Chimichurri Steak Meatballs with Grilled Citrus Salsa

Chimichurri grilled meatballs are a favorite of mine. They solve the blandness that plagues many meatball recipes by bringing bright garlic and fresh herbs both inside the meat and on top as a finishing sauce. Mixing chimichurri into the meat and finishing the meatballs with more sauce creates layered flavor, and grilling adds a smoky char you can’t get any other way. They’re as easy as burgers to prepare, less messy than frying, and far more flavorful than baking. In short, they’re everything a meatball should be.

I like threading some meatballs onto skewers with onions and bell peppers for a colorful presentation, but if you don’t have skewers you can place them directly on the grill—both methods work beautifully. The meatballs cook quickly over high heat and finish on indirect heat so they stay juicy and reach the correct internal temperature without burning. If you want uniform meatballs, use a disher or scoop to portion the mixture; that also speeds up rolling and yields consistent cook times.

Cook’s Notes

If you have the time, make a fresh chimichurri sauce and use two-thirds of the batch in the meat and reserve the remaining third to drizzle over the cooked meatballs. If you’re short on time, a good store-bought chimichurri works as well.
Using a medium cookie scoop (disher) helps produce even-sized meatballs—about 1.5 tablespoons each will make roughly 40–50 meatballs from 2 pounds of ground beef.
Skewers are handy for threaded kabobs with peppers and onions, but they’re optional. Place the meatballs directly on the grates if needed.
To skewer with vegetables, cut bell pepper and onion into pieces similar in size to the meatballs. Alternate pepper, onion, and meatball on the skewer so the melting fat from the meat helps baste the vegetables as everything grills.
Make the full recipe—leftovers freeze and reheat well, and they’re excellent in other dishes. If you have a large family, consider doubling or tripling the batch.

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Chimichurri Grilled Meatballs

Rebecca Lindamood

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Garlicky, herb-forward grilled meatballs with a bright chimichurri finish. Grill them on skewers with peppers and onions or directly on the grates, and drizzle the reserved chimichurri over the hot meatballs before serving.

Ingredients

For the Chimichurri Grilled Meatballs:

2/3 of a batch of chimichurri sauce or ~2/3 cup jarred chimichurri sauce (plus 1/3 cup reserved)
2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Oil for the grill

Instructions

To Prepare the Chimichurri Grilled Meatballs:

In a large bowl, add two-thirds of your chimichurri sauce (or 2/3 cup jarred chimichurri). Mix thoroughly with the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Refrigerate the mixture briefly while you prepare the grill.
Heat a gas grill to high or prepare a charcoal grill with a hot direct zone and a cooler indirect zone. Clean the grates and oil them with an oiled paper towel to prevent sticking.
Portion the meat into even meatballs about 1.5 tablespoons each (you’ll get about 40–50). Place the meatballs over direct high heat and grill 2 minutes per side, turning to get a good sear. Move them to indirect heat or reduce the burners to low and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with the reserved chimichurri before serving, or cool and freeze in portions for later use.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use.

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