Y’all come on and join me in the kitchen as we prepare an Easy Old Fashioned Meatballs and Gravy Recipe. It is simple and delicious and a great dish for busy families.

I am so glad that you stopped by friend! This recipe takes me way back to my youth. Yes, I’ve been cooking a really long time. This particular dish is something that I learned to prepare during my early teen years.

What are meatballs and gravy?

Y’all, let me tell ya about these Old Fashioned Meatballs and Gravy!

These meatballs are tender, juicy, and packed with down-home flavor, just like Grandma used to make nestled into that creamy gravy. So simple and so delicious!

Pile ’em high over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes or cooked rice, and you’ve got a meal that’ll have everyone asking for seconds! Even the pickiest eaters love this gravy meatball dinner.

Now, before anyone asks, no these are not Italian style meatballs. These homemade meatballs are easy and simple and definitely deserve a spot in your collection of meatball recipes.

Is there such a thing as country meatballs or Southern meatballs? How about we just call them everyday home cook easy meatballs?

Honey, you call them whatever you like. Now, let’s head into the kitchen and whip up this super simple meal!

Meatballs and Creamy Mushroom Gravy

a cast iron skillet with country style meatballs with cream of mushroom gravy

Doesn’t that look good, y’all? It makes my mouth water. Like I said, I’ve been cooking up these meatballs and gravy since my teen years. It is such an easy recipe for some good ole comfort food.

It is also a great recipe that allows you to whip up something a bit different with some ground beef besides your go to hamburger steaks.

Why you will love this old fashioned meatballs and gravy recipe? You will love it on your busiest days when you want a delicious home cooked meal without a lot of fuss in the preparation. And, perhaps best of all, it is budget friendly.

We all need some budget friendly dishes in this day and age with grocery prices being on the pricey side.

Meatballs and Gravy

a vintage floral plate with cooked rice topped with creamy meatballs and parsley

What to serve with old fashioned meatballs and gravy?

Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a classic pairing, perfect for soaking up the gravy.
Cooked White Rice: a little tip to share with y’all – cook your white rice in chicken broth for added flavor.
Buttered Noodles: cooked egg noodles are great with this creamy gravy meatball dish.
Green Beans: which might be the official vegetable side at our house, but any veggie side you enjoy works nicely too.
Macaroni and Cheese: this is my personal favorite side of all time.
Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad: a cool and refreshing side, especially during the summer months.
Pasta Salad: a classic flavorful pasta salad is always a welcome side to a meal.
Air Fryer Red Potatoes: a side of simple roasted potatoes prepared in your air fryer.

Ingredients Meatballs and Mushroom Sauce

cutting board with ingredients to prepare old fashioned meatballs and gravy recipe

What do I need to make meatballs and gravy? Here’s the simple ingredient list:

Ground Beef: I prefer 80/20, usually called ground chuck. The fat ratio keeps the meat moist and full of flavor.
Quick Cook Oats
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup: my family loves the cream of mushroom with this recipe, but cream of onion or cream of celery would be great too. The cream of something soup creates the easy gravy. You can make your own homemade gravy recipe if you prefer.
Whole Milk: I like to use milk, but you can use water if you like, or to add extra flavor, use some beef broth.

How to make Meatballs and Gravy the Easy way

loosening ground beef into stainless mixing bowl to prepare meatballs

Begin by removing the ground beef from its store packaging and placing it into a large bowl. Use your fingers to break the meat apart.

Be gentle to avoid mashing the meat as you separate it. You want lots of airy spaces in the ground beef for the other ingredients to easily incorporate when making the meatball mixture.

Next, add your oats and seasonings to the meat.

gently mixing together the meat mixture for meatballs and gravy

Then, use your fingers to gently fold the meatball ingredients together.

using a food scale to make meatballs of equal size for even cooking in meatballs and cream of mushroom gravy recipe

The next step is to form the meatballs. When cooking meatballs you want them to all be about the same size so they cook evenly.

You could use a cookie dough scoop to maintain the same amounts of the meat mixture, or use a food scale, which is what I do and portion out one ounce of the old fashioned meatball mixture.

I am going to use that word “gently” again here friends. Gently roll the meat mixture to form the meatballs. Don’t mash them tight together. Just enough to form the meatball so they stay nice and juice and have a light wonderful texture once they are cooked.

Southern Meatballs and Gravy

browning meatballs in a cast iron skillet on the stove top: easy old fashioned meatballs and gravy recipe

Place the meatballs into a preheated large skillet to cook and brown on all sides. I love using my cast iron skillet for this.

I typically preheat the skillet over medium heat while I form the meatballs. You do want to get that nice golden brown on all sides of the meatballs. That adds flavor!

