Coca-Cola Meatballs are comforting, rich, tangy and saucy – my family’s favorite dinner choice ! Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes (can also be served in smaller sized meatballs as an appetizer)
You should know by now that I am a Coca-Cola addict.
Not just any Cola – the real thing Coca-Cola, not diet or light. These Coca-Cola Meatballs are amazing !
I have found that when used in recipes it gives an amazing taste – sweet dishes are a little sweeter, but fuller.
And savory dishes a bit of a tangy taste and it adds richness to the recipe as well.
These meatballs can be made in golf ball sizes (which is what I did today) and served over pasta with the sauce for a delicious dinner.
OR make them a little smaller, insert a toothpick after baking and serve with the sauce as a dip at a party.
My daughter was home for the weekend and she is a huge fan of meatballs.
But I wanted to try a new recipe and found one on the Mr. Food website which you can find HERE.
***NOTE: You can also use a whole Green Bell Pepper : add half to the meatball mixture before forming into balls and half (as below) in the sauce.
More Meatball recipes you might like:
Coca-Cola Meatballs
Coca-Cola Meatballs
Coca-Cola Meatballs make a delicious dinner or smaller Meatballs can be served as an appetizer
Ingredients
- 450 g Lean Ground Beef, ( 1 pound )
- 1/2 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- 1 Egg
- 1 TB Water
- 1 Onion, finely chopped, divided
- 1/2 t Salt, divided
- 1/2 t Black Pepper, divided
- 2 t Fresh Garlic, crushed
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce, (thick ketch-up)
- 1 cup Coca-Cola
- 2 TB Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, (***See note above recipe in post)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 deg C (350 deg F) – Spray a 20 x 30cm ( 8 x 12 inch ) oven dish with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Beef, Bread Crumbs, Egg, Water, half of the chopped Onion, (half of the Green Bell Pepper, if using) half the Salt and half the Black Pepper – mix well and form into balls – place in a single layer on the prepared oven dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining Onion, Salt, and Pepper – add the Garlic, Tomato Sauce, Coca-Cola, Worcestershire Sauce and the Green Bell Pepper – pour over the meatballs.
- Bake 50 – 60 minutes (turning twice) until sauce is bubbly and the meatballs are fully cooked.
Nutrition Information
Yield
15Serving Size
Per MeatballAmount Per Serving Calories 106Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 39mgSodium 262mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 10g
Nutrition value is not always accurate (updated September 2019 using Nutritionix)
Shawna Williams
Linda these sound so good, I booked marked them so when I have the kids here I am cooking these and putting them on a sub roll.
The Tumbleweed Contessa
Have a coke and a smile! I know some folks that will love trying these. They are meatball die hards. I use Dr. Pepper a lot for flavor it is kind of the same concept. Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend.
Sherry K-Jazzy Gourmet
I totally agree about Coke being the real deal–and I'm sure it is awesome in these meatballs!
Miz Helen
Hi Linda,
Your Coca Cola Meatballs are awesome, we would just love this flavor. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Miz Helen
Julie Carlyle
Yum! Looks delicious!
Thanks for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Unknown
Yummy
KLP
Do you use tomato sauce or ketchup?
Linda Nortje
In South-Africa our tomato sauce is what we use over burgers, fries, hotdogs etc (same use as ketchup) but the tomato sauce I use is thick. Thin tomato sauce or thin ketchup will need a thickening ingredient perhaps add a bit of tomato paste ?
KLP
Thanks, can't wait to try these.
Jill Foerster
Crushed tomatoes might be a good sub for ketchup/thin tomato sauce.
Elizabeth Whitlock
Not enough seasoning for me so will have to adjust, they were neither savory or sweet, I am sure kids would like them.
Nicole Garner
What would be good sides to go with these?
Linda Nortje
Nicole, I just about never serve the meatballs the same way – starches could be rice, mashed potatoes, baby potatoes, pasta etc and I usually add 2 side dishes, during warm weather it would be two salads and cold weather two vegetable sides (any salad or vegetable go well with the meatballs)
Nicole Garner
Thank you! I cant wait to make them tonight as I grew up on Coca-Cola ribs so im sure there just as good.
Brian
Funeral Potatoes!😋
Nancy Lewis
Hi Nicole,
would you be able to make these in a crock pot or slow cooker? and if so, would the recipe need to be adjusted in any way? I would really like to try these, but my oven is currently out of commission.
Linda Nortje
Hi Nancy !
