National Meatball Day is on March 9, and celebrates meatball recipes from around the world. They are used in sandwiches, subs, with pasta, and as a main dish with sides. You can celebrate this day any time of year.
You can use this holiday as an opportunity to promote your restaurant or get together with family and friends for a potluck dinner at home or dine out at a restaurant.
A Brief History of the Meatball
Meatball recipes are traced to ancient Persia where minced meat was mixed with rice and other seasonings. Recipes have been traced to China, the Middle east, Japan, Italy, and Sweden.
Italian food is known for their delicious meatball recipes. They are served in sandwiches, subs, and with pasta. There are many recipes for meatballs in different cultures. Meatballs can be traced back to the Romans, Greeks, and Persians. All cultures have recipes with ground meat mixed with bread crumbs, herbs, and spices formed into ball and cooked.
In Italy meatballs have been a traditional dish for many generations. It shows the diversity of Italian cuisine. Meatballs are often a shared dish at family dinners and in restaurants. It symbolizes sharing and community dining.
Regional Variations of Meatballs In Italy
Meatball in Lombardy Italy and Piedmont are often made with beef, pork, and seasonal herbs like parsley and cooked in tomato sauce. Tuscany has veal, pork, cheese, and nutmeg. In Sicily they often use seafood and spices in the recipes giving them a Mediterranean slant. They use fish, seafood mixed with bread crumbs, garlic and herbs. Sardinia is an island know for meatball that use special ingredients like saffron and cheese.
Italian Immigrants Brought Meatball to the US
Italian immigrants played a role in making meatballs a popular recipe in the US during the 19th and 20th century. Culinary traditions were brought to big cities and small town. Many Italian restaurant opened serving meatball entrees and diners. Meatball can be fried, baked or cooked using the sous vide method.
How to Celebrate National Meatball Day All Year
If you own a restaurant add some meatball recipes as specials to celebrate the holiday. Advertise the specials so customers will dine there or take out the item for home
Have a potluck or meatball party at home or work. Have co-workers or family make different recipes to eat that day. You should make a variety of recipes and side dishes.
Cooking schools can offer a course in making meatball or have demonstration with food sampling. Supermarkets can sample recipes and have them on hand to sell products to make them at home.
Try a new meatball recipe at home you never had before to expand your recipe collection. Buy the ingredients at the supermarket and make them at home.
Meatball Recipes
20 Meatball Recipes to Roll Out for Any Dinner, by Kara Zuberman Pioneer Woman
50 Meatball Recipes by the Food Network, March 1, 2024
Recipe:
Beef, Veal and Pork Meatballs with Garlic and Spinach in Tomato Sauce
You will need a frying or sauté pan, measuring cup, medium sized bowl, measuring spoons, large serving spoon, cutting board, and knife.
1-1/2 pound of ground beef, pork and veal
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 or 2 cups of tomato sauce
In a large bowl put the ground meat and mix well with spoon or hands. Crack egg and throw away shell. Add egg and mix into ground meat. Measure spinach and on the cutting board chop spinach into bites sized pieces and mix into the ground meat. Add garlic and mix in well. Add flour and mix into mixture thoroughly. Add some salt and pepper to raw meat for taste.
On the stove add 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet. Wash hands before making meatballs. From the meat mixture take a small to medium amount and roll it into a meatball using your hands. Put meatballs into frying pan and arrange evenly. Over medium heat begin to cook the meatballs on the stove.
Cook meatballs ten minutes on one side and turn over with spatula or spoon. Add one or two cups of tomato sauce to cover meatball. Let cook another 15 minutes over medium heat. Serves about 4. Serve with pasta or in a sandwich.
References:
Exploring the Roots of Meatballs, by Leon Martinez, Home Dining Kitchen, May 2024
The Global Journey of Meatballs, A Delicious Ethnic Exploration, by Rodney Wagner, Meat Chef Tool, February 2025
A History of Spaghetti and Meatballs, Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, July 6, 2021
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