Whether it’s for a Christmas cocktail party for two, festive family movie night, or gameday, this trio of festive meatballs is just too good! Cooking has become such a fun creative outlet in our home, and we love cooking together, testing new recipes, and setting pretty tables to make it a special date night at home. Rob and I decided to enjoy a Christmas cocktail party at home for the two of us, and I’m excited to share this recipe, in conjunction with Laura’s Lean ground beef, for Cocktail Meatballs Three Ways: Italian, Asian, and Southern.

We donned our holiday attire, enjoyed Christmas tunes on our record player, poured champagne, and had so much fun dreaming up and developing three different festive meatball recipes, each using this premium, better-for-you 92% ground beef. I love that Laura’s Lean ground beef is lean, really good AND good for you, has no added hormones, and is widely available at retail stores online all across the country. Our fun trio of meatballs spans the globe, which would please any palette!

This holiday season may look different than usual, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice festive events at home or an excuse to dress up for a memorable date night! We find that when we put a little extra effort into cooking exciting, healthier, and delicious meals together (and enjoying the holiday spirit!), it’s so much more special and really brings us together.

Cocktail Meatballs Three Ways: Italian, Asian, and Southern

Laura’s Lean x Stephanie Shaul

Ingredients for ground beef meatballs

1 lb. Laura’s Lean ground beef

1/3 cup of panko bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic

salt and pepper

Meatball directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Mix all of the meatball ingredients well in a bowl to combine, and then use a cookie scoop to make each meatball. Bake for 18-20 minutes. (If you’re doing all three full recipes below, you’ll want three pounds of ground beef!)

Italian:

standard meatball recipe above plus 1/3 cup of parmesan and 1/4 cup of finely diced onion to mixture

Italian sauce: Simmer 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat, then add 1 finely diced onion to the oil. Saute about four minutes then add 2 teaspoons of finely minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of basil (dried or fresh), 1 teaspoon of rosemary (dried or fresh), 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of butter. Stir and cook for two minutes, then add 1 28 oz can of high quality crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, scrape the bottom of the pan, stir in 1/4 cup of water, and let simmer anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. Once meatballs are cooked, add them directly to the pan and let simmer together before serving. To serve, garnish with rosemary and fresh parmesan cheese.

Asian:

standard meatball recipe above plus 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions and 1 tsp. of minced ginger

Asian sauce: Combine 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice, 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of hoisin, 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and 1 teaspoon of minced ginger in a saucepan over medium high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Once meatballs are cooked, add them directly to the pan and let simmer together before serving. To serve, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Southern:

standard meatball recipe above

Southern sauce: Combine equal parts of grape jelly and your favorite BBQ sauce (around 18 ounces of each), 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. freshly grated orange zest. Stir together well and simmer, continuing to stir. Once meatballs are cooked, add them directly to the pan and let simmer together before serving. To serve, garnish with orange zest.

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #LaurasLean campaign, sponsored by Laura’s Lean. Although I have been compensated, all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful brands that help support this blog!