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Home » Recipes » Beef, Venison, Lamb, Pork

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs:Appetizer to Main Dish

Published: Sep 20, 2018 · Modified: Oct 15, 2024 by Marisa Franca

Jump to Recipe
Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti and red sauce on a white porcelain plate all on top of a green and white checked placemat. A fork rests on the left hand side of the plate.

Venison Meatballs are spicy, moist, and easy to bake ahead then freeze. It seems that every culture that enjoys meat has some form of meatball. You'll find Italian, German, Greek, Swedish, and even Japanese meatballs. It's just a matter of what sauce and seasoning you use in the ground meat. And, by using just a few tricks, you can be sure that your meatballs are perfect. By adding a bit of hot Italian sausage to the ground venison, you'll not only increase the flavor of the baked meatball but you'll render them amazingly moist and tender. Meatballs are a staple in our house and should be in yours too. You can use this venison meatball recipe for the main dish, hoagie sandwiches, and appetizers. Pretty versatile, don't you think?

For this recipe, you will need ground venison, hot Italian sausage, panko crumbs, garlic cloves, eggs, Italian seasoning, chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, kosher salt. 

Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti and red sauce on a white porcelain plate all on top of a green and white checked placemat. A fork rests on the left hand side of the plate.
Jump to:
  • Venison Meatballs - A Family Favorite
  • Uses for Venison Meatballs
  • How to Make and Bake Venison Meatballs
  • How to Freeze Meatballs
  • Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs: Appetizer to Main Dish
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Venison Meatballs - A Family Favorite

Before we moved to the Cave, our apartment here, we fixed the rest of our frozen garlicky meatballs for Michelle, our daughter, and family. They came down to help us move some things out of our old house. So for lunch, we decided to fix Italian hoagies. Let me say, those meatball subs were a huge hit!

So now, we were not only homeless but without meatballs in our freezer. A sad state of affairs to be sure.

Then, a few weeks ago our son Jason, the hunter, was over for lunch. Honey turned to him and said, "If you have any more ground venison left I'll make you some venison meatballs. I need something to do."

Jason got a big smile on his face. "If you're bored I'll bring over several packages and some sausage. Deer season is coming up and I have to make some room in my freezer."

And so, Honey made the venison meatballs which we shared with the family. Now, we're planning on making some delicious recipes out of those sausages.

Closeup of three baked venison meatballs on top of spaghetti and covered with a red sauce all on a white porcelain plate and basil leaves sprinkled on top.

Uses for Venison Meatballs

We know that whenever people think of meatballs they think of Italian meatballs in a pile of spaghetti. But did you know that in Italy they don't serve meatballs with pasta?

Usually, the pasta comes first and the meatballs follow.

Frankly, I think think the popularity of spaghetti with meatballs started with that alley scene in Lady and the Tramp.

Here are some other ideas where you can use meatballs:

  • Use them with rich brown gravy and mushrooms.
  • Include them in a delicious soup.
  • A sweet and sour sauce.
  • Sandwich as a slider or hoagie.
  • Swedish meatballs with rich gravy.
  • Albondigas stew.
  • Thai meatball curry.
  • Greek meatballs with tzatziki.
  • German meatballs with sauerkraut.
  • Japanese meatballs with ginger, garlic, and scallion.

Have we convinced you how handy it is to have frozen baked meatballs on hand?

A table set with a white plate with three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti covered in a red sauce. Chopped basil is sprinkled on top. Fork is on left side, a white bowl of red roma tomatoes are behind the plate and next to it is a brown pottery bowl with a tossed salad.

How to Make and Bake Venison Meatballs

Have you ever tasted a meatball that has the texture of golfballs? The secret to preventing a dense meatball is gently mixing the ingredients and NOT over packing the meatball. You can use a scoop to measure out the meat or you can weight them.

We use our digital scale, and let me tell you that is one handy-dandy piece of equipment. Every meatball is identical and perfect.

In order to prevent the meat from sticking to your hand, moisten them with water. Once you measure the meatball place them on a non-stick metal cooling rack placed inside a foiled lined baking tray.

You can also place the meatballs on a parchment-lined or foiled-lined baking sheet. We prefer the rack because air can circulate around the meatball.

Rows of baked venison meatballs on top of a black wire rack over a foil-lined tray.

How to Freeze Meatballs

After the meatballs are baked and cooled, you place them on a lightly oiled wax paper. Now, this may seem odd to spray wax paper but we've had things stick to the paper when we try to remove the frozen item.

