Meatball Stew is a hearty, one-pot dinner that's perfect for busy nights. The meatballs replace the beef because they cook faster and turn out more tender, making the whole dish come together easily. It's a family favorite that's cozy, filling, and packed with flavor.
Meatball Stew Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Main Course
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 40 Minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 6 servings
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Savory, rich, and comforting with herby meatballs
- 🍚 Best Served With: Crusty bread or over rice
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, reheats well and flavors deepen over time
Summarize and Save This Content On
This is my kind of comfort food, especially when I want something to keep me warm in the cold months. I like using meatballs because they're more convenient than chunks of beef, since they cook faster while still giving it that classic beef stew flavor I love. It's cozy, satisfying, and easy enough for any night of the week.
If you want a tasty beef stew recipe, you should try Dutch oven Irish stew and Guinness beef stew.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It takes less than an hour: This meatball stew recipe is prepared, cooked, and ready for the table in under an hour. It's plenty of time to develop the flavors without taking all day.
- It's made from scratch with minimal work: There's not a lot of hands-on work involved with this stew, only making the meatballs and prepping the veggies.
- It's kid-friendly: The textures and flavors of this meatball stew are pleasing enough for kids and picky eaters.
- The Parmesan is a flavor bomb: You get tons of flavor in the meatballs just by adding Parmesan cheese. It's perfectly sharp and salty. It's definitely my favorite part!
Ingredients
All the important components in this recipe for meatball stew are listed below, and they are common kitchen items you probably have on hand already.
- Ground beef: I like 80% lean ground beef because the small amount of fat keeps the meatballs tender and moist without being greasy.
- Parmesan cheese: This boosts the flavor of the meatballs by a lot! It adds a sharp, salty, and almost nutty flavor to keep the meatballs from tasting bland.
- Tomato paste: If you want a flavorful base for your stew, tomato paste is an important ingredient. Cook it a bit before adding liquid to deepen the depth of flavor.
- Potatoes: I prefer Yukon gold potatoes. They hold their shape well but also become super creamy and soft in the middle. That's why I also use them in this hearty potato stew. You can use Russet potatoes instead, but they are more likely to fall apart.
- Bay leaf: This is great for adding an herbal flavor to your meatball and potato stew, just to remember to remove it before serving!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Frozen meatballs: Take a shortcut and use frozen meatballs in this meatball stew recipe instead. Add them frozen when you would add the homemade ones, and just ensure they are heated through.
- Switch up the veggies: Add sliced mushrooms or trade the carrots for parsnips or sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.
- Turkey or chicken swap: Use ground chicken or ground turkey for the meatballs instead of ground beef.
How to Make Meatball Stew
Before you get started, gather all the ingredients and chop the veggies. Then, you can focus on making the best meatballs ever.
Step 1: Make the meatball mixture. Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix until everything is well incorporated. Then, form them into 1-tablespoon balls.
Step 2: Brown the meatballs. Heat a large pot over medium heat with some oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides and then remove them and set them aside.
Step 3: Soften the veggies. Cook the celery, carrots, and onions for about 5 minutes or until they're soft before you add garlic and cook for a minute.
Step 4: Make the roux. Stir in the flour and cook it down before you do the same with the tomato paste.
Step 5: Simmer. Pour in the broth and remaining ingredients and let them cook for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Add the meatballs. Add the meatballs and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Enjoy a hot bowl of stew with sweet onion bread.
Expert Tips
- Don't overwork the meatballs. Only mix the ground beef with the other ingredients until they are just combined. Overmixing or overworking the meatballs will make them tough and dense.
- Wet your hands: Before you form the meatballs, lightly wet your hands with water. This helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Brown the meatballs in batches: If your skillet doesn't have room, brown the meatballs in batches. This will ensure that they sear and get a nice crust on them instead of steaming.
- Cook the roux long enough: When you make the roux, allow it to cook for at least 2-3 minutes before you add anything else to it. This prevents a raw flour taste.
- Storing the leftovers: Place any leftovers of this simple meatball stew recipe into an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating directions: The best way to reheat leftover meatball stew is on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen it.
If you enjoy the meatball and potato combination, I recommend meatballs with mashed potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
- Side ideas: Serve this meatball stew with some bread to soak up the broth. Try these baked dinner rolls or your favorite crusty bread.
- Desserts: Complete your meal with a simple yet satisfying dessert, like this banana fluff recipe.
- Fresh pairings: Add something light on the side, like a creamy cucumber salad or wedge salad.
Meatball Stew Recipe FAQs
If the roux doesn't make the stew thick enough, you can make a slurry that consists of 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and stir it in. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes to ensure it cooks down and thickens properly.
Sure! After you brown the meatballs and saute the veggies, place all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Omit the roux and make a cornstarch slurry instead to thicken the stew before serving.
Yes! Use the saute setting on your Instant Pot for the meatballs, veggies, and to make the roux. Then, pressure cook the meatball stew on high for 20-25 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release and then serve!
Of course. Place the stew into an airtight and freezer-safe container, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can! It takes away the part of preparing and browning them. Add them when you add the broth and other ingredients, then cook the stew according to the recipe directions.
More Delicious Recipes with Meatballs
Do you like meatball recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Meatball Stew
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon oil
Stew
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 small onion diced
- 2-3 carrots sliced
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-6 cups beef broth
- 2 cups potatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup peas frozen
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning until just combined.
- Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs. About 1 Tablespoon in size.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches if needed.
- Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, stir in the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the butter, and sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring, then add the potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.
- Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just beginning to soften.
- Return the meatballs to the pot and continue simmering for 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 5 minutes before serving.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.
Notes
- Mix the ground beef with the other ingredients just until combined. Overworking the mixture can make the meatballs tough and dense.
- You can use frozen meatballs in this meatball stew recipe-it eliminates the need to prep and brown them first. Simply add them to the broth along with the other ingredients, then cook the stew according to the recipe directions.
- If your skillet is crowded, brown the meatballs in batches. Giving them space helps them sear properly and develop a nice crust rather than steam.
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