Beef Meatballs with Cream Cheese
Adding cream cheese to beef meatballs gives them a softer texture and a light cream cheese flavour. It also makes them egg-free!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (if pan frying), or spray oil (for air frying)
- 500 g 5% lean mince beef / ground beef, see note 1
- 110 g cream cheese
- 15 g panko breadcrumbs, see note 2
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or herb of choice, see note 3
- Salt & pepper to taste
MY SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Your favourite tomato meatball or pasta sauce shop bought will do
- With Garlic bread & salad, or pasta & salad
- See above blog for more inspo
See notes for baby & toddler tweaks
Instructions
- Add the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix together with your hands. Roll into roughly 1 inch balls (makes around 19), and pop on a plate.
TO PAN FRY
- Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the meatballs. Fry for 10-15 minutes, turning often until deep golden brown and cooked through. Pour over the sauce and stir it through the meatballs. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing to bubble.
TO OVEN BAKE
- Space out your meatballs on a large oven tray, lined with baking paper or foil. You can use a grill rack on the tray if you like to drain away the fat. Bake at 190ºc/170ºc fan/375ºf/gas 5 for 25-30 minutes.
TO AIR FRY
- Spray oil on the air fryer crisper plates and add the meatballs, leaving space around each one. Air fry on 190ºc/375ºf for 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through (preheat air fryer if instructions say too).
Notes
1) Can use 15% fat for more fatty, juicy meatballs.
2) Can use regular breadcrumbs if needed, homemade or shop bought.
3) Dried mixed herbs also work well or dried thyme (but If you use ½ teaspoon only). You can also use 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped thyme.
Baby & Toddler
Stick to full fat cream cheese, they need the extra fat for energy and vitamins. Hold back on the salt. If adding sauce, use a homemade one for under 12 mo’s.
6 - 8 months Serve meatballs whole, ensuring they are not put in the mouth all at once
9 months + Cut meatballs into eighths or smash them down well with the back of a fork.
STORAGE
Store leftover Beef Meatballs with Cream Cheese in air-tight container or resealable food bag in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2). Can also be frozen, just defrost for 24 hours in the fridge and reheat in the microwave, ideally cutting the meatballs in half and stirring them halfway, until steaming hot all the way through.
Nutrition
Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 29gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 196mgPotassium: 483mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 378IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 3mg
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