Once the venison meatballs are frozen, place in a freezer bag and then in a freezer container. Yes! We use both a freezer bag and a freezer container because we want our delicious meatballs to stay fresh tasting when thawed.

When you're in the mood for a meatball recipe, thaw out the amount you want to eat and make whatever recipe tickles your fancy. They are so easy to make it's a shame not to make a large batch to keep on hand.

And if you're looking for additional venison recipes to enjoy, check out our delicious Grilled Marinated Venison Steak with a fabulous deer steak marinade and our Northern Italian Venison Stew.

More game meat recipes to try

  • Hearty Venison Chili
  • Polpettone Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
  • Grilled Antelope Tenderloin|Bacon Wrapped and Succulent

If you don't have ground venison, just substitute ground beef or tenderloin for the meat.

We hope you give this recipe a try we know you'll enjoy it.

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti on a white porcelain plate sprinkled with chopped basil. A fork is on the left side of the plate.

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs: Appetizer to Main Dish

These venison meatballs are perfect. They are so tender and moist you'll be dreaming up recipes just so you can use them. And since they freeze beautifully, there's no reason you can't have a good supply of them so when the mood hits, you can quickly thaw some out. I think of them as meal lifesavers! There is no limit to what you can make.

Next time you want to try uniquely flavored meatballs, try out our Authentic Swedish Meatballs With Sauce recipe. It's so good you'll want to keep it on your menu rotation.

If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a 5-star rating. It helps others to decide whether to try this recipe.

📖 Recipe

Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti and red sauce on a white porcelain plate all on top of a green and white checked placemat. A fork rests on the left hand side of the plate.

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs: Appetizer to Main Dish

Baked Venison Meatballs are juicy and tender and make a great start to your main dish, hoagies, or appetizer. They freeze beautifully so it's easy to keep them on hand. The dishes you can make limitless. Let your imagination go wild. 
5 from 42 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American-Italian
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs ground venison
  • 1 lbs hot Italian sausage
  • 18 garlic cloves
  • 3 eggs jumbo size
  • 3 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1 ¼ cups Panko crumbs
  • 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. With your hands gently mix until just combined. 
  • Use a disher to scoop an even amount of the meat mixture or use a kitchen scale -- we made the meatballs 2 oz. each. Moisten your hands with water if the meat seems to stick. 
  • Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet or on a vegetable sprayed non-stick cooling rack placed inside the baking sheet. 
  • Bake in a preheated 350 F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The amount of time will depend on the size of your meatballs. Don't overcook. 
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the meatballs cool. Once cool place the meatballs on a lightly oiled sheet of wax paper. Freeze. Once frozen store in a freezer container or freezer bag. We use both to keep them fresher. 
  • When ready to eat, thaw out the number of meatballs you want to use and add to whatever recipe you like. 

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 399mg | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3.6mg

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    1.5K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barry Sanders

      February 06, 2023 at 10:04 am

      Want to try your Spicy Venison Meatballs for Superbowl party. Do you mince the 18 garlic cloves??

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        February 06, 2023 at 10:58 am

        Hi Barry!! Yes we do mince them. They're delicious !! Hope your team wins!

        Reply
    2. Patrick

      September 21, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent tasty

      Reply
    3. Dana

      July 25, 2019 at 9:55 am

      5 stars
      Love that you've added adobo sauce to these bad boys! That must make them so smokey, which would add such a nice kick to any flavor profile. These will be fab in pasta or on a meatball sub of some sort. OR. Of course. On their own 😉

      Reply
    4. Daniela

      July 24, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love spicy food, so these meatballs are right up my alley. I love that they are so easy to make and can be used in a variety of dishes. Great recipe!

      Reply
    5. Trish Bozeman

      July 23, 2019 at 10:51 am

      5 stars
      These look great! That adobo sauce is absolute perfection. Great for an awesome appetizer or with a plate of pasta.

      Reply
    6. Debra

      July 22, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Great tips on freezing. Thank you. I always make a double batch and have had problems with freezer burn and sticking in the past. Glad to know my kids are not the only ones who just like the meatballs and sauce, without the pasta!

      Reply
    7. Jenni LeBaron

      July 22, 2019 at 4:29 pm

      5 stars
      I've never worked with venison before but these baked meatballs sound absolutely delicious. I love that you've added a bit of adobo for a spicy kick. I also love that these would work equally well for an appetizer and a main course with pasta or rice.