I have actually made these meatballs in the slow-cooker before, the recipe remains the same, but it will have to cook longer, mine took 5 hours on slow (with one gentle stir after 3 hours), so I'd say anything from 4 – 6 hours on low as sow-cookers vary as well as the size of the meatballs (golf ball size, or a little less, is my favorite)
Nancy Lewis
Thank you for the quick reply. I am definately making these this weekend. They sound super yummy
Lorraine Le Blanc
Delicious! I used ketchup, not tomato sauce. Do not cover. Turned oven up to 375 after 1/2 hour because sauce was not carmelizing. Thanks for the recipe.
Unknown
Made these tonight for dinner and they were fantastic, so much flavor. I also used ketchup instead of tomato sauce and believe it really does make a difference in the thickness and sweetness of the sauce. The only change I will make next time is doubling up the sauce. Thanks for a great recipe!
Richard Lucena
We all loved these meatballs. Hubby couldn't get enough. We live in New Zealand and I have never used coke in a recipe until now =)
Julez 1961
If you do the meatballs party size and use the sauce as a dipping sauce would you boil it up in a saucepan?
Linda Nortje
Yes, I do ☺ (only a couple of minutes though until I am happy with the thickness of the sauce)
Anne
Hi looks yummy , can you use Pepsi instead of coke?
Linda Nortje
Hi Anne, I honestly have no idea as we never buy Pepsi, but I have looked up the differences between Coke and Pepsi and found the following : Pepsi has more of a citrus taste (due to citric acid in the ingredients) and Coke more Vanilla-Raisin. Hope this helps 🙂
Wendy Monkman
I use 7up instead of Coke in this recipe and have for years. I brown the meatballs in the oven, then transfer to the slow cooker. Takes a bit longer for the 7up and ketchup to thicken so don't overdo the meatballs in the oven. Kids will love these as well as adults. Make the best meatball sandwiches the next day as well
Beth Hall
I used tomato soup and ground turkey. The sauce was thick enough. My husband said next time make mashed potatoes Yum!!
James Walke
Tried this last night. It was good, with one minor problem. Not enough sauce. Next time I make this I will double or triple the sauce.
Linda Nortje
Hi James, I am glad you enjoyed the meatballs ! My daughter also doubles up on the sauce when she makes it. I suppose it is just a matter of personal choice 🙂
Amy Smith
The recipes says to add half the salt, half the black pepper but the ingredient list doesn’t say how much of each?
Linda Nortje
Hi Amy, thank you for letting me know ! I have just converted over to a new recipe card and it seems some ingredients were omitted. The Salt and Pepper is now in the recipe card 🙂
Mary Docherty
Can these meatballs be made in advance ??? Can minced chicken be used instead of beef?
Linda Nortje
You can make and freeze the meatballs, yes Mary. I am sure, although never made it with chicken, that you can use minced chicken as there are no ingredients which is unique to beef. I would suggest using the same texture of minced chicken than that of ground beef
Mlynn
Can you use frozen party meatballs in place of homemade?
Linda Nortje
I am sure you can, as long as the meatballs are defrosted first in order to soak up the taste of the sauce whilst baking as well as not affecting the baking time. ( I have never used frozen, please let us know how the dish turns out ? )
Betty Livengood
I was wondering why Sodium was not listed on your Nutrional Info? My husband has had Bypass Surgery and we have to watch his Sodium and was just inquiring, these he would enjoy with a side of Rice and Asparagus. Yummy…
Linda Nortje
Betty I have run the recipe through a new nutritional calculator and the Sodium information is now available. Hope this helps !
Marsha
Can you make this as a meatloaf
Linda Nortje
I have never made a meatloaf using this exact recipe, but can not see that it will be a problem, Marsha. The meatballs are very sturdy (for lack of a better word) and should hold up very well shaped as in a loaf form
Marsha
Thank you. Will give it a try
Aimee Shaffer
I am looking for a savory meatball appetizer to take to a party and am wondering if the coke makes the sauce sweet at all?
Linda Nortje
Aimee, there is definitely a sweetness in the sauce although not over powering
Emily B
I’ve actually made these vegan! I’ve made them twice now and they are so good! I use either a flax or chia seed egg, and a packet of beyond meat ground beef. These are so good, super adaptable 🙂
S
These meatballs are delicious. My family is very picky. They loved and asked for seconds. I saw a previous comment about making as an appetizer for a party. I think that’s a great idea. I will definitely be making this recipe in the future; it is a family favorite and will be in my recipe repertoire. Thank you!
Linda Nortje
I am glad your family loved the meatballs 🙂 My family is also a bit picky but my daughter makes this recipe regularly for her family now as well ! ( Delicious as an appetizer with the sauce as a dip )