Reviewed: May 7, 2012

The meatballs, themselves, deserve 5 stars, but the sauce was bland. I sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic to add, but it was missing some spices. I was hoping cooking the meatballs in the sauce would be enough to add some flavor, but it wasn't. Next time, I will up the spice in the sauce, maybe add a touch of brown sugar, wine, Italian seasoning, more garlic, etc. I will make this recipe again, though...the meatballs were great.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

scubagirl

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Fennville, Michigan, USA

Living In: East Lansing, Michigan, USA

Reviewed: Apr. 9, 2012

Great recipe! My 11 month old loved it. The only thing I would do different is add more flavor to the sauce. I added garlic salt and some onion powder.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

aratcliff77

Reviewed: Jan. 21, 2012

Wow!! Who knew I could make meatballs?? I used pre-seasoned panko instead of bread crumbs and skipped the parmesan cheese, and they turned out great. The only tricky part was browning the meatballs because I couldn't figure out how to brown them "on all sides". I ended up squashing them a little bit in order to keep turning them and ended up with little 3-D hexagons. That part was tricky but they really ended up delicious. Used sauce from a jar and whole-wheat spaghetti. What a great recipe, perfect even for someone who has no clue what they're doing.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
0 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

shale

Cooking Level: Beginning

Reviewed: Dec. 7, 2011

Yum!....Love using extra lean ground chicken instead of beef. A few mini changes....I only used 1 lb of ground chicken and I added 2 large cloves of garlic finely minced to the meatball mixture and added pecorino romano cheese and whole wheat Italian style bread crumbs in addition to the egg and seasonings. I also baked my meatballs instead of pan frying which saves fat and calories. Added some dry red wine to the sauce as well. Nice dinner...thanks!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

SLJ6

Cooking Level: Expert

Reviewed: Oct. 28, 2011

I made the meatballs exactly as the recipe is written and used good sauce that I already had. We made toasted chicken meatballs subs with melted mozzarella cheese. Loved it. Will definitely make again.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

VIKKIVAND

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA

Reviewed: Oct. 11, 2011

I'm torn with this recipe. The meatballs are excellent! I'm starting to cook more with ground chicken and I'm really liking it. Unfortunately, the sauce brings this recipe down. Even with all of the basil, it still tastes like plain tomato sauce from a can. By the time I finished doctoring it up, it beared no resemblance to the recipe.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
3 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

DIZ♥

Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)

Cooking Level: Expert

Reviewed: Sep. 12, 2011

I cheated and used 2 jars of sauce to save time after work. These meatballs are so simple, but so delicious. I have made them three times now and each time my husband and I talk about how good they are during the entire meal. I can't get enough of them :)

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

CreativeCook

Reviewed: Aug. 20, 2011

Have made several times and will make again!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

kris

Reviewed: Jul. 14, 2011

Meatball portion of recipe was great. Sauce needs a lot of other ingredients including onions, garlic, peppers (any colour), oregano and I like mushrooms in my sauce too. I usually add a pinch of brown sugar too...removes the acid from the tomatoes.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
3 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Wen-dee

Reviewed: Jun. 29, 2011

I use ground turkey and up the italian seasonings, garlic, and parm cheese. A high quality parmesan is a must. I test fry a mini meatball before cooking and add seasoning accordingly before shaping the balls. I bake in a 375 oven for about 30 minutes, easier than panfrying. The sauce recipe is great too, although i tweak it. I saute some onions and garlic in basil olive oil before adding canned tomatoes ( i usually buy the garlic and oregano seasoned, the more flavor the better!) and add more seasoning (I use a spicy italian herb grinder) and red pepper flakes (we like it spicy!). I let it simmer for a long time (an hour or so) to let the flavors meld. So good, we make this about once a week, and any leftovers are even better the next day!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful