Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

Name: Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef (pork, veal or turkey); 4 tablespoons garlic (minced); 2 large eggs; 1 cup parmesan cheese grated; 2 tablespoons parsley (fresh Italian flat leaf or 2 teaspoons dried); 1 teaspoon oregano (dried (ground or leaves)); 2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup breadcrumbs or panko; ¼ - ½ cup lukewarm water or milk (as necessary); 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cubed); 1 ½ sticks butter (unsalted); 1 cup whipping cream; ½ tablespoon sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground pepper; Your Favorite Packaged Gravy (for serving)

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Savory Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes deserve a spot in your weekly dinner rotation. This recipe is an absolute home run! The homemade meatballs are so tender and flavorful, while the mashed potatoes are perfectly creamy. It doesn’t get much better than this!

If you want a meal that’s simple but sticks to your ribs, look no further! It’s now one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy meatballs, even as a pasta lover. And it’s simple enough for a busy weeknight or laid-back weekend!

A white plate of meatballs and mashed potatoes with gravy with a fork grabbing a piece of a meatball.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to Make Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Recipe Tips
Storage Directions
Serving Suggestions
Recipe FAQs
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes and gravy are a match made in heaven. I use a store-bought gravy mix but the creamy potatoes are the real star! They are made with plenty of butter and cream so they are silky smooth. It’s a fantastic side dish to serve with the wonderfully cooked meatballs.

If you like easy dinner recipes, you will love Chicken Pot Pie with Cream of Chicken Soup, Costco Chicken Meatballs, Pineapple BBQ Meatballs and Baked Rigatoni.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It has basic ingredients: From garlic to eggs and spices, all of the ingredients used in this meatballs with mashed potatoes recipe are everyday items that you don’t have to go out of your way to find.
It’s a versatile recipe: There are several ways you can tweak this recipe to make it your own, such as flavor changes and alternative side dishes.
It’s affordable: It’s such an inexpensive dinner! If you have a tight budget, this is a great recipe to make to ensure your family is well-fed without spending a fortune.

Ingredients

This easy recipe for meatballs, mashed potatoes, and gravy is a truly satisfying meal on a budget! The ingredients used are inexpensive, easy to find, and many you can purchase ahead and keep in your kitchen so you may make this whenever you want.

For the meatballs

Ground beef: I like to use 80/20 lean ground beef to keep the meatballs from becoming too greasy. You can even use ground turkey or pork in place of the beef if you’d like!
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds tons of flavor to the meat. It works well with spices to create a robust meatball you can’t stop eating.
Eggs: This works as part of the binder to keep the meatballs from falling apart while adding moisture.
Parmesan cheese: The sharpness of the cheese adds plenty of savory flavor so the meatballs aren’t bland. It also adds great texture.
Spices: I use salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley. Basil works great, too. You can even use Italian seasoning if you like, which typically includes thyme as well.
Water or milk: Since meatballs are prone to drying out easily, some warm water or milk can keep them perfectly juicy as they bake.

For the mashed potatoes

Yukon gold potatoes: These are by far the best variety of potatoes for mashed potatoes. They become perfectly creamy and smooth. Russet potatoes work well in a pinch, but avoid red potatoes as they have a gluey texture when mashed.
Butter: The secret to flavorful mashed potatoes is butter! That classic buttery flavor and creamy texture are necessary to bring the dish together and make it taste amazing. I use unsalted so I have more control over the salt level.
Heavy cream: I find that heavy cream makes the creamiest mashed potatoes. Whole milk works as well but, low-fat and nonfat milk make them more lumpy and watery because of the lower fat content.
Gravy mix: Choose any variety of gravy mix you like and prepare it according to the package. I love a classic brown gravy for this because I feel the savory flavors match the meatballs the best.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

Creamy mushroom: Add sliced mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup to the gravy for an umami twist.
BBQ bacon cheddar: Stir in shredded cheddar and chopped bacon into the mashed potatoes, and coat the meatballs in your favorite BBQ sauce.
Meatballs with rice and gravy: Change it up and serve rice instead of mashed potatoes.

How to Make Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

Here are the instructions on how to make mashed potatoes and meatballs. It’s a basic, yet flavorful meatball recipe with homemade creamy mashed potatoes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grab a large-rimmed baking sheet.

Meatball ingredients in a glass mixing bowl before combining.

Step 1: Combine the meatball ingredients. Mix together the ground beef, garlic, eggs, cheese, spices, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Slowly add a small amount of warm water (or milk) to the bowl until the mixture is moist but holds together.

Cooked meatballs on a metal baking sheet.

Step 2: Form and bake them. Roll about a golf ball-sized amount of the meat mixture into a ball, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with all the meat mixture. Bake them for about 20-25 minutes in the oven.

Cooked potatoes in a pot with butter sticks added.

Step 3: Cook the potatoes and add butter. Boil the potatoes at high heat for 20 minutes or until they are very tender. They should fall apart easily with a fork! Drain the water and add the sticks of butter.

A potato masher leaning against a pot filled with partially mashed potatoes and heavy cream.

Step 4: Add the remaining ingredients and mash them. Start mashing the potatoes to melt and incorporate the butter. Then, add the cream and seasoning. Continue to mash until the potatoes are perfectly smooth and creamy.

Meatballs and mashed potatoes on a white plate with a potato-covered knife leaning on the plate and a cut meatball in teh front.

Step 5: Make the gravy and serve. Prepare the gravy according to the package directions. Then, serve the meatballs over the mashed potatoes. Ensure the gravy has smothered the meatballs and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Don’t overwork the beef: Mix the ground beef with the other ingredients until they are just combined. Overworking the meat will cause the meatballs to become tough and dry.
Make them all the same size: Form the meatballs so they are roughly the same size to ensure they all cook evenly in the oven.
Don’t overcook the meatballs: You want the meatballs to be fully cooked and a little brown on the outside. It’s fine if they are still slightly pink in the middle. Cooking them too long will make them hard and dry.

If you love recipes like meat and potatoes, you may also enjoy this Steak Bites and Potatoes recipe.

Storage Directions

Storing: Store leftover mashed potatoes and meatballs in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them in separate freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Reheating: You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop in separate saucepans. I recommend thawing the frozen leftovers in the refrigerator overnight before you reheat them.
Make Ahead: Prepare and shape your meatballs up to 24 hours ahead of time, and store them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them. I do this often for lazy meals!

Three meatballs sitting on top of a bed of mashed potatoes covered in gravy and garnished with parsley.

Serving Suggestions

You can’t go wrong with a lovely veggie side dish. I love honey maple carrots and broiled asparagus, but even a simple side salad will work great.
I like to make some form of bread to soak up the extra gravy and these air fryer dinner rolls are perfect. Soft dinner rolls are my go-to when I want delish from-scratch rolls.
Add some honey glazed onions to your plate. The sweetness pairs well with the other ingredients.

Recipe FAQs

Can I sear the meatballs instead of baking them?

Sure! Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the meatballs for 2-3 minutes per side or until they have a nice crust and are cooked through.

Can I freeze the meatballs before baking them?

Of course. I flash-freeze them on a sheet pan to make them firm. Then, I transfer them to a large freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers. They last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Can I use homemade gravy?

If you have a homemade gravy recipe that you prefer, you can use that instead. I go with a gravy mix for convenience, so I can focus on the other elements of the meal.

A fork grabbing a piece of a meatball from a plate of mashed potatoes and meatballs with gravy.

More Delicious Meatball Recipes

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!