This Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes meal is straight up comfort food. The rich gravy brings it all together for one satisfying meal.
When you’re running low on time to get dinner on the table, or just looking to use up some of your pantry staples, this meal is a great solution. The meatballs and potatoes cook at the same time, so it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Another way to save time with this recipe is to purchase pre-formed meatballs. If you can get good meatballs and you want to skip making them yourself, it’s a viable option.
To make them yourself, you just need ground beef and a binder to hold them together. This recipe uses breadcrumbs and milk.
Some recipes use egg as a binder. I don’t like to use eggs, whenever possible, because I have a sensitivity to them, but I also don’t think they need it. I’ve never had meatballs fall apart without the egg.
How to Make Gravy
To make this recipe as easy as possible, I’ve used a packet of brown gravy mix. It’s the easiest ingredient and you might just have a packet in your pantry to use.
However, if you don’t have a packet of gravy mix and would like to make gravy on your own, you can do so very easily.
To make your own gravy, you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup beef stock
After the meatballs are done cooking, remove them from the pan. Drain off most of the excess oil from the pan. You’ll want a bit of pan grease and the browned bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan to add flavor, so don’t remove it all.
Add the butter and flour and whisk together with the grease in the pan to form a paste. Cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Add the beef stock and whisk well until combined. Cook the gravy over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until thickened and reduced. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a little water and whisk. Salt and pepper, to taste.
You can use this same gravy recipe to make beef gravy for pork roast.
More Easy Recipes to Try:
- Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti with Cheese and Pepper)
- Easy Stovetop Chili
- Ultimate Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese
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Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes cubed
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 packet brown gravy mix
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Fill a large pot halfway with water. Add the cubed potatoes and cook at a gentle boil until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the breadcrumbs and milk to a bowl and allow to soak until it turns into a paste.
- Combine the ground beef with the paste and mix together thoroughly with your hands.
- Form evenly sized meatballs, around 1 ¼ inch in diameter, compacting the meat into a sturdy ball.
- Add the meatballs to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Allow them to brown on one side before turning them over. Attempt to evenly brown the balls on each side. This process takes about 10 minutes.
- When finished, remove the meatballs from the pan. Add water to the pan and whisk in the brown gravy mix. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- When the potatoes have finished cooking, drain the water. Mash the potatoes with a masher or hand mixer. Add butter and milk and stir well to combine.
- Serve meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy over top.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook who loves making new recipes and finding new favorite things to eat, whether at home or abroad. She also runs a popular travel blog and spends a lot of her time traveling for food.