These meatballs are seriously insane! Super juicy, super tender, and loaded with all kinds of deliciousness thanks to 3 meats and banana peppers!
TKW Family Love
Just made these meatballs and they are simply amazing! I have a bumper crop of banana peppers in my garden this year so I’ll be making many more batches for my freezer. So grateful to have found such a wonderful recipe 🙂
The Perfect Spicy Juicy Meatball
These Three-Meat Banana Pepper Meatballs are everything AND then some! So tender and juicy, thanks to the panade (milk bread). The blend of the three different types of meats gives it such a rounded flavor profile.
And the addition of the chopped banana peppers.. fahgeddabout it! These meatballs honestly deserve a mic drop after one bite! They are THAT good!
I. LOVE. SUMMER! Seriously! The heat, the sun, and all of the fresh fruits and vegetables! How many of you have a garden? Who all grows banana peppers? And hey, if you don’t grow them, they are readily available at most farmers’ markets and grocery stores. All I know is you need to pick some up and make this recipe!
Seriously, I’m at a loss for words in describing just how amazing they are. Me… speechless? Is that possible? LOL, but okay, let me try to put my writer hat on (so not a writer, by the way) and tantalize you with words.
I’m sure most of you have had or heard of Stuffed Banana Peppers, right? They are sweet with some heat. They aren’t as hot as a jalapeno, but they do have some bite. And yes, some are hotter than others, but for me, they are the mildest of the hot peppers out there.
Banana Pepper Meatball Ingredients
TKW Family Love
LOVED these meatballs. Will make more next time so I can freeze some. I got peppers at the farmers market, but not enough for your stuffed banana peppers and meatballs 😅 Having stuffed peppers tonight!
What I love about this recipe is that it’s super easy to make and perfect for winter freezer meals.
- Meats: ground pork, beef, and Italian sausage
- Veggies: onions, garlic, banana peppers
- Seasonings
- Tomato Paste & Puree
- Panade
- Eggs
- Spicy Banana Pepper Sauce or marinara
Chef Lori Explains – What’s a Panade?
PANADE: A panade is a dish where bread is placed in a bowl and milk is added to the bowl. The bread soaks up the milk after about 5-10 minutes, creating a panade. You may have heard it referred to as “milk bread.” To me, it’s critical to help the meatloaf retain its tenderness.
These meatballs are a play on the stuffed banana peppers. The meatballs allow you to enjoy all the same great flavors, but without the hassle of stuffing them. Plus, they are meatballs, which means you can use them in almost any dish where you’d use a regular meatball.
How to Make Meatball Mixture
- While the oven is preheating, make your panade. Set it aside while you put the other ingredients in a larger bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, sausage, chopped banana peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, tomato puree, eggs, cheese, and panade mixture. Gently mix to combine. The mixture should be wet but hold its shape.
- Line a large, half-sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with olive oil. Form the meatballs and place them onto the prepared pan.
How To Shape Meatballs
Start with Damp Hands! Seriously, that’s the best tip. Well, okay, that and using a large cookie scoop! It prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands, making it easier to shape the ball.
- Wet your hands and shape them. Damp hands are a trick for keeping the mixture from sticking to them.
- When the mixture starts to stick, re-wet your hands.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before plating.
Meaball FAQs
- Can I fry these meatballs? Absolutely. I just don’t, as it’s a personal preference. Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into a pan (on medium-high heat) and cover the bottom. Sear for about 7-8 minutes on all sides, until cooked through.
- How can I get a baked ‘crust’ on my meatballs? If you want that ‘crust’ that browning in a pan gives, just drizzle these with olive oil before they bake.
- Can I cook these in my sauce? Yes, but I HIGHLY recommend you give them a quick sear on all sides in a skillet before dropping them into your sauce. You want to sear on all sides for about 2-3 minutes per side. Then, remove the meat from the pan, add it to your sauce, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
For the love of all that’s holy, people, make these! Yeah, I’m a bit pushy, but seriously… make them. LOL Well, okay, don’t make them if you have a sensitive stomach, as I don’t want you to get a bellyache because you can’t handle the heat.
