Stuffed Meatballs in Guinness Gravy! Served on Colcannon! It’s not right to serve this just once a year on St. Patrick’s Day! I’m so transparently not excited about this.?
When I made my Stuffed Albondigas (Mexican Stuffed Meatballs), I inadvertently unleashed a monster of my own making. Now every time I serve homemade meatballs, my family expects to bite into something ooey-gooey melty cheesy erupting out of the meatballs.
Well, their wish is my command, and I made it come true with this Meatball Stew. Meatballs stuffed with Irish Dubliner cheese… smothered in Guinness flavored gravy… served atop Colcannon. Mmm…
Mmm… was what I heard when I placed this on the dinner table last night. Frankly, that’s the only comment I need and want to hear.
As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to this Stuffed Meatballs, mmm…mmm…mmm is sufficient.
Not that anything else is superfluous. I would also gladly accept the following:
“Wow, these stuffed meatballs are to die for!”
“You put Guinness in the gravy? I think I can taste it, but it’s not bitter or anything. It’s really good!”
”I like this cheese inside the meatballs. What kind of cheese is it? Dubliner? Is that an Irish cheese?”
Some of these comments may have been thrown around last night, I can’t be sure. I was too busy stuffing my face with these stuffed meatballs.
If none of these endorsements is enough to make you want to make this Stuffed Meatballs in Guinness Gravy, I don’t know what will. All I can say is that you won’t be sorry if you decide to make them.
How To Make The Stuffed Meatballs
First, you need the following ingredients.
I used a meatloaf mix that had 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 pork, and 1/3 veal, but you can use any ground meat of your choice.
After mixing the meat with the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese), divide it into 20 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a patty, place 1 or 2 pieces of cubed Dubliner cheese in the center, then enclose the meat around the cheese, rolling it into a ball.
Dubliner cheese is a slightly crumbly cheese, so if the cubed cheese crumbles, just pat the crumbs together into the center of the meat patties.
What Goes In The Guinness Gravy
First, you need this.
That’s the only Guinness I can stomach. Guinness Draught is too bitter for me, Extra Stout even more. I’m not used to drinking beer, but I like it enough in cooking, like in this case. If you enjoy beer, you may want to try other types of Guinness besides Guinness Blonde. The Extra Stout would probably give you a bolder flavor.
The rest of the ingredients that go into the gravy is pretty standard stew ingredients.
The 2 Secret Ingredients
The two ingredients that may be a little unusual are gelatin powder and toasted flour.
Ever since I learned what gelatin powder adds to stews or soups or sauces from Serious Eats, I never looked back. Gelatin powder adds another layer of richness to your gravy and contributes to its thickness and glossiness.
Check out this All-American Beef Stew for another recipe using gelatin powder.
The toasted flour idea came from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Fork In The Road.
I will dwell on the subject of toasted flour more in-depth in a future post, but for now, let’s just say it adds richness in both the flavor and color of this Guinness Gravy.
If you don’t have toasted flour on hand and don’t want to make it, just substitute it with your preferred choice for thickening gravy, i.e., Wondra flour, all-purpose flour, corn starch, etc. Adjust the amount accordingly.
Okay, are you ready to make Stuffed Meatballs in Guinness Gravy? Print the recipe below:
- 1½ lbs. meatloaf mix (or ground beef/lamb/pork)
- 1 medium-sized onion, diced finely
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 oz. Dubliner cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dry)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup toasted flour
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin powder
- 2½ cups low-sodium beef or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (330 ml) bottle Guinness Blonde
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Salt & pepper
- Sauté the diced onion in a little bit of oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Let it cool completely.
- Once the onion is cool, mix it with the rest of the meatball ingredients (except for the cubed cheese) in a large bowl.
- Use clean hands to really mix the ingredients well together. Divide into 20 equal portions.
- Flatten each portion into a patty, place 1 or 2 cheese cubes in the center, and enclose the meat around the cheese, forming it into a ball.
- Brown meatballs by pan-frying until nice and browned, or baking in 400° oven for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the gelatin powder into the beef or chicken stock to let it dissolve and bloom. Set aside.
- Sauté all the chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, celery) in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once they’re soft, add the garlic, herbs, tomato paste, and toasted flour. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the fond as it forms, for a few minutes, or until everything looks nicely brown and toasty.
- Add the stock and Guinness. The Guinness will froth, stir it down. Add the rest of the ingredients and turn down the heat to simmer.
- Once the gravy thickens slightly, add the meatballs. Continue cooking until meatballs are fully cooked and gravy looks glossy and thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
- Best served hot over Colcannon or mashed potatoes.
If you like this recipe, please give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments section below. Thanks!
Pin This To Make Later!
I’ve never stuffed meatballs but looking forward to trying this weekend. Your pics make us hungry.
Hungry or hangry? Lol. Let me know how they turn out for you.
Oh my – this looks and sounds amazing!! Pinned! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope to see you there tomorrow at the new party!
Thanks, Helen! I’m working on another recipe right now. Will definitely share once it’s done, and family-approved 🙂
My husband and I enjoyed these. We used Yuengling, that’s what we drink. Make sure the meatballs are really thick and the cheese is completely covered. Or else the cheese will melt out.
Thanks for letting us know, Andrea! So glad you and your husband enjoyed these meatballs.
Uh oh, I used regular Guinness. Didn’t know if there was such a thing as blonde. Hope it tastes good.
I’m sure it’ll be fine. If you’re used to drinking regular Guinness, you may even prefer it. Let me know how it turns out!
