Wagyu Beef Meatballs

These irresistible Wagyu Beef Meatballs are tender, juicy, and so flavorful. This recipe is simple to make, ready in under 30 minutes, and is sure to be a new weeknight favorite for your family. Serve them as an appetizer, with a rich sauce for an effortless dinner, or meal prep them for an easy protein source you will want to reach for.

These meatballs are one of my favorite recipes to make for dinner or to prep and freeze raw for an effortless protein source that is delicious and ready in minutes. They are tender, juicy, and packed with flavor! This recipe can easily be made paleo, keto, and gluten-free (see 'Notes on Breadcrumbs' below).

Try adding these Wagyu meatballs to this Creamy Paleo Tomato Basil Soup or this Keto Tomato Soup to boost the protein and make a complete meal. Toss them into this Whole30 Marinara Sauce for an easy homemade dinner, or cook them in a flavorful and convenient store-bought sauce for a 30-minute meal. Paired with marinara sauce for dipping, these meatballs make for an easy appetizer that everyone will enjoy.

These savory meatballs have a versatile seasoning that can be paired well with almost anything, not just Italian sauces and dishes.

Ingredients

Wagyu Ground Beef – Most grocery stores carry wagyu ground beef. Some local chains near us carry ground American Wagyu beef from a local ranch that I love, but I have also seen ground Wagyu at nationwide stores like Walmart. Freshly ground Wagyu can be purchased directly from a butcher. Usually, ground Wagyu is packaged as 80% lean. Wagyu is so flavorful because of the marbling present in the meat, so leaner options aren't common and won't offer the same tender and richly flavored meat.

Breadcrumbs – I recommend using homemade breadcrumbs in this recipe. They are easy to make and far superior to store-bought versions. You can use your favorite bread so they are made with fermented sourdough, gluten-free bread, or almond flour bread. See 'Notes on Breadcrumbs' and 'How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs' below.

Store-bought options can be used in a pinch but they should be finely ground in a food processor before using if they are not already fine (especially Panko breadcrumbs). This helps them distribute more evenly into the meat mixture. Try my homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Milk – I used whole milk but any fat percentage can work.

See the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.

Notes on Breadcrumbs

I highly recommend making homemade breadcrumbs for this recipe. Although it is not absolutely necessary, I love the texture fresh breadcrumbs provide and you can make them to cater to your specific dietary needs.

If using store-bought breadcrumbs: Choose high-quality breadcrumbs, and if you are using breadcrumbs that are not already finely ground (like Panko breadcrumbs) I recommend running them through a food processor until they are fine so that they can distribute better throughout the meat mixture. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the breadcrumbs in a Ziploc bag, seal it, and run a rolling pin over it several times until it is the desired texture.

Store-bought gluten-free breadcrumbs tend to stick together when wet. They will still work, but homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs will work much better.

How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

Making breadcrumbs is super easy and only takes about 20 minutes! Here is how you do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Take your preferred bread (sourdough, gluten-free, or low-carb bread can all be used!) and lay out 4-8 slices of bread on the baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bread is dry but not toasted.
3. Break the bread up and place it in a food processor and process until fine breadcrumbs are achieved.

Tips:

• For this recipe, 4 slices of bread should be enough to yield ½ cup of breadcrumbs; however, I always make extra and save it for another recipe. The size of bread slices can vary quite a bit so it is better to have too much than too little.
• Generally, fresh-baked bread is not ideal for breadcrumbs because it contains more moisture. Homemade bread can be used, but wait a day or two after baking it.

Follow this recipe for The Best Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs. The process is slightly different when making breadcrumbs with gluten-free bread, but it is simple and only takes about 30 minutes.

Breadcrumb Storage

Store leftover breadcrumbs in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months (as long as no moisture enters the container).

How to Make Paleo Breadcrumbs

These paleo breadcrumbs are my favorite to use. They are lower carb, gluten-free, and lock in all the flavor and moisture in this meatball recipe. I tested conventional store-bought bread crumbs in this recipe as well, but these paleo breadcrumbs are what I reach for.

I use a Simple Mills Artisan Bread Baking Mix and it works so well! Here is how you can make these paleo breadcrumbs:

1. Using a Simple Mills Artisan Bread Baking Mix, bake 2 loaves using the flatbread instructions on the box.
2. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Once baked, allow the loaves to cool slightly then break them up into bite-size pieces on the lined baking sheet. If you do not want leftover breadcrumbs, you could use half of 1 loaf to yield enough breadcrumbs for this recipe.
4. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the bread is adequately dried out.
5. Place the dry bread pieces in a food processor and process until fine breadcrumbs are achieved.
6. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks.

How to Make Wagyu Beef Meatballs

Step 1: Combine the egg, bread crumbs, milk, minced shallot, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula until it is well mixed.

Step 2: Add the Wagyu beef to the mixing bowl and mix together using clean hands until the bread crumb mixture is evenly distributed throughout the beef.

Commonly Asked Questions

Meal Prep Tip

If you are always in search of effortless ways to prepare protein, I highly recommend prepping a bunch of these Wagyu beef meatballs and freezing them raw. Simply pull as many meatballs as you want from the freezer and cook in the air fryer for about 11 minutes at 375 F or broil them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes (or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F). Enjoy the meatballs by themselves, or add them to a salad, sauce, or soup for an ultra-convenient meal.

Serving Suggestions

These meatballs are savory and flavorful but the seasonings used are versatile enough that they can be prepared with a variety of dishes. Use them in a sub, on top of a salad, as an appetizer, in a pasta dish, or enjoy them on their own as a high-protein snack.

Baste them with this No Sugar Ketchup (Paleo & Date Sweetened), or serve them with this Whole30 Marinara Sauce.

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