      Reply
    8. Donna

      July 21, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      I had to laugh that you were as sad about being homeless as you were about no meatballs in the freezer....you sound just like me 🙂 These are just perfect, and a great little addition to any freezer, especially for a busy day!

      Reply
    9. Sandra Shaffer

      July 20, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      5 stars
      Great tip to use a digital scale. Each meatball is perfection and looks like it was whipped up by a professional chef! Made larger ones for a main meal and smaller ones to enjoy as appetizers. Yes, they freeze beautifully. Thank you!

      Reply
    10. Pam Greer

      July 20, 2019 at 10:41 am

      5 stars
      I'm going to pass this recipe on to my daughter because she has a freezer full of venison! She'll love that they are baked!

      Reply
    11. Gloria

      July 17, 2019 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      Nothing beats a GREAT homemade meatball. These look perfect as an appetizer, on pasta or stuffed in a sub. I like trying meatballs made with different proteins. I have not tried venison yet, but I can imagine they would be super juicy and delicious.

      Reply
    12. Cheese Curd In Paradise

      December 16, 2018 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      I adore meatballs, and venison is popular in my area. I can't wait to give these a try!

      Reply
    13. Claudia Lamascolo

      December 15, 2018 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      I have some venison steaks in the freezer someone just gave me. I wonder if I can grind the meat to make these with. My husband loves fried cutlet steaks so making meatballs fried he would go nuts over. Not sure if it will work but I am going to try this!

      Reply
    14. Emily Leary

      October 10, 2018 at 4:46 am

      5 stars
      Meatballs are a classic favourite in our house. Great idea to use venison. They look really well cooked.

      Reply
    15. Tina

      October 09, 2018 at 5:53 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I love meatballs, and this recipe using venison should be a big hit in our house this deer season! I’m always looking for new and creative ways to use up our harvest. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    16. Jacque Hastert

      October 08, 2018 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      I will be making these next Sunday as an appetizer for game day!

      Reply
    17. Sri Mallya

      October 07, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      I am drooling. Pasta and meatballs is such a great combo. Can't wait to try your recipe. Yummy!

      Reply
    18. Les

      October 07, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      We don't do venison in our house, but I have a lot of friends up in Vermont that do - they're going to love this when I send it to them!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        October 07, 2018 at 4:44 pm

        Thank you, Les, for sharing. We appreciate it.

        Reply
    19. Nicolas Hortense

      October 07, 2018 at 3:54 am

      Wow my stomach is rumbling looking at these meatballs. I love your idea of having them as Sweedish meatballs! (:

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        October 07, 2018 at 4:44 pm

        Hi, Nick! Yes, they are so versatile. We love them.

        Reply
    20. Lorie

      October 06, 2018 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      My one year old’s favorite food? Meatballs! Making these but will make half spicy and half mild for him. Thanks!

      Reply
    21. prasanna hede

      October 06, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      That's a wonderful post with great tips.I need to have meatballs with pasta now!

      Reply
    22. Veronika's Kitchen

      October 06, 2018 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      I love meatballs and always on a hunt for a new recipe) Yours look delicious and super easy to make! Definitely will try them!)

      Reply
    23. Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life

      October 06, 2018 at 2:46 am

      What a fun take on the classic meatball! We have a couple of friends who are avid hunters so we'll definitely be passing this recipe along to them.

      Reply
    24. Kelly Anthony

      October 02, 2018 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      My husband is a hunter, and he always cooks the venison! He would be over the moon if I slammed out these meatballs! They look perfect!!

      Reply
    25. Elaine Benoit

      October 02, 2018 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      Venison is one of those meats that when I eat it, I think, why don't I eat more of this! I've never had it in meatball form but I certainly will now! This looks delicious and easy!!

      Reply
    26. Dawn

      October 02, 2018 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      You can never go wrong with a meatball...especially when paired with pasta. I love how you could freeze these. Definitely convenient for busy weekday dinners! YUM!

      Reply
    27. Donna

      October 01, 2018 at 10:53 pm

      5 stars
      Great tips on freezing the meatballs, I always make a huge batch because my kids love them, but I am definitely making more next time and freezing them so we have some on hand!

      Reply
    28. Dana

      October 01, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      I think I've only had venison once. Whenever people talk about it, they never really mention *how* they've had it, so I guess I never realized just how versatile it is. These look great, though! You can't beat a tender meatball 🙂

      Reply
    29. Amanda

      October 01, 2018 at 8:04 am

      5 stars
      I've never made meatballs with venison, and now I want to have them for dinner! I love that you've paired the venison with hot sausage. These meatballs must be so full of flavor! I also love your suggestions for serving meatballs other than "spaghetti and meatballs". We enjoy them in soup too!

