Best Meatball Salad Recipes

MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Combine the Parmesan, ricotta, breadcrumbs, milk and egg in a medium bowl and stir well to combine and allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the liquid. Add the pork, sausage and salt and use your hands to mix gently to combine.
• Heat a medium straight sided skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Roll heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture into balls and place in the hot oil. Add as many as the skillet will allow without overcrowding, working in two batches if needed. Brown the balls on all sides, rotating as needed, about 8 minutes. Remove the balls to a plate and pour off the oil from the skillet. Add the marinara and 1/4 cup water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Return the balls to the sauce and cover the skillet. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• For the salad: Meanwhile, toss together the arugula, Parmesan shavings, olive oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
• Spoon 5 or 6 meatballs into a bowl, then top with some of the salad and serve. Repeat to make 4 more servings.

BUN CHA (VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water and cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, and pepper, and marinate in the refrigerator for 90 minutes to six hours.
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a large mixing bowl.
• When the pork is through marinating, remove from the refrigerator and shape into small patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Heat a charcoal grill or a broiler to high. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process.
• Meanwhile, grill or broil the pork patties until fully cooked and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the pork patties over the sauce. Place the herbs and lettuce in one large communal bowl and the noodles into another large communal bowl. To eat, dip some of the noodles into the sauce and eat with the patties and herbs.

GRILLED MEATBALL AND FUSILLI PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• For the iced tea: Pour 4 cups boiling water over teabags in a heatproof pitcher and allow to brew, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove teabags and add sweetener to taste. Stir in 6 cups ice cubes until melted. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Makes two quarts. For the pasta salad: Toss the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, crushed red pepper, half the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; let sit at room temperature.
• Stir together the breadcrumbs, milk, onion, oregano, egg and remaining garlic in a large bowl; let sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.
• Brush a baking sheet with oil and set aside. Shave half the Pecorino into long, thin strips with a vegetable peeler; set aside. Finely grate the remaining Pecorino and add to the breadcrumb mixture. Add the ground pork and mix everything with your hands until just combined. Roll level teaspoons of the pork mixture into about 30 small meatballs, placing them on the oiled baking sheet as you form them. Thread 5 meatballs onto each skewer. Freeze the skewers to firm up the meatballs (and help keep them from sticking to the grill), about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare a grill or large grill pan for cooking over medium-high heat.
• Add the fusilli to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Strain the pasta well, add to the bowl with the tomato mixture and stir to combine; set aside.
• Brush the skewers all over with oil. Lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the skewers, rotating as needed to ensure even cooking, until the meatballs are charred in spots on all sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the skewers, and add to the pasta, along with the shaved Pecorino, mozzarella and basil. Add salt if needed. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Drizzle with additional oil before serving.

VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD (BUN CHA)

Steps:

• For the meatballs: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water and cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, and pepper, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 1⁄2 hours. For the sauce: Combine fish sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water, garlic, chile and green papaya in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to marry the flavors To assemble: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Shape marinated pork into small patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Heat a charcoal grill or a broiler to high. Grill or broil the pork patties until fully cooked and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the pork patties over the sauce. Place the herbs and lettuce in one large communal bowl and the noodles into another large communal bowl. To eat, dip some of the noodles into the sauce and eat with the patties and herbs.

MAKE-AHEAD MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine beef and bread crumbs. Shape into 3/4-in. balls. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain. Cool for 15-30 minutes. , Place Italian salad dressing in a resealable plastic bag; add meatballs. Seal and refrigerate overnight. Drain and discard marinade. On a serving platter or individual plates, arrange greens, onion, cheese and olives. Top with meatballs. Drizzle with dressing.

TURKEY-MEATBALL SALAD WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss scallions and peppers with 2 teaspoons oil; season with salt and pepper and push to one side of sheet. Place meatballs on other side of sheet; toss with 2 teaspoons oil.
• Broil, tossing vegetables and turning meatballs occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are lightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool for 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk vinegar and mustard with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce, scallions, and peppers; toss to combine. Top with meatballs and Parmesan.

TURKEY MEATBALL CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. In a bowl, mix the mince, onion, half the chives, 1 tbsp of the buttermilk, the garlic, 2 tbsp of the Parmesan, half the Tabasco and half the Worcestershire sauce with some seasoning. Shape into about 20 small meatballs (lightly oiled hands will make this easier).
• Arrange the turkey balls in a single layer in a roasting tin and cook for 10 mins. Remove, turn the turkey balls and arrange the bread chunks in between. Cook for a further 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, tip the rest of the buttermilk into a bowl with the remaining Parmesan, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and the lemon juice. Season and mix. Put the lettuce on top, toss together just before serving and divide between plates. Top with some meatballs and baked croutons, then sprinkle with chives. Serve with extra Parmesan, if you like.

