Classic German Meatballs (Frikadellen) - Recipes From Europe (2024)

Authentic German Meatballs – Made By Our German!

Searching for a great German meatballs recipe? Try ours! We are big fans of meatballs – a blended ball of meat, egg, breadcrumbs, some simple spices, and flavorful onions.

This recipe for pan-fried German-style meatballs is best served with a side of potatoes – or with a slice of bread and mustard just like you’d get at the beer garden!

Different Versions of German Meatballs

There are many different names for German meatballs. In some areas, they are known as Frikadellen whereas in Bavaria they are often known as Fleischpflanzerl. Lisa knew them as Hackfleischklößchen growing up.

There are some small regional differences in the way these German meatballs are prepared. For example, some are fried while others are dropped in boiling water. However, the general concept of a ball of meat is pretty standard across the country.

For this post, we are focusing on the version of classic German meatballs that Lisa grew up eating. Our recipe calls for frying the meatball rather than boiling. This meatball recipe is actually similar to our recipe for German meatloaf – but that dish has hard-boiled eggs inside!

Internationally, one of the most popular German meatballs recipes is that for “Königsberger Klopse” – which are boiled meatballs in a white sauce/gravy with capers.

It’s super delicious – and just another example of a different German-style meatball recipe. So, don’t be surprised if another German gives you a different recipe!

Recipe Tips/Substitutions

Before you make these tasty meatballs, read up on our recipe tips to ensure you’ll achieve the best results:

• In Germany, people sometimes make these meatballs with a stale bun instead of breadcrumbs. If you want to try this, simply soak a stale bun in cold water until it is soft. Then squeeze out the excess water, rip the bun into small pieces, and add it to the bowl with the ground meat as you would add the breadcrumbs.
• These meatballs will end up quite flavorful. If you don’t like that, feel free to reduce the amount of salt, pepper, and paprika according to your preferences.
• If you’re worried about your meatballs falling apart, make sure that the egg and the breadcrumbs are mixing in well. They will act as the “glue”. If the mixture seems overly “wet” and you have trouble forming a meatball, add a few more breadcrumbs until it is easier.
• When forming the meatballs, make sure to press the meatballs together well so that there are no large gaps.

How to Make German Meatballs – Step by Step Instructions

To make these German Frikadellen, you can find the recipe card at the bottom of this post with exact measurements and instructions.

If you’re new to making meatballs and want to see the step-by-step instructions visually, have a look at the meatball process photos in this section.

This way, you have a visual guide to refer to if you have questions about how to make these meatballs!

First, peel and finely chop the onion.

Then add the ground meat, diced onion, cracked egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper to a bowl.

Mix everything together for a few minutes with your clean hands until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and stay together when you form a rough ball in your hand.

The consistency is important to stop the meatballs from falling apart later. If the mixture feels too wet/sticky, add a few more breadcrumbs.

Form approximately 8 meatballs that are slightly smaller than the size of your palm.

Slightly flatten off the top and the bottom of the meatball so that they are not a fully round.

Make sure that the meatballs are roughly the same size so that they’ll be done frying at the same time.

Heat approximately 1-2 tablespoons of butter (depending on your pan size) in a large frying pan.

Once the butter is melted and hot, add (some) of the meatballs and fry them on medium-low heat for approx. 7-10 minutes until the bottom is browned.

Then flip the meatballs over and fry them from the other side. Remove them from the heat once the meatballs are fully cooked through.

You can enjoy these meatballs as a side or as a main course. The richness of the meat (in this fried version) goes well will boiled, fried, or mashed potatoes. If you prefer pasta over potatoes, you can serve them with pasta salad.

Alternatively, you can also pair the meatballs with a slice of bread and mustard – that’s a very traditional way of eating Frikadellen at a German beer garden.

Eric would be more inclined to eat them with a side of sauerkraut – another recipe we will put on this website eventually!

Storage Tips

You can store any leftover meatballs in a sealed container or in tin foil and keep them in the fridge. Make sure to eat them within 1-2 days.

You can either munch on them cold (we do this sometimes), reheat them in the microwave or just pan fry them again on low until the meatball is fully heated through.

FAQ

Related Recipes

Looking for other classic German recipes? Try out these tasty creations:

• German Fried Potatoes – Tasty fried potatoes that make a great side dish
• German Potato Dumplings – Delicious potato dumplings with step-by-step instructions
• Schinkennudeln – German ham and noodles that make a simple meal!