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A fork holds a sliced meatball in tomato sauce on a plate
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5 from 113 votes

Ground Beef and Sausage Meatballs

These Ground Beef and Sausage Meatballs, Almondegas as we call them in Portuguese, are a light and pillowy treat. A comforting batch recipe that makes 35-50 meatballs, depending on the size they're rolled. A great freezer-friendly make-ahead recipe that's also perfect for a party or family gathering.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 404kcal
Author: Aline Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 85% ground beef
  • 1 lb pork sausage
  • 1 Tablespoon of Brazilian Sofrito or 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bunch of parsley leaves some stems ok
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 large onion or half of a small one
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prepare the Meatball Mixture:

  • Add the onion, the parsley leaves, the olive oil and the Brazilian sofrito to a food processor and pulse to mince. Set aside.
  • Next, add the meat and the sausage to a large bowl. To that, add the minced ingredients from the food processor, the salt and pepper, and the parmesan cheese. Set aside.
  • Using a measuring cup, measure the milk, then whisk in the egg, then and add in the breadcrumbs. Stir to hydrate.
  • Add the breadcrumbs mixture to the meat bowl and use your hands in the form of a claw to mix everything together until combined. Avoid the temptation to squeeze the mixture in your hands—this can overwork your ingredients and leave the meatballs tough.
  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Roll the Meatballs:

  • Scoop about a tablespoon's worth of the meatball mixture in the palm of your hand.
  • Gently shape them into balls and place them on a baking sheet about an inch apart.
  • You should get somewhere between 35-50 meatballs, depending on how large you scoop them.

Bake the Meatballs:

  • Bake 15-20 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 160F.
  • Serve warm with pasta or as an appetizer!

To Store or Freeze:

  • Let the meatballs cool completely before transferring to a plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • To defrost, remove the freezer bag from the freezer and let the meatballs defrost in the fridge. Reheat in a pasta sauce or in the microwave.

Bom Apetite!!

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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 3mg