MEATBALL CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler on high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Pulse 1/3 cup of the pita chips in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon each of the red wine vinegar and olive oil.
• Coarsely chop one of the onion halves and add it to the food processor along with the garlic and 1/4 cup of the parsley; pulse until very finely chopped. Add this mixture to the bowl with the ground pita chips and mix well with your hands. Add the beef, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and mix gently with your hands until well combined. Dampen your hands and form the mixture into 24 small meatballs, using about 1 tablespoon for each ball. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
• Broil until the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, thinly slice the remaining red onion half. Coarsely crush the remaining 1 cup pita chips.
• Whisk together the yogurt and remaining 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions, tomatoes, feta, romaine, cucumber, bell pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt as needed.
• Divide the salad among 4 plates. Top each with some meatballs and the crushed pita chips.

TURKEY MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg and 4 teaspoons soy sauce; add water chestnuts, green onions and bread crumbs. Add turkey and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place meatballs on a greased shallow rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. , Meanwhile, for dressing, combine cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk in broth, vinegar and remaining soy sauce until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. To serve, arrange meatballs over lettuce; garnish with onions and lemon. Serve with the dressing.

BANH MI MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• For the pickled vegetables: Whisk the vinegar, honey and 1/2 tspkosher salt together in a medium bowl. Add the carrots, daikon and onion; toss gently. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes; stir occasionally to evenly distribute the brine.
• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place the cubed baguette on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Lightly season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss with your hands. Shake the pan so that the bread is in a single layer, then toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy. Remove the croutons from the oven and transfer to a plate or bowl. Carefully dust off any crumbs from the baking sheet, then spray it generously with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, garlic, basil, up to 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, black pepper to taste, fish sauce and kosher salt. Gently shape the meat mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs and transfer each to the greased baking sheet, making sure to space them evenly apart so they are not touching. Bake the meatballs, undisturbed, until browned and just cooked through, 8-12 minutes. Let them cool a slightly while you assemble the salad.
• At this point, add the mayonnaise and 2 tsp sriracha to the pickled vegetables and stir to combine thoroughly.
• In a large salad bowl, add the romaine, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Add the pickled dressed vegetables and toss to combine and dress the salad. Add the croutons and toss gently again. Divide the salad among dinner plates and top with 4 meatballs apiece. Drizzle with sriracha if desired, then garnish with the herbs and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

GREEK MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler on high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Pulse 1/2 cup of the pita chips in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon each red wine vinegar and olive oil.
• Coarsely chop one of the onion halves and add it to the food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the mint and the garlic and pulse until very finely chopped. Add this mixture to the bowl with the ground pita chips and mix well with your hands. Add the beef, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mix gently with your hands until well combined.
• Dampen your hands and form the mixture into 24 small meatballs, using about 1 tablespoon for each. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the meatballs about 1 inch apart. Spread the tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer on the other side of the pan.
• Broil until the meatballs are almost cooked through and browned and the tomatoes are blistered, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Combine the yogurt, the remaining 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to make the dressing. Very thinly slice the remaining onion half and add it to a clean large bowl along with the lettuce, bell peppers and remaining 1/4 cup mint leaves. Toss with the dressing and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Top with the meatballs, tomatoes and remaining 1 cup pita chips and serve.

ORIENTAL MEATBALL SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine eggs and milk.
• Stir in bread crumbs.
• Add beef and mix gently.
• Shape into 3/4 inch meatballs.
• In skillet cook meatballs in oil about 10 minutes or until done.
• Turn frequently.
• Drain.
• Drain pineapple and reserve juice.
• Add water to juice to make ¾ cup liquid.
• In bowl combine pineapple chunks, green pepper, carrot, celery and meatballs.
• In small saucepan combine brown sugar, cornstarch.
• Stir in the pineapple liquid, wine, vinegar and soy sauce.
• Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
• Pour hot dressing over meatball mixture.
• Cover and chill.
• To serve carefully stir tomato wedges into meatballs (or reserve tomatoes for garnish around salad).
• Place shredded lettuce on each of 4 serving plates.
• Carefully spoon meatball mixture on top.
• Sprinkle with rice or chow mein noodles if desired.