Cheeseburger Party Meatballs! Everything you know and love about cheeseburgers – in bite size finger food form. These are great for making ahead – fully assemble them (even with the toothpicks), pack in containers and reheat for just 90 seconds in the microwave. You’ll be the hit of the party!
It dawned on me the other week that I haven’t shared a fun recipe in quite a while. “Fun” being things like bite size French Toast Bites (have you tried them?? They’re fabulous – and fast!), Mini Potato Gratin Stacks, Mini Pizzas made in Garlic Bread Cups. That sort of thing. Tasty, fun food.
And these Cheeseburger Party Meatballs are the first thing that popped into my mind when I found a packet of beef mince in the fridge. Easy to make. I had everything but the plastic cheeseburger cheese to make it.
So I made them. And inhaled way too many of them in one sitting. ?
These are a real crowd pleaser for gatherings. Who doesn’t love cheeseburgers? Real homemade ones, or even (gasp, shock horror!) McDonald’s Cheeseburgers. Regular readers know that I’ve admitted to doing the drive through of shame on the odd occasion.
I hate myself for liking Maccers. I still remember when I was 7 years old and got hit by a car when I was crossing a road, I was knocked unconscious and when I woke in the hospital and learned that my siblings had been treated to Maccers for dinner, I burst into tears. Never cried from pain / scared being in hospital. Because I had missed out on Maccers. ☺️
If that’s not a sign of a total foodie, I don’t know what is. (Putting aside the fact that it was Maccers I was crying over, not something gourmet or a hearty homemade meal!!).
PS I just have to share this amazing tidbit – if you’re going to have an accident, do what I did and have it 500 meters from a hospital, with my mother in her car right there, and with our family doctor coincidentally in his car at the lights. Not kidding. Truly lucky.?
My Italian Meatballs are one of the most popular recipes on my site – with good reason! They’re extra juicy and extra tasty, with 2 little things I do differently that make all the difference. For those, it is totally worth making the effort to make them extra fabulous. For these Cheeseburger Party Meatballs, I don’t go to such extent. I make them using a mixture like I’m making….well, cheeseburgers. ?
Tip of the day: When making little meatballs like this, a fast way to roll the meatballs is like so:
- Scoop up a heaped tablespoon and dollop onto a work surface with the flick of your wrist. Repeat with remaining mixture – scoop, dollop, scoop, dollop.
- Once it’s all scooped out, then roll them. It’s much faster doing it this way rather than scooping / rolling one by one. ??
I served these Cheeseburger Party Meatballs finger food style. But as you can imagine, they are SO GOOD stuffed into a roll. Cheeseburger meatball sub. Mmmmmm…. – Nagi x
- 500 g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or 3/4 cup normal breadcrumbs)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp oil
- 6 - 8 processed cheese slices (Note 1)
- Baby gherkins
- Ketchup , to serve
-
Place Meatball ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to combine.
-
Refrigerate for 30 minutes (firms up, easier to handle). If in a rush, add more breadcrumbs until mixture is roll-able.
-
Scoop up heaped tablespoons and dollop onto work surface with the flick of the wrist. Repeat with remaining mixture. Then roll into balls.
-
Cut cheese into small squares to top each meatball.
-
Cut larger gherkins in half, lengthwise.
-
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add meatballs in batches and cook, shaking the pan so they roll around, until browned all over and cooked through - 5 minutes. Between batches, drain excess oil (but keep some to cook next batch).
-
Place cooked meatballs on a large plate that fits in your microwave. Top with cheese and a gherkin and secure with a toothpick.
-
Microwave for 60 - 90 seconds or until cheese melts. Serve warm with ketchup!
1. I use the "plastic" processed cheese slices that are similar to the cheese you get from fast food burger places, like McDonald's. Just to make this as similar to cheeseburgers as possible!
2. Inspired by a recipe from Taste magazine.
3. Nutrition per meatball. I cannot be held responsible for how many you consume. 🙂
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Quick little video recipe, including my tip for how to roll meatballs quickly. 🙂
LIFE OF DOZER
Woah! Mate, you’re WAY to close to those meatballs – back off!!!
SaveSave
SaveSave
Hi Nagi! Can the meatballs also be made with ground chicken instead of beef? Thanks!
PS I love your site!!! Lots of great recipes!!
