High-Protein Cheeseburger Meatballs

Cheeseburger meatballs on burger sauce on a platter.

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High-Protein Cheeseburger Meatballs

All the flavor of a juicy cheeseburger, in a high-protein, bite-sized form. These lovely cheeseburger meatballs are quick, easy, and as perfect for busy weeknights as they are for parties. Pile them onto a creamy copycat Big Mac-style sauce for a family-friendly meal that's ready in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: burger meatballs, meatballs

Servings: servings

Calories: 381kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

For the burger sauce -

½ cup plain Greek yogurt or egg-free garlic aioli, regular mayo or whipped cottage cheese
1 tablespoon mustard American or Dijon
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 garlic clove crushed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
3 pickle slices finely chopped
1 teaspoon pickle juice or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

For the cheeseburger meatballs -

1 lb ground beef (500g)
½ cup caramelized onions finely chopped (or use caramelized onion relish)
½ cup pickles finely chopped
¾ cup cheddar cheese finely diced or grated
1 tablespoon mustard American or Dijon
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg

To serve -

Pickle slices finely chopped
A handful of dill
A handful of chives finely chopped
2 tablespoons cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

Make the burger sauce. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon ketchup, the garlic, chopped pickles, 1 teaspoon of pickle juice, and 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as you like, then pop it into the fridge while you prep the meatballs.
Mix the meatballs. To a large bowl, add the ground beef, ½ cup chopped caramelized onions, ½ cup chopped pickles, ¾ cup of grated or diced cheese, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, a good grind of black pepper, ⅓ cup of panko breadcrumbs, and the egg. Mix until the ingredients just come together (overmixing can cause the meatballs to become a little tough).
Form the meatballs. Wet your hands (this will stop the mixture from sticking to them). Scoop up a heaped spoonful of the meatball mixture. Use your hands to roll the mixture into a roughly golf-ball-sized meatball. You'll get around 25 meatballs from this mixture.
Cook the meatballs (air fryer instructions). Arrange your meatballs in a single layer in your air fryer basket (you might need to do this in batches). Air fry for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). They should be gorgeously golden, and you should see the cheese looking melty and lovely.
Cook the meatballs (oven instructions). Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the tray, then pop them into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they look golden and the cheese is bubbling out the sides.
Cook the meatballs (stovetop instructions). Set a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook, rotating occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through (you can cut into one to check it's not pink).
Serve the meatballs. Spoon the burger sauce onto a serving platter, then pile the golden meatballs on top. Finish with a sprinkling of grated cheese, extra pickles, dill, and chopped chives to serve.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: I like using sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor, but really any cheese will do! Skip the fish sauce and add a little Worcestershire sauce or light soy sauce instead if you don't like it.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap the ground beef for ground chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, or a plant-based alternative. Just keep in mind that ground turkey and chicken are leaner than beef, so they might not be quite as juicy. To balance this, I recommend adding a drizzle of olive oil into the mixture (1 tablespoon is fine), just to help keep them lovely and moist.

PREP AHEAD: You can mix the meatball mixture up to 24 hrs in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Roll the meatballs and store them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, or freeze the meatballs raw for up to 1 month. You could also chop the pickles and grate the cheese up to 3 days in advance to make assembly extra fast.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Pair them with a platter of spicy loaded potato wedges or crispy baked oven fries, or they're wonderful stuffed into two-ingredient dough garlic flatbreads or on top of no-knead chili cheese focaccia. You can also toss them through salads, or serve them with this lovely loaded baked rice with the burger sauce on the side. They're great hot or cold!

HOW TO MAKE QUICK CARAMELIZED ONIONS: This fabulous Instant Pot hack is my go-to technique for easy, speedy caramelized onions. In your Instant Pot, toss roughly one pound (500g) of sliced onions with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, then press the 'sauté' setting and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until deeply golden and sweet.

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