Our Ukrainian pork meatballs recipe is a classic, simple-ingredients dish made up of groundpork, soaked bread, onion, mayo, salt and pepper. We love them paired with mashed potatoes for guests or on the weekends. For easier weeknight dinner, they are also delicious served over a bed of pasta. The prep is so much easier and faster.
Ingredients
2 1/2lbsground pork meat
1medium yellow onion (5 oz)
8oz(or 1/2 lb) dried sliced bread (preferably rustic or homemade)
2teaspoonssalt or to taste (I usually do 2 1/2 tsp)
1/2teaspoonground black pepper or to taste
1cupfine bread crumbs for coating (I use Progresso plain)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line parchment paper with a baking sheet (no cooking spray or oil is required).
In a medium bowl, cover 8 oz dried bread slices with lukewarm water; let it stand and soak for few minutes. Squeeze out the water from bread and grate onto a large hole of grater.
In a large bowl, combine and mix 2 1/2 lbs ground pork meat and grated bread (for best results, use your hands).
Grate 1 medium yellow onion onto a small hole of grater. Dispose any excess onion juice.
To the meat, add grated onion, 1/2 cup real mayo, 2 tsp fine salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. (start with 2 tsp salt and add more if needed - depends on mayo brand). Mix well until everything is fully combined. (You are welcome to add more pepper if spicy meatballs are preferred).
Scoop meat with a small cookie scoop for equal sized meatballs. (Using cookie scoop will save time and it will help meatballs cook more evenly if they are the same size). Roll them in bread crumbs and slightly flatten each one to about 1/2″ thick. Transfer onto baking sheet (side by side). You will most likely need an additional smaller baking sheet to fit 10-15 remaining meatballs. Bake both baking sheets at the same time.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fully cooked, by flipping meatballs over halfway through. (I usually do 25 mins one side and 20 another).
Transfer baked pork meatballs into a dish and serve warm over a bed of mashed potatoes or pasta. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers once cooled.
Notes
Use the same amount of ground chicken or ground beef the recipe calls for to make chicken or beef meatballs. You can also do half pork and half chicken.
To freeze meatballs: once meatballs are fully baked, let them cool. Place into freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months.
To reheat frozen meatballs: single layer meatballs into a lightly oiled skillet over low heat (cover with lid for best results).
To cook meatballs on stovetop: use the same recipe and same instructions as for baked meatballs. Heat a large non-stick skillet over low-medium heat with few tablespoons of oil, to fully cover the bottom of the skillet. Once oil is hot, add prepared meatballs (10-13, depends on skillet size) and cook about 8-10 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Saute until meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through.