Blonde is made in the states. It’s not real Guinness
Ooh, I want to surely try this! I love cooking with alcohol because it gives the food an extra oomph. I never would have thought of doing this to meatballs. I’m going to share the albondigas recipe with my mexican friend to see what she says. You know what they say…sharing is caring, lol! Thanks for all the recipe ideas on here. Shalom
I agree with you on cooking with alcohol, it gives an extra layer of flavor. I hope you get to try these meatballs, Roxanne. And your friend the albondigas. Let me know what you think!
This is an excellent meatball recipe. Made it twice, the first time omitted a few ingredients because the list is so long, the family gave it 4 stars. Second time followed to a T and taste was much improved. 5 stars!
That’s so great to hear! So happy you and your family enjoyed the meatballs! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. I appreciate it.
This looks so good ! What a great meal to make for guests!
Thanks so much!
Could I make this in a slow cooker?
I don’t see why you can’t, Sydni. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out.
Can you freeze this?
I’m pretty sure you can, Ashley. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Curious – is there a substitute for the Unflavored gelatin powder?
I suppose you can use pectin or agar powder, but I haven’t tried either. The gelatin in this recipe is used to give extra body and richness to the sauce, but I think you can omit it if you don’t or can’t find any. Use cornstarch slurry instead to thicken the sauce if you feel it’s too thin.
This might have been asked but when does the Worcestershire go in to the sauce?
After you add the stock and Guinness, you can add the Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and salt & pepper. You can adjust the amounts to your liking.
Made this tonight OMG it was so delicious !!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Can you freeze the meatballs and use later?
I’m sure you can, Sherron. The only thing to remember if you’re going to freeze uncooked meatballs is to arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, keeping them separated from each other or they will stick together when frozen. Once they’re frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
DELISH! I didn’t use the gelatin, my husband has it in his head that gelatin in what comes off the butcher floor. I also added a scoop of 0 Salt Knorr spice. We also used sweet potato mash. SO GOOD! Will become a staple in our house. Toasted the flour, not sure it added lots of flavour but I’ll be doing it again in the future.
That’s funny about your husband, lol. I’m so glad you enjoyed this and thanks for leaving a comment and review! XO
This looks amazing. I’m wondering how long (approximately, of course) it will need to simmer after the meatball have been added? 20 mins? An hour?
Thanks! I’m going to say it’s less than 15 minutes. Remember the meatballs are already partially cooked, so it doesn’t take very long for them to be fully cooked in the gravy.
I made this yesterday and we all loved it!! I used Corona beer as that’s what I had in my fridge and that worked well. Made it with baby red mashed potatoes and sautéed cabbage and red onions. A repeat recipe for sure! Thank you!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this. And good to know about Corona. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Made this tonight for dinner over Colcannon potatoes. Outstanding! Only thing I left out was the gelatin (because I didn’t have any) Definitely will make again
So glad to hear you enjoyed this. Thanks for leaving a comment.
THIS IS DEEEEELICIOUS! I am just getting it to the table and want to leave a comment to thank you for a delicious unique recipe before we devour them and I potentially forget to post a comment. Theres so much depth of flavor between the sauce and meatballs. I wondered about there not being an egg as a binder in the the meatballs but they stayed together. I’ve never seen a recipe calling for browned flour so was anxious to try that. I’m so glad I didn’t skip any steps. Next time I want to double or triple the recipe.
For those pondering whether to try or not- it’s a try! Also- it’s a great dish to serve to company. I am serving it over Parmesan Acini Di Pepe pasta w/ as a broccoli. Superb!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this. And serving it over pasta is a fantastic idea! Thanks for leaving a comment and review!
I’m giving this a five star, even though I made a big mistake and used regular Guinness and it was so bitter it was not edible. I salvaged, the veggies and made up a different gravy. But I could tell it was going to be amazing if I did it the right way with the right beer I will try it again.
That’s great! I’m glad you were able to salvage it.
1) I don’t drink nor buy alcohol. What would be a good substitute equivalent for the Guinness?
2) I am lactose intolerant so what would be a good nondairy cheese substitute equivalent for the Dubliner cheese?
3) My oven is broken. Would you please instruct me how I could cook this recipe in a Ninja 4 in 1 Cooking System (it has a crockpot/slow cooker function setting)?
4) Despite my many obstacles to being able to make your recipe, I really want to make your recipe because your pics of the gravy and meatballs look so delicious! 😋 Yum! I’ve go to find a way around all the obstacles!
Just omit the Guinness and use your favorite alcohol substitute for cooking, i.e, broth, juice, vinegar, etc. It won’t taste the same because Guinness is very distinct in taste but I don’t see why it can’t still give you a delicious result. For the cheese, you can either omit or substitute with plant-based parmesan cheese. And everything can be cooked on a stovetop, including browning the meatballs.
Made this tonight using just beef stock (Better than Bouillon roasted beef) instead of beer and we loved it! My husband it was not just in the recipe rotation, but it IS the rotation! Lol
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for the comment!
What is Colcannon? I am looking forward to making this dish but am not familiar concannon. Thank you!
It’s Irish mashed potatoes with added vegetables (cabbage or kale) in it. Here is the recipe —-> https://fiestafriday.net/2016/03/14/colcannon-with-brown-butter-and-bacon/
Absolutely delicious!!! To echo someone else: make the meatballs bigger than you think!!! I made mine “normal”size and the cheese oozed out of a few. Also, regarding the Guinness Blonde: I had regular Guinness so I used that. It imparts a slightly bitter taste. I imagine the blonde would not (or another mild stout)
Thanks again…this will define served again in my house!