Do you have a lot of leftover meatballs and no idea what to do with them all? Here’s a roundup of delicious recipe ideas!
Do you ever find yourself with a BUNCH of leftovers?
Even though there are only 3 of us in my family, I tend to make a ton of food. It helps because we can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day, but sometimes I go a bit overboard.
Meatballs is one of those foods! I’ll buy a bag of frozen meatballs but only need like half of it for a dinner. Or maybe I’ll make a big batch of homemade meatballs and not use all of them. What do you do with a bunch of leftover meatballs?
I’m rounding up the best leftover meatball recipes. They’re a combination of dinner, snack, and appetizers for any occasion! Scroll down and click any of the titles to go straight to the recipe. Otherwise, keep reading to learn a little more on how to make your own meatballs AND how to store them!
Note: These recipes will work for any type of meatball, even store-bought meatballs.
- Chicken meatballs
- Turkey meatballs
- Beef meatballs
- Italian meatballs
- Pork meatballs
How to store meatballs
You can store meatballs in a few different ways, depending on when you want to use them:
Refrigerator
Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container. I typically use the Rubbermaid brand! You can store them plain or with whatever sauce you plan on using with them.
Freezer
Lay the meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place this in the freezer for 3-4 hours until the meatballs are completely frozen. Then transfer them to a labeled gallon-size freezer bag.
This is a great way to keep your food fresh! Use these within 3 months of freezing to get the best flavor.
How to make your own meatballs
Meatballs have a pretty simple ingredients:
- Ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork
- Bread crumbs
- Egg
- Seasonings
Mix all of these together and roll into meatballs, then bake them in the oven. For a step-by-step recipe, check out my favorite homemade meatball recipe that’s also freezer friendly!
Marinara meatball sub
I loved this meal idea because it was so simple to make! Marinara sauce (I used spaghetti sauce), meatballs, and provolone cheese make up the majority of the ingredients; and they’re much cheaper to make than what you’d find in a sub shop. This was a big hit in my family!
BBQ meatballs
This is a super easy 2-ingredient recipe! It’s just meatballs and BBQ sauce in the slow cooker. You can use it on meatball sliders, as an appetizer, or part of a meal with rice and vegetables as sides!
Meatball Stroganoff
If you don’t have any ground meat available, why not try using meatballs instead?
Meatball curry
This is an interesting twist on curry that I absolutely loved! These meatballs are cooked in a creamy coconut curry sauce and served with rice and stir fry vegetables.
Cranberry meatballs
These can be used as an appetizer or a main course! With just 3 ingredients and your slow cooker, you’ll have these easy saucy meatballs ready to go super quick.
Meatball Bombs
These are a pizza-style meatball bomb with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and canned biscuit dough. They’re topped with a delicious garlic butter and would be delicious with Parmesan cheese on top too. You can eat these as a quick snack or a main meal!
Meatball Calzones
These calzones are similar to the meatball bombs above, but it uses pizza dough instead of biscuits. You can also make your own pizza dough instead of using store-bought!
This has shredded cheese, a flavorful tomato sauce, and can easily be customized with your favorite pizza toppings too!
Want some more easy meatball recipes? Keep checking back. I’ll be updating this post occasionally with more!
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.