Absolutely! You may need a touch more breadcrumbs as chicken tends to be wetter than beef 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. Can these snack meatballs be oven cooked like you have done with others? Deb xx
I have made these three times now in the past month. I made them for my Gilmore Girls watch, for a quick dinner with my boyfriend, and for a Christmas Eve get-together. I have topped them with little dill pickles and some with little wedges of pineapple, dip them in a combination of ketchup/yellow mustard, and last time topped them with small pieces of smoked gouda. Every time amazing and so quick to whip up. YUM. Thank you! 😀
OMG Gilmore Girls?? I’ve been binge watching that this month! Ba ha ha!!!! So glad you enjoyed these Kate, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
All I have to say is… DUDE! those are the best idea. Thank you for so many different recipies.
BA HA HA!!!! Love it. So glad these appeal DUDE!!!! 😉
Hi!
Are your able to say what brand of processed cheese you use? As bad as this sounds yours looks good n yellowy, cheddary..HAHA, like what Americans use. Ours in Australia look so pale by comparison? ?!:-D
I KNOW!!!! I used what is called Smoked Cheese, sold at Woolies etc in the plastic cheese section. It’s the only orange one. It’s smoked but you really can’t taste it that much! N x
Yeah I wondered if it was the smoked one..I remember it being really yellow but the one I had was prob a bit too smokey. ..
Anyways! I know Costco do the proper American cheese, but you have to buy it in a pretty big slab! 😉
No way!!! OMG it might be worth doing the battle just to get the fake cheese!!
I think I’ll become Dozer’s agent. All I’ll require is a share of the goodies 🙂 The appetizers look so good. I think I could make an entire meal out of your appetizers. Nope! There’s no thinking about it. I know I could. Wonderful idea, Nagi!
BA HA HA!!! Agent for what exactly?? He would never be booked for jobs – he is not disciplined enough!!
That actually looks very good. Nice if one doesn’t feel like a heavy meal
Making it tonight. Time to go and buy some Baby gherkins. 🙂
Oooh! I will wait to hear what you think!
Hi Nagi,
followed the recipe to the dot. I must say one of the better tasting recipes I have tried yet.
I did make mine just little larger than they should have been,
Will make them again.
Thank you
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed it Allan, thanks for letting me know!! 🙂
This is such a good idea for party food!!
Thanks Alia! N x
Delicious! I’ ll join Dozer! Picture perfect! Am making parsly pesto, in freezer for later, Xmas time for salad dressing! The other day find Rocket pesto, learn abouted few Years ago from My sister. Yumi! She served with home Made pasta. And will Plant potatoes, garlic, dill. Regards, Vera.
You’ll join Dozer being shooed away from the meatballs…..??? 😉
Get in my belly right now! You had me at the mini pickles. Beefy cheesy deliciousness with a pop of pickle-y goodness. Thank you for this!
You’re welcome! Hope you try them one day, they are SO GOOD!!
Wow Nagi, these mini meatballs / burgers look like finger food heaven. Poor Dozen, he always gets to watch, but does he ever get to try? xx
He gets to try a LOT!!! Hope you and the fam had a great weekend Mel!!
Perfect timing! I was looking for an appy/snack recipe to take to work for a potluck – this is it!! Thanks Nagi, you ROCK!
Dozer deserves 3 snackers for his picture perfect presentation. 🙂
PS…over the “bug”.
Glad to hear that Leah!!! And NO meatballs for Dozer – naughty dog, getting so close and breathing his stinky breath all over my meatballs!!!
Lmao thanks for the tip about accidents; hilarious!
I know, right??? My mum gets cranky every time I make jokes about it!!!
Great stuff for scoffing! Dozer crack me up. Did you give him any meat balls?
No!!! He was so naughty, breathing his stinky dog breath so close to my meatballs, he didn’t deserve any!!!
Excellent video, Nagi! All I need from the directions are the ingredients, the video does the rest.
btw, I hope you gave Dozer some meatballs for appearing in the movie. Gorgeous!
I wasn’t sure plastic cheese was good for him……!!
Thanks GD! 🙂
Brilliant…..looks easy, fun, and delicious ……Thanks
You got it!!! 🙂 N x
Omg these are so cute and I bet DELICIOUS! They always say good things come in small packages 😉
You are SO RIGHT!!!
Hi Nagi! What a great idea! I can’t eat any fast food as it all upsets my stomach, but I sure would scarf down on these! Mini fries on a toothpick would be good with these! Have a great, relaxing weekend!
Ooh, yes to adding fries to this!! I should have thought of it ??