush them, and you’re good to go!

Variations

• Chicken parmesan meatballs — If you want to upgrade the recipe, all you need is grated cheese, (preferably parmesan) cooking oil, and some fresh basil leaves. Swap the ground beef with chicken. Unlike the original recipe, which is baked in the oven, we’ll be using a skillet for this version. Just like we did with the ground beef, mix the ingredients in a bowl and shape the mixture into meatballs. Heat some oil in a skillet and transfer the meatballs to it. Once they’re browned, pour in the tomato sauce and cook for 10 minutes.

• Cocktail meatballs — Let’s talk about Betty Crocker cocktail meatballs recipe, which is the original recipe with some extra flair. These are hot, saucy, and flavorful. You’ll need two pounds of ground beef, two bottles of chili sauce, and two jars of grape jelly. The rest are pretty much the same. Leave the grape jelly and chili sauce out, and mix the other ingredients. Follow the same steps. Once the meatballs are baked, heat the two sauces in a pot and stir in the meatballs. Allow them to coat.

Equipment

• Medium-sized mixing bowl.

• Oven.

• 9 x 12 baking pan.

• Meat thermometer, optional.

Storage and reheating

• Transfer the leftover meatballs to an airtight container.

• Stored in the fridge, it will last for a week at most.

• You can reheat it in the oven, at 300 degrees.

Tips

• Use a meat thermometer — It can be a lifesaver. You might be used to keeping time, but there is no telling what is the perfect time to stop. With a meat thermometer, you get to know when is the exact time to stop.

• Mind the color — If you don’t have a meat thermometer, and if you’re not sure if you should stop or give it a minute or two, a good way of telling is the center of the meatballs. If it’s still pink, you should probably give it a minute or two.