Image via Complex Original
We all know what meatballs are. They are round meat, perched on top of a tangle of spaghetti, splashed with ambiguous red sauce. Maybe a sprinkling of Parmesan if you’re lucky. No more, no less. Right? Wrong. Meatballs, it turns out, are not limited to generic Italian food. Variations of the meatball can be found all over the world, from Hungary to Korea. Check out our ten best meatball variations below to see what international love really looks like.
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Extra Tender Meatballs
These are fork tender and indispensable. Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and Parmesan make them full-flavored, and a hint of mayonnaise keeps them moist. Get the recipe on Food52.
Scotch Eggs
Okay, so these aren't technically meatballs. But they are spherical and made of meat, so we will count them. The hard boiled egg hidden inside doesn't hurt their cause...Get the recipe on Food52.
Turkish Yogurt Soup with Lamb Meatballs
Warm, comforting yogurt soup, topped with small, herby lamb meatballs. Get the recipe on Food52.
Meatballs with Tomato and Zucchini
Soften onion, garlic, tomato and zucchini in olive oil and then fold it into the meat for meatballs that are tender and juicy enough to eat all on their own. Get the recipe on Food52.
Spicy Korean-Style Gochujang Meatballs
These meatballs are spicy and smoky, and covered in a spicy-sweet glaze to keep things interesting. Get the recipe on Food52.
Pork Boudin Balls
These creamy-textured pork balls are super simple to make and they're exceptionally flavorful. The blending of the meat and rice gives them an irresistible light-as-air texture. Get the recipe on Food52.
Rao's Meatballs
These meatballs are classic, but unforgettable. They prove that spaghetti and meatballs doesn't have to be a meal that you slave over and simmer all day, nor does it need to put you into hibernation once you've eaten it. Get the recipe on Food52.
Hungarian Meatballs
Impossibly tender meatballs made of ground pork, ground beef, and pancetta, smothered in a spicy sauce flavored with paprika, rosemary, and mushrooms. Get the recipe on Food52.
Kefta-Style Meatballs with Grilled Grapes and Yogurt Sauce
Flavor your meatballs with cinnamon, mint, and garlic, brown them, and then sandwich them between a grilled grape and a garlicky, lemon yogurt sauce. Get the recipe on Food52.
Shanghainese Lion's Head Meatballs
Flavorful, authentic, and savory-sweet. An extra egg makes them incredibly tender, and a potent mixture of soy sauce, sake, ginger, and green onion takes them up another notch. Get the recipe on Food52.
