This Pan fried meatballs recipe is simple, and you get juicy, tender, flavor-packed, delicious meatballs that can be served on its own, with sides like mashed potatoes, and vegetables, or used in sauces and stews. Pan frying meatballs on the stove top is easy, quick, and ready in under 15 minutes. Let me show you how to fry meatballs.
Pan Fried Meatballs Recipe
This pan fried meatballs recipe is easy and quick, and the result is perfectly pan cooked meatballs in less than 15 minutes.
Pan frying meatballs stovetop save you time as it's quicker than cooking it in the oven. It cooks in less than half the time it takes in the oven.
It also uses less oil than deep fried meatballs. With stovetop pan seared meatballs, you only need 2-3 tablespoons of oil to cook about 24 meatballs which makes them lower in calories than deep-fried ones.
These pan fried Italian meatballs also use ingredients that you can easily find in stores and that's if you don't already have them in your pantry.
You will love these stove top meatballs that are juicy, packed full of flavor, and tender with crispy skin. Perfect as appetizers or serve with dishes like air fryer diced potatoes, vegetables, or spicy pasta for a complete meal.
These meatballs are high in protein, nutrient-packed, flavorful, and delicious. Let me show you how to make it.
Related: Spaghetti and meatballs
Ingredients
The detailed ingredient list, measurements, and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Minced beef- Also known as ground beef. I recommend using 80 percent lean mince.
Eggs- This serves as the binder binding the meat and other ingredients.
Breadcrumbs - White or golden breadcrumbs work fine.
Italian seasoning
Garlic granules
Onion granules
Salt
Oil
How To Fry Meatballs
Here's a step-by-step on how to pan fry meatballs:
Add the minced beef, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, onion granules, egg, and salt into a mixing bowl.
Mix till combined.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill the mix.
Bring it out of the fridge and mold the mixture into 20-24 meatballs.
You can use a cookie scoop or meatball mold to measure out the meat mixture before rolling so you get uniform sizes.
Place a skillet on medium heat and add oil to it.
When the oil is heated, arrange the meatballs in the skillet leaving spaces in between them. Don't overcrowd the skillet.
If you use a large skillet all the meatballs should fit, if all don't fit, then cook them in batches.
Cook meatballs on one side for 1 minute without moving them then turn frequently until all sides are brown and they are cooked inside and no longer pink. The outer will be browned. This takes about 5-8 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.
Serve and enjoy or use as desired.
How Long To Fry Meatballs
How long do you fry meatballs? This depends on the size of the meatballs, the temperature of the oil, and if frying on low, medium, or high heat.
Mini meatballs will fry quicker than bigger ones.
Typically how long to fry meatballs is 5-8 minutes. This is at a medium low temperature in a nonstick skillet.
Meatballs are cooked when the inside is no longer pink, the juice runs clear, and the outer is browned. The internal temperature at the thickest part when checked with an instant meat thermometer should be at least 165F.
Meatballs can then be used in sauces, stews, and curries.
Although you can cook raw meatballs in sauce, it's better and more flavorful to pan fry meatballs first.
What To Serve With Pan Fried Meatballs
They can be served as appetizers, or snacks or served with sides. They can also be used in stews, sauces, wraps, and sandwiches. Here are some sides to serve with:
Mashed potatoes
Fried potatoes
Spicy rice, jollof rice
Boiled pasta, spicy pasta, lemon pasta
Boiled potatoes
Pan fried vegetables
Roasted carrots
Boiled Asparagus
Boiled Zucchini
Meatball sauce, Marinara sauce
Salads and coleslaws
How To Store
They can be stored in the fridge or freezer as they store and reheat well. In fact, I like making a big batch and then freezing it so I can easily use it in sauces for pasta, curries, rice, and pasta.
To Store in the fridge- Put in a Ziploc, or a sealable container then store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To Store meatballs in the freezer- Put the meatballs in a Ziploc or an airtight container, label then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
It can be reheated from the fridge chilled or frozen.
How to reheat in the microwave- No need to thaw first if reheating in the microwave. Place the meatballs on a microwave-safe plate, cover, and microwave on high settings of the microwave at 30 seconds intervals till warmed through.
Leftovers can be used in wraps, sandwiches, curries, and stews.
Tips For Making Fried Meatballs
- Use minced meat with some fat for moist tender, juicy meatballs. I recommend 80 to 85% lean mince.
- You can add flavorings of your choice. Some seasonings you can use are cajun seasoning, steak rub, or ground beef seasoning.
- Put the meat mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes so it firms up a bit and is easier to mold in balls and hold shape when frying.
- Use a large skillet that has enough room to fry the meatballs comfortably. If all the meatballs don't fit in the pan at a time, cook them in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- A Nonstick skillet will ensure the meatballs don't stick to the pan and retain their shape.
- If the meatballs are getting browned too quickly, reduce the heat so they fry slowly and have time to cook on the inside without burning on the outer.
- Regularly turn the meatballs so they hold the round shape and brown evenly on all sides.
- Don't overcook them so they don't become tough.
FAQS
Absolutely! You can pan fry or deep-fry and get perfectly cooked meatballs quickly. You can fry meatballs in a pan on the stove.
Both are suitable methods of cooking it however pan frying meatballs is quicker than baking them in the oven. If time is of the essence, it's better to pan fry but if you have the time and prefer hands-free cooking, It's better to bake meatballs as once they go in the oven, you can do other things while they bake.
Yes, frying meatballs is easy and quick and in about 10 minutes you have cooked juicy, tender, and flavor-packed meatballs that can be eaten on their own or used in stews, sauces, spaghetti, and other pasta.
More Meat Recipes
More Fried Food Recipes
I hope you like this pan fried meatballs recipe as much as we do. If you find this post helpful, please rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.
Don’t want to miss a thing? Subscribe to the blog for free weekly recipes in your email. Also, follow recipe vibes on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Subscribe to my Youtube channel for recipe videos.
Recipe
Pan Fried Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 750 g (3lb) Minced meat (Ground meat)
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon Onion granules
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil Vegetable, sunflower, or olive oil
Instructions
- Add the minced beef, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, onion, garlic granules, black pepper, egg, and salt into a mixing bowl and mix till combined.
- Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill the mix.
- Bring it out of the fridge and mold the mixture into 20-24 meatballs.You can use a cookie scoop or meatball mold to measure out the meat mixture before rolling so you get uniform sizes.
- Place a skillet on medium heat and add oil to it.When the oil is heated, arrange the meatballs in the skillet leaving spaces in between them. Don't overcrowd the skillet. If you use a large skillet all the meatballs should fit, if all don't fit, then cook them in batches.
- Cook meatballs on one side for 1 minute without moving them then turn frequently until all sides are brown and they are cooked inside and no longer pink. The outer will be browned. This takes about 5-8 minutes.
- Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.Serve and enjoy or use as desired.
Notes
- Use minced meat with some fat for moist tender, juicy meatballs. I recommend 80 to 85% lean mince.
- You can add flavorings of your choice. Some seasonings you can use are cajun seasoning, steak rub, or ground beef seasoning.
- Put the meat mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes so it firms up a bit and is easier to mold in balls and hold shape when frying.
- Use a large skillet that has enough room to fry the meatballs comfortably. If all the meatballs don't fit in the pan at a time, cook them in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- A Nonstick skillet will ensure the meatballs don't stick to the pan and retain their shape.
- If the meatballs are getting browned too quickly, reduce the heat so they fry slowly and have time to cook on the inside without burning on the outer.
- Regularly turn the meatballs so they hold the round shape and brown evenly on all sides.
- Don't overcook them so they don't become tough.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Great! Rate it by clicking the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leaving a comment below. Don't forget to share this post with your friends, and families, and also on your favorite Pinterest and Facebook.
How to cook meatballs on stove
Leave a Reply