These zesty sweet Italian sausage meatballs, swimming in a creamy white sauce, are sure to become a family favorite. The secret? Thinly sliced fennel adds a delicate anise flavor to the rich sauce, and a healthy splash of vodka adds a little flavor kick that’ll have everyone coming back for more. Plus, these meatballs are super versatile. Serve them over fluffy rice, your go-to pasta, creamy mashed potatoes, or even as meatball sliders for a fun game day or party appetizer.

Lately, like most people, I find myself making more conscious decisions when it comes to purchasing ingredients at my local market. I think we can all agree that prices have gone up, are continuing to go up, and will sadly most likely never come down again. For sure, there are some items I will continue to buy over and over again, no matter their price, either because I use them so frequently or because I prefer them to other brands that I have tried. The condiment aisle, as of late, is where I truly find myself teetering on the brink of financial ruin. I mean, it’s kind of insane how many different varieties of mustard, pickles, and olives we need to have on hand at all times. Seriously ya’ll, we can scarf down a jar of pickles in less than a few days and olives don’t even stand a chance against us when it comes to snack time. So, to keep both me and B.O.B. Bob in happy condiment bliss, I try and make up for their bank-breaking price in other sections of the grocery store.

For this recipe, I had originally considered using ground beef, chicken, or pork. But, after seeing the current prices on each of those items, I settled for using sweet Italian sausage instead because it was significantly cheaper. I even chose to spend less money and purchase sausage links instead of loose sausage to save additional money. Honestly, removing the sausage from the casings with a pair of scissors only took a few minutes and it was well worth the four dollars saved. And, the flavor from the sweet Italian sausage, really is what makes these meatballs so addictively delicious. So, I guess sometimes it does pay to stand in the meat department, frozen like an indecisive deer caught in the headlights, repeatedly comparing prices and spending an ungodly amount of time trying to decide which item is most worth purchasing. Too bad the four dollars I saved from finally purchasing the less expensive sausage links still wasn’t enough to purchase my absolute favorite brand of sweet pickles.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

• 2 (16-oz.) Packages Sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Vodka Fennel Sauce:

• 1 Large Fennel Bulb
• 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Vodka
• 1 3/4 Cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped

Directions:

Meatballs:

1. With clean hands, combine the sausage, panko bread crumbs, parsley, mustard, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
2. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet or large platter.
3. Place the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs. Sauté the meatballs, turning them every 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. (You will not need to add more oil to the pan.)

Vodka Fennel Sauce:

1. Use a sharp knife to slice off the stalks and the bottom of the fennel. Discard the stalks and bottom of the fennel. Thinly slice the remaining fennel bulb with the same sharp knife or a mandoline. Run your knife through the sliced fennel to cut any large pieces in half.
2. Add the sliced fennel to the oil in the same skillet you used to brown the meatballs. Sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, or until the fennel is translucent and softened.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the sliced fennel. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Slowly add the vodka and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Slowly add the milk, stirring until well combined. Add the salt, onion powder, and pepper. Stir to combine.
6. Nestle the meatballs down into the sauce. They should all fit in the pan in a single layer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Shake the pan every few minutes.
7. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Suggestions:

• For this recipe, I used sausage links and removed the casings because sausage links were significantly cheaper than loose sausage. If you buy sausage links, gently place your scissors underneath the casing at one end and glide your scissors to the other end. Open the casing and let the sausage within fall into a large bowl. Discard the casing and repeat with the remaining sausage links. This process will only take a minute or two and is well worth the money saved.
• Use food-safe gloves when mixing the meatball mixture.
• Do not overwork the meatball mixture. You want all of the ingredients to be evenly distributed, however, if you overwork the mixture, the meatballs could become tough.
• Use caution when adding vodka to the skillet.
• I used whole milk for this recipe, however, you can use any combination of milk, heavy whipping cream, or half and half. Since the sauce for these meatballs is rather rich, I highly suggest sticking with the whole milk.
• I did not add any fennel fronds as a garnish because the fennel I purchased had very few on it. If your fennel has a decent amount of fennel fronds, feel free to add them for extra flavor.
• This recipe will yield approximately 30 meatballs.
• Since these meatballs are so rich, serve them over rice or pasta. You could, however, also serve them over mashed potatoes.

Improvements:

• Replace the Sweet Italian Sausage with Spicy Italian Sausage.
• Add a little bit of freshly ground nutmeg to the vodka fennel sauce.
• Use these meatballs to make mini sliders and serve them as an appetizer at your next game day gathering or party.
• If you’re a real fan of fennel, serve these meatballs alongside this Mandarin Orange & Fennel Mardi Gras Salad.

Print

Yum

Sausage Meatballs with Vodka Fennel Sauce

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
• 2 (16-oz.) Packages Sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Vodka Fennel Sauce:
• 1 Large Fennel Bulb
• 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Vodka
• 1 3/4 Cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped

Directions:

Meatballs:
1. With clean hands, combine the sausage, panko bread crumbs, parsley, mustard, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
2. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet or large platter.
3. Place the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs. Sauté the meatballs, turning them every 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. (You will not need to add more oil to the pan.)
Vodka Fennel Sauce:
4. Use a sharp knife to slice off the stalks and the bottom of the fennel. Discard the stalks and bottom of the fennel. Thinly slice the remaining fennel bulb with the same sharp knife or a mandoline. Run your knife through the sliced fennel to cut any large pieces in half.
5. Add the sliced fennel to the oil in the same skillet you used to brown the meatballs. Sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, or until the fennel is translucent and softened.
6. Sprinkle the flour over the sliced fennel. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Slowly add the vodka and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Slowly add the milk, stirring until well combined. Add the salt, onion powder, and pepper. Stir to combine.
9. Nestle the meatballs down into the sauce. They should all fit in the pan in a single layer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Shake the pan every few minutes.
10. Garnish with parsley before serving.

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