Amazing Garlic Butter Meatballs in under 40 mins

Okay, if you’re anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for that *perfect* appetizer or a super simple weeknight dinner that actually tastes amazing. Well, get ready, because these Garlic Butter Meatballs are about to become your new best friend! Seriously, they’re ridiculously easy to whip up, taste like they came from a fancy restaurant, and they disappeared SO fast the first time I made them for game night. My friends practically licked the bowl clean! They’re just that good – savory, garlicky, buttery goodness in every single bite.

Why You’ll Love These Garlic Butter Meatballs

Seriously, these meatballs are a game-changer! Here’s why you’ll be making them again and again:

• So Easy! They’re honestly a breeze to put together, even on a busy weeknight.
• Super Quick! From start to finish, they’ll be ready in under 40 minutes. Yes, please!
• Incredible Flavor: That garlic butter sauce? Pure savory magic that coats every single meatball.
• Versatile Stars: Serve them as a killer appetizer for parties, or pile them over pasta for a hearty main dish.
• Crowd Pleaser: Everyone loves a good meatball, and these disappear fast, guaranteed!

Ingredients for Perfect Garlic Butter Meatballs

Alright, gathering your ingredients is the first step to meatball glory! You really don’t need much, which is part of why I love them so much. Just make sure you’ve got these handy:

• 1 pound ground beef: I usually go for 80/20, that little bit of fat makes them nice and juicy.
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs: Panko works great if you want a little extra crispiness, but regular finely ground breadcrumbs are perfect too.
• 1/4 cup milk: This helps bind everything together and keeps the meatballs tender. Whole milk is my go-to.
• 1 large egg: Our binder-in-chief!
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: Oh yes, cheese makes everything better, doesn’t it? Plus, it adds that little salty bite.
• 1 teaspoon salt: Don’t skip this! It really brings out all the flavors.
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper: Freshly ground is always best if you have it!
• 4 tablespoons butter: Unsalted is usually best so you can control the saltiness yourself.
• 4 cloves garlic, minced: Ooh, listen, you *could* cheat with garlic powder, but fresh minced garlic is where the real magic lives in this sauce. Trust me!
• 1/4 cup beef broth: This makes our sauce luscious and helps carry all that garlic butter flavor.
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley: This is for garnish, but it adds such a lovely freshness at the end. It just makes them look so pretty!

How to Make Garlic Butter Meatballs: Step-by-Step

Okay, let’s get cooking! These steps are super straightforward, I promise. You’ll have these flavor bombs ready before you know it. Just follow along, and you’ll be golden!

Preparing the Meatball Mixture

First things first, grab a big bowl. Toss in that ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Now, this is important: mix it all up with your hands until it’s just combined. Seriously, don’t go crazy overmixing it, or your meatballs might get tough. We want tender, juicy little guys!

Forming and Baking the Meatballs

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper – makes cleanup a breeze! Then, just roll that meat mixture into little 1-inch balls. I like to use a cookie scoop to get them all the same size, but honestly, just rolling them by hand works perfectly fine. Pop them onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re nicely browned and cooked all the way through. You want that little bit of crust on the outside!

Crafting the Garlic Butter Sauce

While those meatballs are doing their thing in the oven, let’s whip up that glorious sauce. Grab a skillet (a nice shallow one works best) and melt your butter over medium heat. Once it’s all bubbly, toss in your minced garlic. You only want to cook it for about a minute, just until it smells amazing. Be careful not to burn it, or it’ll get bitter! Then, pour in the beef broth and let it simmer for a minute. It’s a bit like making the sauce for garlic parmesan cream steak, just a bit simpler! That’s it! Super simple, right?

Combining Meatballs and Sauce

Once the meatballs are out of the oven and that sauce is ready, just gently add the cooked meatballs right into the skillet with the garlic butter sauce. Toss them around until every single one is coated in that incredible garlicky, buttery goodness. It’s like a little meatball spa treatment!

Tips for the Best Garlic Butter Meatballs

Okay, so you’ve got the recipe, but I’ve learned a few little tricks over the years that really make these Garlic Butter Meatballs sing! My absolute favorite tip? Make sure you don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Seriously, just combine everything until it’s *barely* mixed. Overworking it can make them tough, and nobody wants a tough meatball! Also, for the sauce, watch that garlic like a hawk! It goes from perfectly fragrant to burnt really fast, and trust me, burnt garlic is NOT the flavor we’re going for here. If you want to take it up a notch, check out my keto garlic butter meatballs for a different twist!

Serving and Storage for Garlic Butter Meatballs

These Garlic Butter Meatballs are so versatile! You can totally serve them as a standout appetizer at your next party – just stick a toothpick in each one and watch them disappear! Or, if you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, they’re amazing piled high over some spaghetti or even tucked into little slider buns for mini meatball subs. They’re just fantastic no matter how you serve them! If you’ve got leftovers (which is rare in my house!), just pop them into an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep beautifully for about 3-4 days. To reheat, I like to gently warm them up in a skillet with a splash of water or some extra broth to loosen up that sauce. They also reheat pretty well in the microwave, just give them a stir halfway through! They’re great for meal prep, almost as good as my garlic parmesan chicken pasta, and a nice alternative if you want something similar to my garlic butter chicken bites!

Frequently Asked Questions about Garlic Butter Meatballs

Can I make these Garlic Butter Meatballs ahead of time?

Oh, absolutely! You can totally make the meatballs themselves a day ahead and store them in the fridge. Just bake them and make the sauce closer to serving time. If you’ve already cooked them and coated them in sauce, they’ll still be delicious when gently reheated, but the sauce might thicken up a bit. I haven’t tried freezing them after they’re sauced, but uncooked, baked meatballs freeze really well!

What kind of meat can I use for these meatballs?

While this recipe calls for ground beef, which I love because it’s so classic and forgiving, you can definitely switch it up! Ground turkey or chicken work great if you want something a little lighter. Just be aware that leaner meats might not be as juicy, so you might want to add a little extra milk or even a tablespoon of olive oil to the mix. Pork also works beautifully for a richer flavor profile!

How can I make the garlic butter sauce even richer?

You know, that simple garlic butter sauce is pretty darn amazing on its own, but if you want to go full-on decadent? My favorite trick is to add a splash of heavy cream right after you add the beef broth. Let it simmer for just a minute to thicken slightly, and you’ll have a gorgeously creamy sauce that’s just out of this world. A little bit of butter never hurt anyone, right?

Estimated Nutritional Information

Okay, so a little heads-up on the nutrition stuff! These estimates are based on the ingredients as written, so your specific numbers might tweak a bit depending on what brands you use or if you make any little changes. But generally, you’re looking at around 350 calories, 25g of fat (with about 10g of that being saturated), 20g of protein, and just 10g of carbs per serving, which is usually about 4 meatballs. Pretty great for something that tastes THIS good, right?

Share Your Garlic Butter Meatballs Creations!

I absolutely LOVE seeing your kitchen creations! Did you make these Garlic Butter Meatballs? Have questions or your own little twists to share? Drop a comment below – I read every single one! And if you snap a pic, tag me on social media; I’d be thrilled to see (and maybe even share!) your amazing meatballs. You can learn more about me over here!

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