These hidden liver meatballs are so tender, juicy, and flavorful, and the best of all is that nobody could tell it has sneaked in liver in it. They are genuinely super liver balls.
Organ meats are the most nutrient-dense foods, but many people have a hard time consuming them due to the intense flavor. I am always trying to develop recipes with ingredients packed full of nutrients, such as liver, to include in my weekly dinners or lunches to feed my family and especially my little kids.
This is the easiest way to disguise the taste of liver because some people don't even want to give it a try. So this is truly a great recipe to get some natural B vitamins.
Want liver recipes other than beef liver meatballs? Try chicken liver, this old-fashioned beef liver and onions recipe, or this liver loaf.
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Why I love this recipe
Nutrient dense: Liver is high in Vitamin B, bioavailable iron, and is considered one of the 12 true superfoods. So this recipe is a great way to include liver but not compromising on the taste.
Buttery: The taste and texture of these meatballs are heavenly. Ground liver is super moist - sorry if you hate this word- gives them this butter-soft and juicy texture.
Easy and simple: This recipe that I have developed is easy to follow, with minimal steps, few ingredients, and basic cooking techniques.
Key Ingredients
Ground beef. Or use minced lamb, just go with whatever you have on hand or prefer the taste of.
Beef liver. You can also substitute it with lamb liver or chicken liver. Any fresh liver you had on hand would do the job
Bread crumbs. I used Panko in this recipe, but I had to let it sit for 15 minutes.
Garlic cloves. In this recipe, you can use fresh garlic alone, garlic powder alone, or both together. Combining both can be a great way to help disguise the bitter taste of liver.
Onion. Also helps bring an amazing flavor to the dish. You can either grate it and squeeze the extra moisture or chop it finely. I used the food processor since I also used it for liver and parsley.
Olive oil. Or choose a neutral oil for frying
butter. It adds a rich, nutty flavor, so just a knob of butter is all you need for this recipe.
Egg. Helps combine the ingredients.
Parsley. I used fresh parsley, but you can also replace it with your preferred fresh herbs like cilantro, thyme ..etc
Spices. Paprika, cumin, and ground coriander are the winning trio for me, and I've tried multiple spice variations.
Salt and pepper. To taste.
How to cook hidden liver meatballs
In a food processor, chop your onion and parsley and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
In the same food processor, mix the liver pieces until you have a smooth liver pate-like mixture.
Mix ground meat with ground liver and the rest of the ingredients.
Wet your hands to form meatballs.
Over medium heat, place the liver meatballs in a preheated heavy-based pan with oil and butter. Cook until golden brown or until internal temperature is 165°F.
Rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- If you choose to bake these liver meatballs or cook them in the fryer, follow these instructions:
- Oven: place your meatballs on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180C for about 18-20 minutes ( depending on the size of the balls) , turning once half through.
- Air fryer: Grease the air fryer and cook the meatballs for 10-12 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Don't overmix the ground meat and ground liver with the rest of the ingredients, as it'll turn rubbery.
-- Buy fresh ground meat and liver, and emphasize the liver here as it tends to smell the longer you leave it in the fridge.
- This can be a liver paleo recipe if you replace the Panko bread crumbs with Paleo bread crumbs.
- Serve this recipe with my high-protein mashed potatoes.
Storage instructions
Fridge: Once cooled, place leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Place meatballs in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer. Once frozen, place in a freezer-safe bag.
Frequently asked questions
By grinding it in a food processor and adding it with ground meat like I did in this recipe.
By soaking it in whole milk or buttermilk for at least half an hour or sneaking it in with ground beef or mince lamb like I did in this recipe.
It's an optional step if you can't take the bitter taste. Soaking liver helps tone down the metallic taste due to the high iron content.
What to serve it with?
If you're a fan of the classic spaghetti with meatballs, this can easily replace the regular meatballs. Just make your marinara sauce and boil your noodles.
This recipe also pairs well with zucchini noodles.
Another serving suggestion is with this amazing high-protein hummus, this chickpea salsa salad, or these cottage cheese mashed potatoes.
Hidden Liver Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 7 oz liver
- 1 onion medium
- 3 garlic
- 3 tablespoon parsley
- egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor chop your onion and parsley and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In the same food processor mix the liver pieces until you have a smooth liver pate like mixture.
- Mix ground meat with ground liver and the rest of the ingredients.
- Wet your hands and form meatballs.
- Over medium heat, place the liver meatballs in a pre heated heavy based pan with oil and butter. Cook until golden brown.
- Rest for 5 minutes and serve.
