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    Home » Recipes » Irish

    Irish Stew Meatballs

    Published: Feb 22, 2023

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    These flavourful Irish Stew Meatballs are always a hit, whether served for St Patrick’s Day or not! Make more than you think you'll need, they disappear fast.

    Originally Posted March 28, 2012. Updated 2/22/2023

    A large white bowl of Irish Stew Meatballs.

    So I've shared my Best Shepherd's Pie Ever, and the St. Patrick's Day Pizza... are you ready for another of my "round food that is at least vaguely Irish themed" recipes from our St. Pi-trick's Day Party?

    I love Irish Stew. When done properly, it's such a simple dish, but with a lot of good, "clean" flavor.

    It's a hearty meal that really lets the individual flavors take the spotlight: Perfectly cooked carrots and parsnips, at just the right level of tenderness... fresh parsley, good meat. Yum!

    As Irish stew may be, well, Irish, there's nothing "round" about it, aside from the bowl it's served in.

    I decided I'd create a meatball, themed around the flavors of Irish stew.

    Oh, these were fabulous... and pretty much flew out of the crock pot they were served from!

    The carrots, parsnips, and parsley added a ton of flavor to the meatballs, the texture was great, and it all came together perfectly.

    While these were specifically designed to be gluten free (though you'd NEVER know it, to taste them!), feel free to substitute "normal" crackers, if gluten isn't a concern.

    This recipe makes about 60 normal sized meatballs, or 40 bigger ones.


    3 Irish Stew Meatballs on a plate - with green, white, and orange picks - in front of a bowl of meatballs.

    Ingredients

    These meatballs use really basic ingredients that should be easy to find in any grocery store. A few notes for you:

    Meats

    I use both ground pork and lean ground beef in this - 3 lbs total. If you prefer all beef, all pork, or more pork than beef, go for it - just be sure to use lean meats, and keep it around 3 lbs total.

    For that matter, ground lamb also works well in this recipe!

    Vegetables & Produce

    I use carrot, parsnip, onion, and garlic in this recipe, along with fresh parsley - and I don’t really substitute any of these, between batches.

    You can swap a carrot or parsnip out if you prefer all carrot or all parsnip, and a couple tablespoon of dried parsley can work if you don’t have fresh, though!

    Crackers

    As-is, this recipe was designed to be gluten-free. I use Schar Gluten Free Entertainment Crackers, or any Ritz-type gluten free cracker I can get my hands on, along with a bit of Potato Starch.

    I’ve served this at many parties where I was the only one who needed gluten free, and I’d have to fight to get any of them - they’re WILDLY popular, even done gluten-free.

    That said, you can make these non-gf - just use 1 cup of breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz or Sociables type crackers, and skip the potato starch altogether.

    In this case, just use cornstarch for the gravy.

    Everything Else

    Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

    Beef Broth
    Large Eggs
    Vegetable Oil
    Ground Pepper
    Salt

    ... I just don’t have anything else to add about these last few ingredients!

    A large white bowl of St. Patrick’s Day Meatballs.

    How to Make Irish Stew Meatballs

    The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is a pictorial walk through.

    Meatballs

    Grate carrot, parsnip, and onion, place in a nonstick pan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to “sweat” out their moisture.

    Add garlic, continue to cook until liquid disappears.

    Remove from heat, transfer to a mixing bowl to cool slightly.

    A 5 part image showing the grated vegetables being prepared and cooked down in a large fry pan.

    Once vegetables are cool enough to handle, add beef, pork, parsley, eggs, cracker crumbs, potato starch, pepper, and salt.

    Using your (clean!) hands, gently mix everything together until it’s all well incorporated into the mix. Be gentle- you want to just mix, not squeeze and compress it much!

    Shape meat mixture into meatballs – about 1 ½″ in diameter. You’ll end up with about 60 meatballs - or 40 larger meatballs.

    A 5 part image showing the meatball mixture being mixed together, formed into meatballs, and arranged on a large baking pan.

    Heat vegetable oil in a large pan. Once hot, brown meatballs in batches, turning every so often to ensure even browning.

    Transfer browned meatballs to a plate as you finish each batch.

    A 5 part image showing the meatballs being cooked in batches in a large nonstick pan.

    Gravy Sauce

    In a large pot, whisk together beef broth and potato starch until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

    Add parsley, salt, and pepper, continue to cook – whisking frequently – until thickened.

    Add meatballs, continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

    A 5 part image showing the gravy being made, then the meatballs being added to it and cooked in a large pot.

    Crockpot Irish Stew Meatballs

    If making these for a party, you can cook the gravy in a smaller pot.

    Add the browned meatballs to a crock pot, pour the thickened gravy over top, and heat for at least 30 minutes on high before serving. Turn heat down to low or “Warm” while serving.

    Leftovers

    Once cooled to room temperature, leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or so.

