I’m a huge fan of veal. It’s got a lovely flavor and that tender, melt in your mouth quality. It’s also much lighter than beef, so you don’t feel as heavy when you eat it. One of my favorite veal recipes is for these delicious meatballs. I don’t call ’em melt-in-your-mouth for nothing. They really do melt. in. your. mouth. While this recipe uses few ingredients, it’s chock full of flavor, mostly due to the bay leaves. They give the broth and meatballs a delicious flavor while imparting the most heavenly aroma. You’ll wanna make them just for the smell!
Having little kids, meatballs are definitely a staple in my house, but the plain old beef meatballs in marinara sauce does get kind of boring. My kids gobble these down like you can’t imagine. And yours will too!
Have you seen my veal shepherd’s pie with celery root mashed potatoes? It’s another great veal recipe that you must try!
Veal Meatballs
2 lbs. ground veal
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cups water
5 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
In a bowl, combine the veal, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into balls. In the meantime, saute the onion in olive oil until deeply golden and caramelized. Add the water, sugar, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer, covered, for 1-2 hours.
If you wish to thicken the cooking liquid, you may continue to cook it over high heat until reduced to desired consistency.
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Wow these look delicious and easy to make! Veal is such a good idea.
I have never cooked with veal, but love meatballs. These look fantastic. May have to try this recipe soon.
Chanie these really do look amazing! So going to have to try this for dinner soon. Just my style! :)
It’s a good thing I have ground veal in my freezer because I’m making this recipe very soon!!!
These look amazing and the way you describe them makes me want to make them this weekend! My son is kind of picky and doesn’t like meatballs in marinara sauce, hoping he will like these.
Update, making these right now!
The problem with being a vegetarean is posts like this. I’m not gonna lie, this makes me very hungry! I will try this for my family!
xo
Sharon
Veal is so soft, and yes, kids love meatballs, so I always have some too. Adults like them too. Now I have to look at the Shepherd’s Pie.
i have never made meatballs like this. they look and sound amazing!
Love the picture – and that skillet!! Where did you get it? I really need a new skillet… it drives me crazy every time I cook.
You have no idea how hard it was to photograph meatballs! The skillet is part of my cookware set, which I love. It’s very inexpensive but it’s amazing – it’s Belgique by Tools of the Trade. I got it many years ago, and they’ve changed the style since, so I don’t know if it’s still the same quality.
Oh goodness, these look so amazing!
I love the picture! Meatballs never look very appetizing in photographs but yours look amazing!
Agreed! Pretty impossible to photograph meatballs. I worked really hard on this one!
I agree veal meatballs are so flavorful, I just wish it was cheaper.
The way you introduce this recipe sure makes me want to duplicate this recipe. Now I have to find out if ground (kosher) veal is something available here….
If not I’ll just have to mix beef and chicken…
I’d like to try this with regular chopped meat, since it’s cheaper. will that still be good? and what side dish do you recommend with this dish?
I have done it with ground beef and it works, although it’s not as tender as veal. I like to serve it over basmati rice, with a side salad.
Lovely work! Would you be happy to link it in to the current Food on Friday which is about veal? This is the link . I do hope to see you there. Cheers
Done! Thanks for inviting me!
Chanie, thanks for linking in. Hope to see you again soon. Cheers
I made your recipe last week with the free-range veal that we raise on our farm. It was fantastic!! I have never made a meatball before in my life! I would love to share your recipe with my customers on my website and FB page, with your permission. I altered mine a little, using gluten free bread to make my crumbs, and adding a little garlic to the meat mixture. Can never have enough garlic!
Thanks Teri, that sounds amazing! If you mean sharing the link to the recipe, that is fine with me!
I made them and cooked for 30 minutes on the stove. They are delicious and seemed fine to me. Why do you cook them for 1 to 2 hours?
Very good article! We will be linking to this particularly
great post on our site. Keep up the good writing.
I tried these tonight and they are fabulous!!!
Thank you!!
Thanks Lily! I’m so glad you liked them!
I’ve made these several times now and they are always a hit. My little one, who doesn’t always love to eat meat can’t get enough of these!
That’s so great to hear Julia! My kids love them too!
Made these today. Excellent. I drained the liquid from the meatballs and onions and put them in homemade sauce I canned this summer. Thank you for posting.
Thanks Deb, I’m so glad you liked them!
Can u get ground veal in ch? Ask butcher to grind it? Thanks
They have it at the Marketplace, usually on Wednesdays. You can always call ahead and ask them to have it for you.
sorry. If I make the meatballs on Tuesday can I serve them Friday lunch?
Hi Chagiet, meatballs will last about 3 days in the fridge, but if it was me, I would probably freeze them. They freeze really well.
I’m on a very strict no-gluten eating regimen right now, can I eliminate the bread crumbs & one of the eggs? Has anyone tried this?
Hi Ashlaree, I have never done it, but I can tell you that it would definitey affect the texture of the meatballs. Are there gluten free breadcrumbs that you can use instead?
Can these veal balls be happily cooked in a crockpot ?
I have never tried, but from my experience, recipes with a lot of water in them, and no thickener (like beans) don’t work very well. Perhaps if you cut down on the water it could work.
I make meatballs all the time. I know that the top Italian restaurants (n the East Coast) get the best veal meatballs from the simmering method!
Sadly I read the recipe wrong and put the carmelized onion into the meat before rolling into balls. I did toast some fennel seeds to add as veal is quite bland. I hope they are ok….I’ll call Rao and see if he approves! TO BE CONTINUED….OUCH!
These are by far some of the best meatballs I have ever tried let alone – made! Don’t tell my Italian family…I added Romano cheese and a bit of oregano. I also added garlic to the onion simmering sauce. Heaven.
I’m so happy to hear that Natalie!
Absolutely delicious! My husband is not a huge onion fan, but loved the sweetness and kept asking me what it was that gave it such a great flavor! I wouldn’t tell him and I can’t wait to make it again since he asked!
Ha, that’s awesome! My husband hates raw onion in the salad and I grate it and hide it in the dressing, so I totally get it!
Made them tonight and they were great. A nice change from tomato sauce. Used only 1 pound of veal but kept the same quantities for the sauce. Added parmesan and chopped parsley and used panko instead of the breadcrumbs to the veal and as there was a lot of liquid so cooked some spaghettini in the remaining stock. Was wonderful. Will definitely make again.
Awesome!!
made these a couple of times and always a hit! will be making it again tonight :)
So glad!
Did you use a white or yellow onion and how much? Also, dark or light brown sugar? Also what brand of bay leaves I use Spice Islands and they are much stronger than most what did you use?
Thanks Katherine
Either onion works – a large one. I like to use dark sugar but light works too. Any brand of bay leaves will do.