Marsala Meatballs (Easy Comfort Meal)

My Marsala Meatballs combine tender beef meatballs and earthy mushrooms, simmered in a rich brown sauce. This meal is simple, hearty, and just the thing to make when you want to change up your meatball game.

Will it meatball?

I’ve pondered many things – the meaning of life, how it is that my children are now teenagers, and whether or not a dish can be turned into a meatball. In this case, the answer to whether or not beef marsala (or chicken marsala) will meatball is a resounding “YES” as proven by this Marsala Meatball recipe.

Similar to my French onion meatballs, this dish combines a seemingly basic meatball that’s simmered in a rich and flavorful sauce.

This one is perfect with some crusty bread, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf. I also like to serve it with some roasted broccoli to lighten things up.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

• Meat. I’m using ground beef chuck but you can use ground sirloin, or even ground chicken as I do for my chicken meatballs.
• Egg (not pictured). The egg serves as a binder for the meatballs.
• Mushrooms. I’m using cremini mushrooms, but feel free to use any variety of mushrooms you’d like.
• Breadcrumbs. I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for my marsala meatballs.
• Stock. I recommend using homemade beef stock to amp up the flavor but you can also use homemade chicken stock. If you don’t have homemade, opt for beef or chicken base rather than boxed stock.
• Garlic. I make a paste out of garlic for my meatballs marsala. You can use a garlic press to do this as well.
• Marsala. Use dry marsala wine for this recipe.
• Parsley. I like adding fresh parsley at the end to brighten up the dish.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make marsala meatballs with the best sauce

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. Mix the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef, garlic paste, dried thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and egg and mix gently until combined.

3. Use your hands to roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and set them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
4. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and once hot, fry the meatballs until browned, 3 minutes per side, then remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate.
5. Remove all but 1/4 cup of oil from the pan and add the mushrooms. Turn the heat to high and cook them until they release their water and begin to brown, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the shallots and butter and cook until the shallots are soft, then add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until all white specks disappear.

7. Add the marsala and bring to a boil while scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. Once boiling, add the beef stock and bring to a boil again, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
8. Add the meatballs back to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, and serve.

More meatball recipes

• Swedish meatballs
• Sicilian meatballs
• Italian meatballs in Sunday sauce