This Meatball Stew combines Italian-style meatballs with plenty of vegetables simmered in a rich, savory broth for a fun twist on classic beef stew. It’s a hearty and comforting one-pot meal the whole family will love!
Meatball Stew Recipe Summary
- Hearty One-Pot Meal: Tender meatballs simmer with potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas in a rich broth.
- Browned for Flavor: Meatballs are seared first, adding depth before finishing in the stew.
- Thick, Savory Base: A butter and flour mixture creates a slightly thickened, stew-style consistency.
- Layered Cooking: Vegetables, broth, and meatballs cook in stages so everything stays tender, not mushy.
- Filling and Practical: Feeds about 6 and works well for leftovers or reheating.
Beef stew gets a bit of a makeover in this meatball stew recipe by swapping the usual chunks of beef for tender homemade meatballs.
The rest of the stew keeps things traditional with potatoes, vegetables, and a rich broth. It’s a simple dinner that’s filling, flavorful, and great for feeding the whole family.
If you love meatballs, check out my meatloaf meatballs and Asian turkey meatballs next.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Hearty & Satisfying: With tender meatballs, potatoes, and vegetables, this stew is a complete meal that will keep everyone full.
- Flavor-packed: This meatball beef stew has a rich, savory base as well as plenty of flavor from the seasoned meatballs.
- Simple Ingredients: Everything you need to make this recipe for meatball stew is easy to find at almost any grocery store. You may already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- Ground Beef: Forms the base of the meatballs. If you buy it in bulk, make this slow cooker cowboy soup next.
- Egg: Helps bind the mixture so the meatballs hold their shape.
- Breadcrumbs & Milk: Breadcrumbs add structure, and milk softens them to help keep the meatballs tender.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds savory flavor to the meatballs.
Stew
- Butter: Adds richness to this simple meatball stew recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the broth into a stew consistency.
- Vegetables: You’ll need fresh onion, garlic, celery, and carrots to layer in flavor, as well as frozen peas and potatoes to make the stew more filling and give it the classic feel of an old-fashioned meatball stew.
- Beef Broth: Adds flavor and is the main cooking liquid for the stew.
- Tomato Paste & Worcestershire Sauce: Both of these deepen the flavor of the broth.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, and beef broth. Also, replace the flour with a cornstarch slurry added near the end of cooking.
- Swap Beef for Turkey: Use ground turkey instead of ground beef to make the meatballs for this meatball and potato stew with veggies.
- Add Mushrooms: Slice up some baby bella or white button mushrooms and saute them with the other veggies to add an earthy layer of flavor.
How to Make Meatball Stew
To get started, gather your ingredients, a mixing bowl, and a large pot or Dutch oven. Chop your veggies so they’ll be ready when you need them.
Step 1: Make the meatloaf mixture. Add the ground beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings to your mixing bowl, then mix until just combined. Use a cookie scoop or your hands to form the mixture into meatballs.
Step 2: Cook the meatballs. Add oil to your pot and heat over medium. Place the meatballs in the pot and cook until they are browned on all sides. Remove them from the pot and set aside while you move on to the next step.
Step 3: Add veggies and cook. Place the onions, carrots, and celery into the pot and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.
Step 4: Stir in butter and flour. Add the butter to the pot, followed by the flour. Stir to coat the vegetable mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5: Mix in tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Step 6: Add broth and ingredients. Stir in the beef broth, followed by the potatoes and Worcestershire sauce, then add the bay leaf.
Step 7: Return meatballs to the pot. Place the meatballs back into the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes. They will become tender stewed meatballs as they soak up the flavor of the stew.
Step 8: Stir in peas. Add the peas and keep cooking for 5 more minutes.
Expert Tips
- Brown the meatballs first: Browning adds flavor and helps the meatballs keep their shape as the stew cooks, so don’t skip this step.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot: Brown the meatballs in batches if needed so they develop a nice crust. Overcrowding the pot can cause them to steam instead of brown.
- Remove the bay leaf: The bay leaf adds flavor as the stew cooks, but it isn’t meant to be eaten, so be sure to take it out before serving the stew.
- Storing and reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little more broth if the stew has gotten too thick.
Serving Suggestions
- Some sweet buttermilk cornbread with honey is perfect for pairing with this rich and savory stew.
- A light salad like this Brussels sprout salad works well as an appetizer for a hearty bowl of meatball stew.
- A fruit-forward dessert like this pineapple dump cake or a chocolatey choice like this chocolate dump cake is a tasty way to end your meal.
Meatball Stew Recipe FAQs
If your meatballs are falling apart, the mixture may need a little more binding. While you don’t want to overwork the mixture, you do need to ensure the egg and breadcrumbs are thoroughly incorporated during mixing.
Yes! Allow the stew to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You may need to add a little extra broth when reheating if the stew has thickened too much.
More Soup and Stew Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!
Meatball Stew
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon oil
Stew
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 small onion diced
- 2-3 carrots sliced
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-6 cups beef broth
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning until just combined.
- Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs. About 1 Tablespoon in size.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches if needed.
- Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, stir in the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the butter, and sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables, cooking for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring, then add the potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.
- Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just beginning to soften.
- Return the meatballs to the pot and continue simmering for 10–15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 5 minutes before serving.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.
Notes
- Ensure all of the meatball ingredients are well combined but be careful not to overmix.
- Browning the meatballs first adds flavor and helps them stay together while simmering in the stew.
- Leftover stew can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
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