      Reply
    30. Stef

      September 29, 2018 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      I want meatballs in my freezer! Your line about not having them there anymore cracked me up. We pretty much never have meatballs in our freezer. I get sad when we no longer have waffles in the freezer. Now, I want to make your meatballs and maybe eat them on my waffles. 🙂

      Reply
    31. Sarah

      September 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      I love how many ways you cook with deer meat! That's such a good use of game meat. AND I love how versatile meatballs are-- DELICIOUS!

      Reply
    32. Tracy Koslicki

      September 25, 2018 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! What a great way to answer the "if you're bored..." ha! I love me some venison but have never made meatballs out of them. Now I know that's a mistake! These sound absolutely incredible!!

      Reply
    33. Carmy

      September 25, 2018 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      I just made meatballs last week and totally agree with your tips on not over mixing and packing them! We also used a scoop to portion it and a very gentle hand to round them out. I haven't had version meatballs yet but I'm looking forward to trying a new meat for meatballs!

      Reply
    34. Amanda

      September 25, 2018 at 2:05 pm

      5 stars
      I never tried venison meatballs before, but I have an avid hunter friend that I know would love to try these meatballs asap, so I think I will have to make them for him!

      Reply
    35. Tina

      September 24, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      I really like game meat. Adding the hot Italian sausage is genius. I usually add olive oil but I like the extra richness your technique would add. I really like meatball hoagies and I like meatballs with mashed potatoes. Yum! Thanks for this.

      Reply
    36. Ciao Chow Linda

      September 24, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      Your meatballs look positively scrumptious. They remind me of the time I hit a deer with my car (er, rather the deer hit me). Long story short, we had a lot of venison that winter. Unfortunately, my supply of venison has dried up but if I find myself with some, I will make your recipe!

      Reply
    37. Jenni LeBaron

      September 23, 2018 at 11:54 pm

      5 stars
      These sound really tasty. I love them in both pasta and as an appetizer. The fella lives them in a sandwich roll best! The adobo sauce is a fun addition to give these a good kick.

      Reply
    38. swathi

      September 23, 2018 at 10:13 pm

      5 stars
      I like that you used abodo sauce along Italian sausage and venison to make this delicious meat balls. Spaghetti dinner is good. I think we can make meat ball soup too.

      Reply
    39. Tammy

      September 23, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      What a delicious meal, Marisa! I've never had venison meatballs but I have no doubts they are as good as they look ;D

      Reply
    40. Mahy Elamin

      September 23, 2018 at 7:58 am

      5 stars
      Wow, these meatballs look very tasty! This is a great idea for dinner. Ohhh I can't WAIT to try this! Thank you for this great recipe! So YUMMY!

      Reply
    41. Natalie

      September 23, 2018 at 5:40 am

      5 stars
      These meatballs look absolutely amazing. So flavorful and super delicious. This is something that my kiddo would love very much. I'm saving this to make to my family.

      Reply
    42. Jyothi (Jo)

      September 23, 2018 at 3:06 am

      5 stars
      You had me at spicy Marisa. This one reminded of my post from few days back. I posted chicken meatballs over spaghetti and we loved it. this one looks so hearty and comforting! I bet this would be lovely for a weekend treat

      Reply
    43. Veena Azmanov

      September 22, 2018 at 5:20 pm

      5 stars
      I envy you with all the version deliciousness around you. We love meatballs but have never tasted venison yet. This sounds so flavorful. And I love that this is baked.

      Reply
    44. Gloria

      September 21, 2018 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      I love meatballs as an appetizter. These look delicous. I have never had venison meatballs before. These would be great on some pasta or stuffed in a sub too. So many wonderful ways to enjoy delicious meatballs. Perfect to feed a crowd...and for freezing too.

      Reply
    45. Claudia Lamascolo

      September 21, 2018 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      My husband is 100% Sicilian and doesnt eat pasta do you believe it? but he loves meatballs and hunts every year in his hometown. Going in November and hoping to get a deer. He will love this when I make them thanks! I never thought about making this before!

      Reply
    46. Jovina Coughlin

      September 21, 2018 at 10:07 am

      Great tips on making meatballs.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Venison Recipes Roundup - Binky's Culinary Carnival says:
      October 25, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      […] Spicy Baked Venison Meatloaf (All Our Way) […]

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    I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

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