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Meatballs and Gravy

Meatballs and gravy with tender, golden-browned meatballs simmered in a rich dark brown onion gravy. The gravy is thickened with roux and simmered until silky before serving over mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
  • 0.25 cup parmesan
  • 1 egg
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper
For brown gravy
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 1 mashed potatoes
  • 1 fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, garlic, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry crumbs remain for tender meatballs.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch balls. As you roll, keep the portions even so they brown and cook through at the same pace.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then brown the meatballs in batches (do not crowd). Cook until deeply golden on the outside, then remove and set aside.
Cook the brown onion gravy
  1. Melt butter in the skillet and cook the thinly sliced onion until caramelized for about 10 minutes. You want the onion to turn deep golden-brown and smell sweet.
  2. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring until the flour smell cooks off and the mixture looks smooth.
  3. Gradually whisk in beef broth, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cook until thickened and glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the browned meatballs to the gravy and simmer for 15 minutes, until cooked through. The sauce should gently bubble and cling to the meatballs.
  2. Serve the meatballs and gravy over mashed potatoes and scatter fresh parsley on top. Plate while the gravy is hot and the potatoes are warm.

Notes

For best browning, keep the skillet hot and avoid crowding the meatballs. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until warmed through. Freezing is ok—freeze the meatballs and gravy (without fresh parsley) up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use 90% lean ground beef and consider low-sodium beef broth.