Some Sunday meals should taste like you worked much harder than you actually did.
These tender baked meatballs simmer in an easy savory gravy and are especially good over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles. Add a vegetable and you've got the kind of family dinner that belongs in the middle of the table.
Servings: 6
Prep: About 20 minutes
Cook: About 35 minutes
Ingredients
For the meatballs: 1½ pounds ground beef, 1 egg, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup milk, ½ small onion finely diced, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
For the gravy: 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2½ cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Directions
Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish or line a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine all meatball ingredients gently with your hands or a fork. Don't overmix. Shape into roughly 1½-inch meatballs and arrange with a little space between them.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until cooked through. Ground beef should reach 160°F in the center.
While they bake, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about one minute. Slowly whisk in the beef broth. Add Worcestershire sauce and onion powder.
Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 5–7 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked meatballs to the gravy and gently simmer together for another 5 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
Easy Substitutions
Ground turkey can replace the beef; cook poultry meatballs to 165°F. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a splash of broth. Frozen peas or green beans make an easy side. For a softer meatball, let the breadcrumbs soak in the milk for several minutes before mixing.
From Our Table: Don't worry about making every meatball exactly the same size. This is Sunday dinner, not a factory. Put the skillet on the table, pass the potatoes and enjoy the people sitting around it.
Picture idea: Cast-iron skillet of meatballs and gravy beside mashed potatoes, serving spoon and a slightly flour-dusted handwritten recipe card.