It's universally understood that meatball recipes are downright tasty. Almost every culture accounts for some form of the culinary favorite, and most cooks aspire to create an easy meatball recipe of their own that is destined to become someone else's favorite.

There are a few tips and trips to creating the perfect meatball:

1. Use fresh Ingredients. Dried seasoning works great but the bottles tend to last a long time and sometimes, they expire without anyone noticing. Make sure that your herbs are still consumable.
2. Crush your seasoning. Dried herbs provide their best flavor after they've been stimulated into releasing their fragrance and natural oils.
3. Don't over or under cook your protein. Whether you're using beef, venison or lamb, be sure to do your homework regarding the best cooking method. You should never eat raw chicken or pork for example, but beef can be left a little underdone and is often preferred that way.
4. Don't neglect your sauce. The belle of the ball will be the meatball, but the sauce you pair it with will go a long way to making or breaking your overall dish.
5. Mix it Up! Not everyone's palates are the same, so it pays to experiment with a few easy meatball recipes. You can try Italian-style one night, Chinese another, and Greek on another occasion. Your quest for the perfect meatball may take a few tries but you're sure to enjoy the journey and one recipe is sure to hit the spot.

To get you on your way, here are a couple of our favorite meatball varieties. Try them both and see which is your favorite.

Smokey Mexican Meatballs In Chili-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1. 2 Beef flavor Bouillon Cubes, divided
2. 1 cup finely chopped white bread
3. 2 Tbsp. milk
4. 1 ¼ lbs. ground beef
5. 1 egg
6. 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
7. 1 small chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
8. 2 Tbsp. olive oil
9. 1 cup white onion, finely chopped
10. 1 can (5.75 oz.) whole green chilies, drained
11. 1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes in puree, undrained
12. 1 cup very hot water
13. 1 tsp. fried oregano leaves, crushed
14. ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

Methods

1. Dissolve one Bouillon in two very hot tablespoons of water. Combine the milk and bread and set both mixtures aside.
2. Mix the beef, egg, one clove of garlic, chipotle pepper, Bouillon water and bread mixture thoroughly. Form the mixture into meatballs and set aside.
3. In a large and deep skillet, cook the onions, remaining garlic and green chilies until they are tender. Add the tomatoes, remaining Bouillon, water, oregano and cinnamon to the skillet and bring the entire mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
4. Blend the vegetables to create a sauce, then return the mixture to the skillet and add the meatballs. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through.

Another easy meatball recipe utilizes a sauce made of berries and milk for a rich flavor that makes use of its subtle sweetness to create a savory effect. There's no doubt about it- our Swedish meatball recipe is sure to gain a few new fans!

Saucy Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb. ground beef
2. 1 large egg
3. ½ cup plain dry bread crumbs
4. ¼ cup milk
5. ¼ tsp. salt
6. 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper 
7. 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
8. 1 package Classic Brown gravy mix
9. 1 ¼ cups water
10. ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce

Methods

1. Mix the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, salt and pepper before shaping them into meatballs.
2. Brown the meatballs in oil over medium heat, eventually adding the gravy mix (already mixed with water).
3. Stir in the cranberry sauce and bring the contents to a boil before reducing the heat and simmering the meatballs to completion.

The ‘perfect' meatball recipe will vary from person to person but by using our simple tips, the path to finding your favorite should be easy and a lot of fun. Make the choice to discover your favorite; the ensuing trials should make your family and friends very happy.