TKW Family Love
These are amazing. Always requested in my house.
Once they are done, the types of meals you can incorporate them into are endless. Since I have to watch my eating habits (pasta sometimes makes me sick), I love nothing more than a bowl of sauce and meatballs! Maybe a grating of cheese over the top and a couple of slices of warm, crusty bread to dip!
How to Serve Banana Pepper Meatballs
- Meatball Casserole: (see the recipe notes)
- Meatball Hoagie: I use my Soft ‘n Chewy Hoagie rolls, slice them open, add some meatballs, sauce, cheese, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. PERFECT!
- Spicy Meatballs and Spaghetti: make these meatballs, boil up your favorite spaghetti, and top with my Spicy Banana Pepper Sauce!
- Meatball appetizers: make these about 1″ round, bake, and when done, top with a cube of mozzarella, broil for a minute just to melt the cheese, and then add a toothpick/mini fork for serving with a side of sauce.
When I first made these, our accountant was over the house. Knowing how much of a spicy food fan he was, I whipped these up. I initially made only 12 meatballs for the three of us, as these are not small meatballs.
Yeah… they were GONE! Thankfully, I had another tray on the counter waiting to be baked. He took them home, then called me later asking for the recipe. LOL I told him the only way I’d give him the recipe is if he let me claim Mr. Fantabulous as my man-child on our taxes. LOL
How to Freeze and Reheat Meatballs
- Freezing Raw Meatballs: When placing these onto the half-sheet pan, leave about a 1/2″ of space in between. Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, until it is frozen solid. Remove from the freezer, package in freezer-safe bags, and store in the freezer for about 3-5 months.
- Freezing Cooked Meatballs: Once they are completely cool, package in freezer-safe bags and store in the freezer for about 3 months.
- How to Cook Frozen Meatballs: Place the frozen meatballs on a prepared tray and bake in the oven (no need to thaw). You’ll need to add ~10 minutes to the baking time.
- How to Reheat Cooked Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cooked meatballs in a baking dish with a bit of water at the bottom. Cover snugly with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
So if you want something with a bit of heat, a whole bunch of flavor, and that will quickly become a family favorite, then definitely head out to the store to get the ingredients to make these meatballs. You will NOT be disappointed!
Spicy Three Meat Banana Pepper Meatballs
These meatballs are seriously insane! Super juicy, super tender and loaded all kinds of deliciousness thanks to 3 meats and banana peppers!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: ~30
- Category: banana peppers, meatballs, italian meatballs, spicy meatballs, italian meatballs, meatball sub, meatball casserole, hot pepper meatballs
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: banana peppers, meatballs, italian meatballs, spicy meatballs, italian meatballs, meatball sub, meatball casserole, hot pepper meatballs
Ingredients
- 3 banana peppers, seeded and chopped small
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 1/2 pound loose Italian hot sausage
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced (~5 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 3 slices bread, torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 Xl eggs
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups Spicy Banana Pepper Sauce warmed (or favorite marinara)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, add the milk and bread. Press the bread down to ensure all of the pieces are wet. Let it sit for 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, sausage, chopped banana peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, tomato puree, eggs, cheese, and milk/bread mixture. Gently mix to combine. The mixture should be wet but hold its shape.
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray. Scoop enough meat mixture to form a 2” round ball. Place the meatballs on the pan and repeat the process until all the meatballs are formed.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before plating.
- Serve this with my Spicy Banana Pepper Sauce and a side of pasta or as a hot meatball sub! See notes on how to make this a meatball casserole
Notes
To make a meatball casserole I baked the meatballs then added about 1 1/2 cups of warmed Spicy Banana Pepper Sauce to the bottom of a baking dish, added my cooked meatballs then covered. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and add a cup of shredded mozzarella and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
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