On my stove top using my cast iron skillet, I find that it takes about eight minutes for the meatballs to cook when I prepare this recipe.

Don’t worry if your meatballs do not cook all of the way through in this step because they will finish cooking while they simmer in the gravy.

The Gravy for Meatballs

combining cream of mushroom condensed soup with whole milk in a glass measuring cup

“It’s all Gravy!”

To prep that rich gravy mixture, I just add the cream of mushroom right into the measuring cup with my milk, then use a fork or small whisk to combine it together.

Adding the creamy mushroom sauce mixture to the meatballs in the skillet

Pour that creamy mushroom gravy mixture into the skillet with the meatballs and their flavorful drippings. The pan drippings help flavor that rich brown gravy.

Use a spatula to carefully stir those tender meatballs together with the creamy gravy then reduce the cooking heat to medium low and simmer for fifteen minutes.

Printable Recipe Card

Meatballs and gravy with chopped parsley garnish

Doesn’t that look delicious? I love how easy this meal is to prepare! Serve them up with rice or mashed potatoes and other sides that you enjoy.

Yield: 16 Meatballs

Old Fashioned Southern Meatballs and Gravy Recipe

Name: Old Fashioned Southern Meatballs and Gravy Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Southern United States
Ingredients: 1 pound Ground Beef (I use 80/20); ⅓ cup Quick Cook Oats; ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt; ¼ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper; ¼ Onion Powder; ¼ Garlic Powder; 10.5 ounce Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup; ½ cup Whole Milk

These tender meatballs, simmered in a rich and creamy mushroom gravy, are the ultimate comfort food. Easy to prepare and full of flavor, this dish is perfect for a cozy family dinner or when you're craving something warm and satisfying. It is a great quick fix meal for your busiest days. Serve over fluffy mashed potatoes or cooked rice to soak up every drop of the delicious gravy. And, perhaps best of all, this recipe won't break the bank and is budget friendly. Enjoy with your favorite side dishes. This recipe is sure to become a family favorite in your meal rotation recipe collection.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Beef (I use 80/20)
⅓ cup Quick Cook Oats
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
¼ Onion Powder
¼ Garlic Powder
10.5 ounce Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup
½ cup Whole Milk

Instructions

Begin by using your fingers to gently break apart the ground beef into a large bowl.
Next, add the oats and seasonings to the meat.
Using clean hands, gently toss the ingredients together until evenly combined.
Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat while your form the meatballs.
Form the mixture into meatballs, using a food scale to create 1-ounce portions (about 1 inch in size). This should yield approximately 16 meatballs. Alternatively, you can use a scoop or eyeball the mixture to create evenly sized meatballs.
Next, place the meatballs in a single layer in the preheated skillet.
Cook the meatballs, browning on all sides, for about 8 minutes.
Prepare the gravy sauce mixture; In a measuring cup, combine the cream of mushroom condensed soup with the milk. Use a fork or small whisk to mix until smooth.
Pour the creamy gravy mixture into the skillet with the browned meatballs and any pan drippings.
Use a spatula to stir and combine everything.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through.
Serve the meatballs with cooked rice or creamy mashed potatoes and your favorite side dishes.

Notes

See full post for extra tips in preparing meatballs and gravy, as well as serving suggestions.

I like to use whole milk for the gravy mixture, but you could also use water or beef stock if preferred.

An 80/20 ground beef has the perfect fat ratio for added flavor and renders wonderful pan drippings to combine with the gravy. You could opt for a lean ground beef if preferred.

Leftover meatballs and gravy may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheated for other meals.

The simple meatball mixture can be prepared and the meatballs frozen without the gravy for use in a variety of recipes.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

4 Meatballs
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 777mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 35g

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Easy Old Fashioned Meatballs and Gravy Recipe

Well, there ya have it, folks! Old Fashioned Meatballs and Gravy that’ll make your taste buds singing a happy tune.

This is a recipe that my family has loved for many many years and I know you will love it too. And remember friend, home cooked meals never have to be complicated to be delicious.

I hope y’all enjoyed cooking along with me today. Don’t forget to share this meal with family and friends, ’cause good food tastes even better with good company.

Now, before you run off, be sure to subscribe to receive my emails. You’ll get my e-newsletters with recipes and news from here at Julia’s Simply Southern delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. It is free, so why not?

Until next time, friend, love and happy cooking!

Meet Julia

Author of Julia's Simply Southern

About Julia

Hey Y'all! I'm Julia, the cook and writer behind the recipes here at Julia's Simply Southern. I began my website so that I could share easy to follow recipes that anyone can use to put a home cooked meal on the dinner table. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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