    3 Irish Stew Meatballs on a plate - with green, white, and orange picks - in front of a bowl of meatballs.

    More St Patrick's Day Recipes

    Looking for more fun, tasty recipes to serve on St Paddy's Day? Here are a few fun Irish - and Irish-inspired - recipes to try:

    Green Velvet Cake
    Keto Irish Cream
    Irish Pizza
    Shepherd's Pie
    Keto Shepherd's Pie
    Homemade Corned Beef
    Irish Nachos
    Hearty Beef Stew
    Keto Beef Stew
    Rainbow Bagels

    A large white bowl of Irish Meatballs.

    Share the Love!

    Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!

    Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

    Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and/or a comment below, and maybe even sharing this post on social media!

    A large white bowl of Irish Meatballs.

    A large white bowl of St. Patrick's Day Meatballs.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 4 votes

    Irish Stew Meatballs

    These flavourful Irish Stew Meatballs are always a hit, whether served for St Patrick’s Day or not! Make more than you think you'll need, they disappear fast.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Canadian, Irish
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Servings: 60 Meatballs
    Calories: 53kcal

    Equipment

    Large Nonstick Fry Pan

    Ingredients

    Meatballs

    • 1 Carrot
    • 1 Parsnip
    • 1 Small Onion
    • 2 Cloves Garlic Pressed or minced
    • 2 lb Lean Ground Beef
    • 1 lb Ground Pork
    • ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley chopped
    • 2 Large Eggs
    • ⅔ Cup Finely Crushed Crackers. For Gluten-Free Crackers I use Schar
    • ¼ Cup Potato Starch
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • Vegetable Oil

    Gravy

    • 2 Cups Beef Broth
    • 2 tablespoon Potato Starch
    • ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley
    • Salt
    • Ground Pepper

    Instructions

    Meatballs

    • Grate carrot, parsnip, and onion, place in a nonstick pan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until vegetables start to “sweat” out their moisture.
    • Add garlic, continue to cook until liquid disappears.
    • Remove from heat, transfer to a mixing bowl to cool slightly.
    • Once vegetables are cool enough to handle, add beef, pork, parsley, eggs, cracker crumbs, potato starch, pepper, and salt.
    • Using your (clean!) hands, gently mix everything together until it’s all well incorporated into the mix. Be gentle- you want to just mix, not squeeze and compress it much!
    • Shape meat mixture into meatballs – about 1 ½″ in diameter. You’ll end up with about 60 meatballs.
    • Heat vegetable oil in a large pan. Once hot, brown meatballs in batches, turning every so often to ensure even browning. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate as you finish each batch.

    Gravy

    • In a large pot, whisk together beef broth and potato starch until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
    • Add parsley, salt, and pepper, continue to cook – whisking frequently – until thickened.
    • Add meatballs, continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
    • If making these for a party, you can cook the gravy in a smaller pot.
    • Add the browned meatballs to a crock pot, pour the thickened gravy over top, and heat for at least 30 minutes on high before serving. Turn heat down to low or “Warm” while serving.

    Notes

    If you don't need gluten free meatballs, use 1 cup of bread crumbs, and skip the potato starch in the meatballs.
    Use cornstarch for the gravy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Meatball | Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

    3 Irish Stew Meatballs on a plate - with green, white, and orange picks - in front of a bowl of meatballs.

    A large white bowl of St. Patrick’s Day Meatballs.

    Older Photos

    This post was recently overhauled, including new photos. Here are the older photos for posterity:

    Several Gluten-Free Irish Stew Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Irish Stew Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Irish Stew Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Irish Stew Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.
    Several Gluten-Free Meatballs are served on a small white plate. The meatballs show flecks of orange and green throughout.

    Related posts:

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    « Paska Bagels
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristen

      March 17, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made these tonight for Saint Patrick's day supper and they were a huge hit...even with a 7 and 4 year old.

      Reply
      • Marie Porter

        March 17, 2013 at 8:05 pm

        Awesome! Always a good thing to hear!

        Reply
      • Susan Danuloff

        September 06, 2021 at 7:28 pm

        Can you make these completely in a slow cooker?

        Reply
        • Marie Porter

          September 08, 2021 at 6:18 am

          I wouldn't, the meatballs really should be browned first.

          Reply
    2. Kristan

      March 10, 2015 at 11:28 am

      what do you mean by 1/4 cup potato starch in the recipe? I'd really love to try this recipe! I just came across your blog and I can't wait to keep checking it out!

      Reply
      • Marie Porter

        March 10, 2015 at 1:24 pm

        I'm not sure I follow..?

        Reply
    3. Kristan

      March 11, 2015 at 7:29 am

      I've never used potato starch in a recipe before, so I didn't know what it was. Found it at Trader Joes.

      Reply
    4. Sheilah Angeloni

      March 12, 2023 at 10:33 am

      I made these last St Patrick’s Day and they were delicious! I’m currently making them for today as we are celebrating as a family today. Serving with Irish potatoe pancakes☘️😊

      Reply

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